Watermelon: calories, vitamins and ingredients

Watermelon: vitamins and other healthy ingredients

In addition, watermelon contains various minerals, especially magnesium, phosphate and calcium. In addition, the fruit has a low sodium content in relation to potassium, which together with the high water content dehydrates and cleanses the kidneys.

The seeds of the melon are also not to be scoffed at, as they contain vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins. So not only can you eat them without hesitation, they are also healthy.

Watermelon also contains lycopene. These are secondary plant substances that have a cell-protective effect similar to vitamin C. The contained amino acid L-citrulline is said to increase fat burning. In animal experiments, weight loss in affected animals was demonstrated through the use of watermelon extract. To what extent these findings can be extrapolated to humans remains to be seen.

Watermelon: water content, calories and nutritional values

First, a watermelon – as the name suggests – contains water. The water content is approx 90 to 95 percent. As a result, a watermelon has very few calories, only about 24 to 39 calories (kcal), or 100 to 163 kilojoules, per 100 grams.

Watermelons: buying and storing

The watermelon season is practically all year round due to their large distribution area. In Germany, however, they are usually only available in the summer months.

Since the ripeness of the fruit is not visible from the thick green peel, a little trick helps when buying: If you hear a dull, sonorous sound when touching the watermelon, the fruit is ripe. If it sounds hollow and metallic, the melon isn’t ready to eat yet.

Since most people can’t eat a whole watermelon in one sitting and the fruit goes bad in the fridge after a few days, you can often buy melon halves or quarters at fruit stores. With these, it’s easier to gauge the condition and ripeness of the watermelon by looking at the cut flesh. The pulp should be uniformly colored in a juicy shade of red or pink. However, sliced ​​melons are usually wrapped in plastic wrap. If you want to do without plastic waste, you should rather take the whole melon.

You can also freeze watermelon. It is best to cut the fruit into smaller cubes. This way you can portion them and work them better later. When cold, the semi-frozen melon is also a delicious base for cold drinks or desserts.

5 facts about watermelons – © iStock.com/chekat

Smoothie with watermelon

An excellent refreshment on hot days is also the watermelon smoothie, which can be easily prepared according to this recipe:

• Blend 300 grams of pitted fruit pulp with a cup of yogurt and 120 milliliters of milk.
• Then add two scoops of vanilla ice cream.
• Blend the smoothie until you get a frothy mixture.
• Pour the drink into two glasses and decorate with mint leaves.

Watermelon: Cultivation & Origin

Watermelon is native to South Africa. Because it loves the sun and dry, sandy soil, it still grows wild in the steppe today. However, wild watermelon varieties usually have a bitter taste and are most popular for their seeds. In many southern countries, these are roasted and salted like sunflower seeds and eaten as a healthy snack. Flour or oil is also made from watermelon seeds.

Domestication and cultivation of watermelon began already in ancient Egypt. However, the fruit arrived relatively late in Europe. Today China, Turkey, the United States, Iran and Brazil are among the most important countries for the cultivation of this melon variety.

Just like their relatives, herbaceous annual watermelon plants grow in branching tendrils on the ground. An adult watermelon can weigh around 100 kilograms, but the fruit usually weighs between three and six kilograms.

Strictly speaking, watermelon is a vegetable and not a fruit, even though it is traded and eaten like a fruit.