Discovering our food: watermelon 🍉

Hello my dear readers,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Unfortunately is always too short but hey, someone need to carry on the stuffs in this world, right?

This week I would like to share with you one of my favourite summer fruits: watermelon.

Everything you need to know about watermelon

Cool, rich in water, vitamins and lycopene, watermelon is the most loved food of the summer.

Watermelon origin_Popsicle Society

According to a legend, because of its ball shape, it was one of the first playing instruments of the gods. Can you imagine this gods using the watermelon as a ball?

Originally from tropical Africa, watermelon is mentioned in the hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt from five thousand years ago. According to the Egyptian religion, the watermelon, born from the seed of the god Seth, divinity of the desert and the dead, was often laid in the tombs of the pharaohs as a form of support for the afterlife. The nobles offered it to visiting guests to restore them from fatigue and thirst.

Watermelon ambient_popsicle society

Watermelon (Citrullus Vulgaris) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, such as cucumbers, courgettes, melons and pumpkins. Each plant can produce 100 fruits, generally oval and large, and can reach even 20 kg.

Worldwide, watermelon cultivation affects about 1,500,000 hectares and is particularly widespread in Russia, Turkey, Brazil and in the United States.

There are 50 varieties of watermelon, of different appearance: round, oval, baby, with bright green striped or spotted skin, with white or yellow spots.

And also the watermelon loves the warm climates, just like me 😎🤩

The watermelon, like the melon, is native from warm climates, the seed is born above 24 degrees Celsius and then grows well in temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius, for this is a typical summer fruit and if the climate is a bit stiff you need to cover it with black sheets to warm the plants better. A temperature below 14 degrees Celsius can stop its growth affecting the harvest.

The soil to cultivate the watermelon must be rich and not arid, tendentially acidic (ph above 5.5). It is a cultivation that requires water and nutrients. Like many plants, the watermelon also fears the stagnation of water that causes root rot, for which the soil is prepared with deep digging and enriched by fertilising with manure, compost or pollen, the watermelon loves a rich fertilisation. If you want the watermelon to be sweet, need to make sure there is a good presence of potassium in the soil if it is not enriched with fertiliser or you can also use ashes if you have.

If you are sowing the watermelon in a pot, then you can start doing it in spring, around March, but make sure you keep it in a protected place. Otherwise, especially if sown in the open field, it is best done between April and May to avoid the risk of low temperatures or late frosts. Even the transplantation in the garden should not be done before April.

It is essential to guarantee water to the watermelons, frequent irrigation is needed during germination and transplantation, with the growth of the plant an increasing quantity of water is needed because the roots do not go particularly deep. Don’t irrigate it before the harvest otherwise the fruit will be too watery.

For a small domestic vegetable garden the best is to use the Sugar Baby variety, which is a very sweet small watermelon that generally does not exceed 5 kg.

Watermelon use in the kitchen_Popsicle Society

Rich in water, vitamins and potassium, watermelon stimulates diuresis and is very appreciated by those who follow a low-calorie diet or are looking for foods to help control hunger.

So why not take advantage of its nutritional qualities and use it as an ingredient in the kitchen?

A few of the best recipes with watermelon: delicious appetisers, vegetarian first courses, light second courses and mouth-watering cold desserts that will certainly make your mouth water. And what if I tell you that you can create an entire menu based on this refreshing fruit: from skewers with watermelon to cold rice with watermelon, from turkey cut with watermelon to watermelon granita.

 

Wtaermelon benefits_Popsicle Society

Watermelon contains good amount of carotenoids (Vitamin A), water and mineral salts. According to nutritionists and the latest scientific research, watermelon is the fruit of summer with an inexhaustible source of well-being.

