7 Surprising Ways To Love Watermelon

You could be enjoying watermelon SO MUCH MORE than you probably do with it’s delightful versatility. Let me share with you what I’ve discovered about the very special ways that watermelon loves you!

Here’s what I’ll cover:

  1. Outstanding health benefits
  2. Surprising ways to eat watermelon
  3. Watermelon RECIPES
  4. A home remedy to relieve itching from poison ivy or poison oak
  5. Historical and cultural heritage of watermelon
  6. Organic vs conventional watermelon – which should you purchase?
  7. Selecting and storing your watermelon

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Watermelon’s health benefits, such as cancer-fighting power

  • Watermelon can actually help lower your risk of colorectal cancer.
  • Studies indicate that it reduces the risk of prostate cancer when consumed with other high-carotenoid foods, (such as dark leafy greens or orange vegetables).
  • The lycopene content in one cup of watermelon is comparable to the lycopene found in 2 medium raw tomatoes.
  • The lycopene in watermelon appears to be more easily absorbed than it is in raw tomatoes.
  • The rind itself also stimulates nitric oxide production, which improves your circulation in you arteries.
  • And finally, watermelon also supplies vitamin C and beta carotene, essential nutrients
  • According to David Grotto, RD, in “101 Foods That Can Save Your Life”, watermelon seed tea was once used medicinally for reducing blood pressure and as a diuretic.

Francie's Watermelon Rind

Surprising ways to eat watermelon:

  • Eating the rind
    • The rind boosts nitric oxide production.  Nitric oxide is very beneficial for your heart and your circulation. A little bit of a higher nitric oxide in your bloodstream might even reduce your blood pressure while increasing your blood circulation.
    • Pickling the watermelon rind requires some traditional home canning equipment, as well as some careful attention to food safety practices. Follow the recipe exactly as indicated; you don’t want to substitute ingredients. The USDA’s Complete Home Guide is a great guide for getting started.
    • Home Remedy: The rind can be applied to skin that is suffering with the itch of poison ivy, and from poison oak to find some relief.
  • Eating the seeds
    • Much to my disappointment, I’ve learned that you won’t sprout watermelon tree from your belly button if you eat the seeds.
    • In some parts of India, the seeds are ground into a flour.
    • In many traditional African cuisines, watermelon flesh and seeds are cooked and served as a vegetable, those seeds happen to be a source of fatty acids and protein.

Watermelon Recipes:

Francie's Watermelon-Tomato salad

Watermelon-Tomato Feta salad

  • Freeze some watermelon juice into little ice cube trays for flavorful ice cubes, or turn into popsicle sticks for your kids
  • Watermelon-Cranberry Fresca: 2.5 pounds seedless watermelon chunks + 1 cup cranberry nectar + 1/4 cup lime juice. Blend. Serve in a chilled glass. (My preference is to use a VitaMix)
  • Combine cubed watermelon with lime, mint, and ginger. Chill before serving.
  • Blend a Thai-spiced watermelon soup for something exotic
  • Watermelon soup: Blend watermelon with tomatoes, almonds, red wine vinegar, and then sprinkle a little feta cheese on it – screamingly yummy!
  • Chop up a watermelon jalapeño salsa.

Organic vs Conventional:

Contrary to popular opinion, watermelon skin does actually absorb some pesticides.  You will still receive whatever chemicals were sprayed onto that watermelon through the skin. Depending on the variety of the melon, its flesh is at least 90% water. That basically means that your thirsty melon is slurping up every ounce of water that it can find. The porous skin is gulping up liquids, including pesticides or chemicals that it encountered during growth.

Francie's Watermelon Skin

Selecting a ripe watermelon:

  • If you’re using the rind for pickling, buy an organic watermelon
  • Look for a melon that is heavy for its size
  • Seek out a hard rind. Knock on it and listen for a hollow sound (this is a debated practice)
  • Examine to be sure it is free of bruises and dents
  • Look for the spot where it sat on the ground. If the spot is yellow, it means it was allowed to ripen on the vine longer. If the spot is white, it is less ripe. Unfortunately, watermelons do not ripen off the vine, so, this is why it’s important to look for the yellow.

Storage:

  • An uncut melon will last for about two weeks at room temperature
  • You can store the cut melons covered, in the refrigerator

Season:

  • Watermelon is best consumed during its growing season (if you’ve every had a watermelon out of season, it really doesn’t have much flavor). I don’t think there’s a lot of point in eating a watermelon that’s not in season. I’d rather just go for something else that’s more flavorful and is grown in the proper season.

History & Cultivation

  • Watermelon were highly prized and often buried in the Kings’ tombs for “nourishment in the afterlife”.
  • They were likely cultivated around five thousand years ago among Egyptians, and are found painted in hieroglyphics in buildings.
  • Melons were cultivated for thousands of years in China, Greece, Rome, and the Mediterranean.
  • Melons finally reached the United States with European colonists and African slaves.
  • In Russia, watermelon juice is also processed and enjoyed as an alcoholic beverage.

Varieties:

  • Over 1200 varieties of melons exist, with 200-300 varieties growing in the US and in Mexico. Just imagine!
  • Forty-four states now grow watermelon, with the biggest producers being California, then Florida, Texas and Georgia.
  • Watermelon’s colors range from deep pink, deep red, to pink, orange, yellow, and very rarely, white. I want to get out there and try and find all of these different fleshy colors, and experiment in all of, just taking all these watermelon experiences, because they sound heavenly.

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How else do you enjoy watermelon? Please share your tips with me in the comments below!

Comments

2 responses to “7 Surprising Ways To Love Watermelon”

  1. amy drescher says:

    I freeze them in cubes and add to smoothies. I had them in a salad with cucumbers and shaved parmesan cheese. Wish I had that recipe. Thanks for some new ideas. Now for my trays of organic blueberries! Love your website and interesting info on gut health. I share a lot of your passions. I will enjoy following you,
    Amy D

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