Lycopene, present in the pulp, which gives its typical red color, has antioxidant powers, important in particular for the prevention of prostate and breast cancers. The watermelon pulp is composed of 92% water and 8% sugars. For this reason its consumption is indicated in the summer diet, as it helps fight dehydration during the hottest days, basically allowing us to drink while eating. In summer, eating watermelon protects the skin from the risks associated with excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Moreover, it is a natural ally for the reduction of bad cholesterol and allows to keep the weight under control, being fat-free and low in sugar. Even those who are careful to the silhouette, can eat watermelon without worrying, taking advantage of the benefits of this water-rich fruit that stimulates diuresis and eliminate the toxins. You don’t believe me? Just think that 100 grams of watermelon contain only 30 calories. That’s not all, citrulline, a substance found in the white part, makes this fruit suitable for preventing hypertension and heart disease, as well as being known for its aphrodisiac properties.

Watermelon consumption can also help improve sleep quality. Eating a couple of slices after dinner, in fact, stimulates the production of serotonin in the body, due to its carbohydrate content, favoring peaceful sleep. In the summer, you know, the heat can drain your energy. Eating a nice and fresh slice of watermelon can help us “recharge the batteries”. This happens because of its vitamin B6 content, which the body uses to synthesize dopamine, a promoter of wellness. Watermelon also contains magnesium, which is used by our body to supply cells with energy.

Of course, not all of us has the possibility to grown its own watermelon but usually in summer is very easy to find it to buy. But how to understand if we are choosing a good watermelon or not?

First, the stalk of the watermelon must not be dry. The point where there is the petiole, or where it was before being harvested, must be moist, with the juice coming out. This way you can enjoy a ripe and sugary fruit. A further trick consists in the classic test of the “empty sound” that is obtained by knocking lightly with a finger on the surface of the fruit. The noise must be dull. If this is not enough, look for watermelons with streaks and yellow spots. Finally, you can choose to buy watermelon from a trusted grocery store who will advise you or, better yet, let you taste a piece of watermelon before buying.

Now that you know the many positive sides that make watermelon the fruit of summer, how would you like to enjoy it? A savoury dish or simply a big nice fresh slice of it?

Here in Singapore is very common the yellow watermelon and I simply love it! Is on our table every week for breakfast 😉

yellow watermelon_Popsicle Society

Everything you need to know about watermelon-benefits

Thank you for reading and for joining me in this discovering journey!

Join me next time and let’s discover province of Gānsù in China, which is in the first place for the production of watermelon, producing annually 79.2 Million Tons.

And last but not least, remember that no one knows better than you what you want in life! So trust your heart and follow your dreams! Believe in yourself! Nothing is impossible!

Have a great week!

Bye bye for now 🙂

Photo credits: Google Image & Pixabay, edited by Popsicle Society

111 thoughts

    1. Thank you very much! I’m glad you like it! Is so delicious and refreshing, perfect for summer! 😉
      Yes, dogs can have such cute personalities 😉🐶🐶
      Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply

  5. Beautiful back story! <3 Watermelon is one of my family's favorite. 😋
    Never seen yellow one before. Wow, I have to search for that. It look so unique.

    Reply

    1. Thank you very much Jess! I guess sometimes is fun knowing more about our food 😉 I’m glad you and your family like it! It is really delicious! The yellow one is even more juicier 😉😋😋 but not so easy to find in Europe I guess! At least when I was back home, we always had the red one, only rarely the yellow one 😊 but I don’t remember from where my grandparents used to have it 😊

      Reply

      1. 😭 I hope that it’s not because your grandparents knows someone who planted yellow ones. That would mean that I better luck finding needle in a haystack than search for the fruit in Europe.

      2. 🤪🤪🤪 No Jess….probably there is…I know in Lebanon you can find it 😉
        I hope you are ok Jess! I know you disabled the comments from your post! I just wanted to say my sincere condolences to you and your loved ones! I know words are useless in these situations! Take care! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸

      3. Thanks Ribby. I’m doing fine so far. After seeing her the first day reality seems a bit off. I think I’m in denial stage right now. Never lost someone so close to me before. Everything just feels so unreal. haha 😀 I disable the comments because I know that bloggers who knows me a bit, you, Olivia, Hug and few other truly care but I don’t want to receive empty words from those who just accidentally stumble on my blog.
        Your words means thanks again 🙂
        Oh and I have to make a mental note to exchange destination with Hug. I super curious about that melon 😄

      4. When happened to me the first time I had the same feelings…I guess our mind is shutting down to protect our heart ❤️…the pain is too huge to bear…words are not helping either…the only thing we have left are our memories…
        I completely understand and agree!
        Yes, maybe you should switch for a while with Huguette 😉
        Take care dear Jess! 💕 a huge hug 🤗 🤗🤗💕💕

  10. hello dear Riby hope your Monday was great! mine is a bit busy! Glad yours has ended already 😊
    weekends are soooo short indeed unless yo have some days off 😁😁 then we can speak about a real weekend 😁
    What a lovely red post full of information and nice pictures and funny Gifs as well 😊 the most favorite Summer fruit I believe, and it’s extremely delicious!
    Imagine the gods playing with watermelons 😂😂 like this Gif 😂😂 a total mess!
    Interesting historical information about the Egyptians! And lot of benefits of course, I always loved watermelon gladly but not my favorite though 😁 I prefer melon but I eat watermelon much more 😁😁
    Guess I have seen and ate many of these 50 variety, we grow them in Lebanon and each place is different, some are round some are ovals…And while growing up I ate lot of watermelons especially that my uncle grew them and it was funny also selling them “3al sikkin” means he cuts it and you taste, if you don’t like it, you don’t buy it 😊😊
    I certainly don’t like it with cheese or salty ingredients, for me it’s a fruit and I rarely like to mix sweet with salty so a big slice of it would be great! 😁 Loved the picture for watermelon sticks hahah
    Lot of great benefits especially for better sleep and diet as well and 92% water! I always heard how good watermelon is and parents love to buy it to their children I guess 😁 I also tasted the yellow watermelon, it’s almost same taste, we have it imported in some specific markets 😊 but I prefer the red one 😊
    always the touch of inspiration as well at the end “Nothing is impossible” indeed! Looking forward to discover province of Gānsù in China, the land of watermelon 😊
    Hope your evening is great! And thank you for this very well done and perfect post
    🤗🤗🧸🧸💕💕🧸🧸🤗🤗🤗

    Reply

    1. Hello my dear Huguette! Yep, also mine was very busy today but glad is over now 😉🤪
      The good part of a busy day is that is flying and soon is over 😉😉
      Exactly! I always said that would be much better to work Saturday and Sunday and have weekend from Monday to Friday 🤪🤪🤪
      Yes, I guess is really the favourite summer fruit because it suite it so well 😉 It is so refreshing on a summer hot day 😉 I like melon too but nowadays, rarely I find one so good as it was when I was a little girl…I remember my grandparents used to grow them both, melons and watermelons and the melons were very tasty and juicy as well….the ones I find now are always hard and tasteless…
      Yes, there are so many kinds! I do like the yellow one! Most of the time here in Singapore I find it better than the red one! Is more juicier 😉 Usually I eat it for breakfast after my work-out 😉🤪 It is refreshing and delicious and it has a lot of benefits.
      Also I remember when my grandparents moved to the city and we needed to buy them, we always bought only from the farmers that used to give us to taste…they used to do a hole like a triangle and they gave us to taste….different times I guess 😉
      Honestly I have tried it once with salted cheese and was not my favourite 🤪 I prefer it as it is or a juice or cocktail 😉
      Yes, a little bit of inspiration I guess we all need, even if I’m not sure how many manage to reach until the end 🤪🤪 Luckily with you 😉🌸🧸And the gifs, I cannot post anymore without them 🤪🤪🤪 Are too funny 🤪🤪
      Just finished cleaning the house this evening 🤪🤪🤪
      Have a wonderful afternoon my dear and thank you always for your support and for your time to read and for your valuable comments!
      Thank you 🤗🤗🧸🧸🌸🌸💕💕🌺🌺🤗🤗🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

      Reply

      1. I can certainly welcome your option, 2 days work and 5 weekends 😂😂 Glad your busy day was over so your Tuesday as well gladly 🙂
        Yes it needs to be tasty and juicy for both melon and watermelon, otherwise not worthy to eat tbh
        You’re doing great with these Gifs, they speak a lot actually 😁😁
        Mother of cleaning! Another waste of time hahah but better than sleeping! I was extremely tired and mad that I slept at 7 PM working is certainly better 😁
        Sorry for the late reply and it’s always a great pleasure my dear, enjoy your afternoon🤗🤗🧸🧸🌸🌸💕💕🌺🌺🤗🤗🧸🧸🧸

      2. Would be so great 😉
        Thank you my dear! I really love to use them! I’m better at expressing myself 😉
        Yep, cleaning is a must 🤪🤪🤪 waste of time but a must 🤪🤪🤪
        I really cannot believe you slept from 7pm…really not you! Then did you wake up with the birds like me?
        Sorry for what? Are you kidding me? 🧸🧸🧸🧸
        Hope today was better than yesterday and your evening will last longer 😉
        🤗🤗🤗🧸🧸🧸💕💕💕🌸🌸🌸🌸🤗🤗🤗🤗

      3. 😁😁😁
        Many things are a must actually, what to do!
        Yes I sleep only when sick or sad and they were both combined and nope I wake up as usually 😌😌
        Thank you dear for the concern and kindness 😊😊😊 yes today will be different 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🥂🥂

      4. I hope at least you managed to rest a little bit and I hope yesterday was ok!
        This morning I’ve updated my WP app on my phone and now I cannot open it anymore…🤪🤪 WP…playing tricks again!
        Wish you a great and happy day! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

      5. Oh yes all is good 😊 hope your day is great as well 😊
        The never ending story of WP glitches 😕 why I’m not surprised 🙄
        Have a great Wednesday and soon 3 days down!!! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸

      6. I have also restarted my phone but nothing! The app is not working anymore 🙄🙄🙄
        Means that I’ll stop checking my blog when I’m on my way home or to work 🙂
        See? There’s always a solution for time management! Me, that I have so much complained 🙂
        Wish you a wonderful and happy day :)🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸

      7. Great! What a total failure :/ Try to uninstall it and then re-install it, I did it once and it worked so try it
        Yes I do that all the time, I always check blog while waiting or in the free time I might have,.. so yes it’s hard now to check it on your way home :/ hope they will fix it soon!
        Have a great afternoon! 3 days down 😀 🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸

      8. I thought I have replied to this comment 🤔🤔 Am I loosing my mind? 🤔🤔 Possible 🤪
        I did delete the app and reinstall it and now works! Thank you dear Koko! You’re a genius! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸

      9. Oh great!!! Well I’m not actually but when everything fails you can always re install 😊
        I replied late to this one so you’re totally sane 😁
        Have a great Thursday 😁 amazingly this week flew 🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸

      10. Good morning dear! Exactly! When everything fails you can always reinstall it 🙂 I don’t know why I did not think about it 🙂 But for this reason friends exist right? 🙂
        Yep, Thursday already 🙂
        Have a wonderful day 🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸

      11. Oh yes anytime dear if I can help will be more than happy 😁😁
        Have a great afternoon as well and be ready for Friday 🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸

      1. hahahha yes you’re right but you know just to have some idea about Arabic Letters, you just focus on Batteekhh 😁😁
        Oh nothing new just what I learned few months ago and of course I forgot them, need to do some revision I guess and practice as well :/

      2. Are that letters? Really? 🧐🙈🧐🙈 It looks like just a drawing to me ✍️
        I’ll just focus on Batteekh 🤪🤪🤪🤪
        You’ll practice with your niece 😉

      3. Hahahah of course they are letters!! I don’t draw actually 😁😁😂
        Focus on batteekh then 😂
        Yes hopefully I will 😊😊

    1. Thank you Simon for stopping by and for reading! I’m glad you like it! Yes, I guess is the summer most favorite fruit 🍉 😉 So, so good and refreshing 😋😋

      Reply

  13. Hi, Ribana, you did a wonderful post about 🍉!
    Summer we prefer this for hydration!☀
    In one of my post I have written about watermelon! 😊
    Mostly here we get red watermelon, small and big type! Usually small ones are sweeter than big! 😊
    Always we enjoy it in pieces or as juice!😊
    Have a great day!💙

    Reply

    1. Hi Suni, thank you for stopping by! I’m really glad you like it! Yes, I love the small ones too because are sweeter 😉🍉 So refreshing on a hot summer day! 😋 Thank for your kind words! Wish you a lovely day! 🌸🌸😊😊

      Reply

      1. Thank you! There are lucid moments but most of the times she’s restless. According to my sister, she’s much calmer because I’m around. My talkativeness came in handy but I get tired too. 😁😉

  17. I know some people who stay clear of GMO produce. I hate to break the news to anyone who loves watermelon, but it’s a GMO fruit! Unless your watermelon still has those little black seeds in it, I will occasionally find ONE black seed in an entire watermelon! I can usually eat an entire large watermelon in one sitting, despite the warnings my mom gives me about watermelon being too high in sugar….

    Personally, I don’t know anyone who dislikes watermelon. The only kind of watermelon I don’t like is artificially flavored watermelon candy or any artificial melon-flavored things. 🍉🍈😄

    Reply

    1. Hello Hilary, glad to see you here! Well, all the watermelons I buy has quite a lot of seeds and honestly I don’t mind 😉
      And don’t worry, you can eat as much as you like as the sugar content is nothing compared with all the other “normal and usual stuff” such as bread or sugar drinks…🤪
      No artificial watermelon of course 😉 we go as much as we can with natural! 😉
      Have a wonderful day Hilary! And thank you for stopping by!

      Reply

      1. Watermelons with seeds are probably not GMO then. The watermelons we get in Canada don’t have seeds anymore. When I was very little, I used to think that if I swallowed a watermelon seed, a watermelon would grow inside my belly. As an adult, I can assure you that is not how watermelons grow. 😂

      2. 😂😂😂 well you were not alone! I used to think that too 😂😂😂
        I doubt the ones I find here are GMO, are really like the ones I used to eat when I was a little girl, grown in my grandparents’s garden 🙂
        Maybe you should try the ones directly from the farmers, if there’s any chance 🙂

    2. I believe the seedless watermelons are hybrids, not GMO, although it is possible that some seedless melons are indeed GMO, not all of them are. They have been around for about 50 years. Organic is always a good bet if you want to avoid GMO produce.

      Reply

      1. Thanks for the info Dorothy. I didn’t know that 🙂 My husband and I mostly buy from Costco so I’m not sure whether their produce is GMO or not.

      2. If a produce is not certified organic, it is extremely difficult to tell. I understand that some crops, such as corn and soybeans, are the biggest culprits because they are grown on such large scale and genetically engineered to be “roundup ready.” The problem is not “does genetic engineeing affect the health of the plant” but rather “does this genetic engineering make the plant able to in some way further the use of herbicides and pesticides.”

  19. Hello Ribana,
    What a refreshing post filled with useful information. You’ve really worked hard, and did the research in order to present us meaningful and accurate advice. I particularly like the history part. I had no idea that watermelon had so many health benefits… I just love them for their great taste. 🙂 You made me smile when you said: “watermelon loves the warm climates, just like me!” Looking forward to discovering your recipe on Friday.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dominique,
      thank you very much for stopping by and for your kind words! It means a lot! I’m really glad you like it!
      Yes, I thought there are so many things we don’t know about our food so I’m trying my best to discover and share what this beautiful planet has to offer 🙂 Watermelons are great, especially in a hot summer day 🙂 And yes, they are just like me, loving summer 🙂
      Thank you Dominique! Wish you a wonderful day!

      Reply

      2. Thank you very much Dominique! Yes, I do them myself 🙂 I’m trying to improve my photography and editing skills 🙂
        I’m really glad you like them 🙂
        Wish you a wonderful weekend too!

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  41. Yum! All this talk about watermelons has made me want one! Summer is coming now (South Hemisphere), and a piece of cold watermelon is a real treat! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Definitely! Watermelon is a favorite fruit during summer time! So refreshing 🙂
      Luckily for now I’m living in Singapore and I can enjoy it whole year 🙂
      Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply
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