What is a watermelon berry or vegetable. Why is watermelon called a berry, not a fruit?

Beloved by all without exception, the fruit ...

Bright green-striped balls - dark and light, round, elongated, and even square ones! Watermelon slides along the roads have been pleasing to the eye since August, the last summer month. Then they appear in stores and markets. A sweet delicacy is bought up with pleasure, anticipating eating a juicy and aromatic fruit. However, does everyone think about what turned out to be on the table in the house. A watermelon is a berry or a fruit, and perhaps a vegetable ...

Not all watermelon lovers wonder what species it belongs to, where is its homeland, how long ago the inhabitants of the northern latitudes knew it, which cannot be said about professional botanists.

Its ancestor is the colocynth or colocynth - a plant belonging to the genus Watermelon from the Pumpkin family. It inhabits northern Africa, the Mediterranean and Asia. Some call it the vine of Sodom, because of the vine creeping along the ground. Its fruits are medium-sized, the size of an orange or lemon, but with a green, hard and mottled peel. And its pulp is different from everyone's usual watermelon - it is white.

Disputes about the belonging of the fruit to one or another species are conducted among experts.

What do watermelon have in common with:

• fruit - only external similarity and the sweetness of the pulp. All the usual fruits grow on trees, while watermelon grows on the ground;
• vegetable - what it is garden plant suitable for consumption. A watermelon is a vegetable - an incorrect definition, since from this point of view, everything that grows in the garden can be classified as a vegetable, but it is not. Nobody calls pears, apricots or gooseberries as vegetables!
• berry - a lot. First, it is a multi-seeded fruit; secondly, its pulp is juicy, enclosed in a dense shell - a peel. Although it is the peel that is confusing. For berries - cherries, sweet cherries, raspberries and others - it is the thinnest and most delicate, while for a watermelon it is thick and hard. Because of this difference, experts attribute watermelon to a false berry, and even pumpkin. And this is absolutely true. The fruit is large, it cannot be compared with garden berries, the peel is thick and tough.

This is why watermelon is a berry, not a fruit or a vegetable.

Properties and composition of watermelons

An irreplaceable dietary fruit, 80% water, low-calorie - only 30-40 calories per 100 grams of product. Wherein chemical composition inspires respect.

Vitamins:

• A (retinol) - for the health of the skin, antioxidant, improves vision;
• B1 (thiamine) - indispensable for the nervous system;
• B9 (folic acid) - important for the immune system and the circulatory system;
• polysaccharide Pectin - improves metabolism;
• potassium - normalizes the work of the heart, conducts nerve impulses, regulates salts, acids and alkalis in the body.

Trace elements:

• magnesium - protects the heart, inhibits the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes, performs anticonvulsant functions;
• phosphorus - promotes the development of bones, strengthens muscle tissue, is necessary for normal mental activity;
• iodine - helps the thyroid gland, controls the occurrence of stress, strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• fluorine - participates in the process of hematopoiesis, strengthens teeth, hair, removes heavy metals, inhibits the process of osteoporosis;
• cobalt (one of the elements of vitamin B12) - breaks down proteins, fats and carbohydrates, synthesizes red blood cells, is important for the pancreas, regulates the release of adrenaline.

Thanks to this composition, it will not be an exaggeration to say that watermelon is a miracle berry.

Beneficial features

In ancient times, it was used as a thirst quencher. He came to Russia along the Great Silk Road, linking East Asia with the Mediterranean, and found refuge for centuries on the banks of the Volga. Initially, it began to be cultivated in the hottest regions - Astrakhan and Kuban, but nowadays breeders have done wonders, thanks to which the famous fruit grows successfully in the Middle Belt, and even in northern latitudes.

Its primary value is considered to be a diuretic effect.

1. Not a single patient seen by a urologist will avoid a special diet that includes a watermelon. In addition to washing the kidneys, it cleans the urinary tract. Diseases such as cystitis and urethritis, in addition to the use of medications, require natural cleansing with the beneficial juice of watermelon pulp.
2. Diabetics are grateful to the fetus for the fact that it allows you to experience the sweetness that is inaccessible to them in confectionery... Reasonable consumption of berries will not affect blood sugar levels in any way.
3. For people suffering from constipation, he will also do a good job. Fiber will help remove toxins from the body.
4. Benefit to all mankind suffering from liver dysfunction. Choleretic properties help with cholecystitis, hepatitis A, cirrhosis, and also improve the functioning of the intestines in case of poisoning.
5. The condition of the vessels will improve if you regularly eat watermelon during the season - it removes harmful cholesterol.
6. Vitamin B9 will contribute to the inhibition of cell aging, it will also improve the condition of nails and hair.
7. And on a hot day, without thinking about medicinal properties fruit, you can just eat a couple of pieces - instead of ordinary water, and the issue with thirst will be settled. Watermelon berry - will help!

During pregnancy

The fetus should be eaten with caution by expectant mothers. An exact recommendation can only be given by the attending physician. Of course, the vitamins and minerals in it are useful. However, if a woman suffers from edema, diarrhea, urolithiasis, or high blood pressure, eating the berry can aggravate the problem. This applies, first of all, to the first months of pregnancy. In recent months, it is better to abandon it altogether, since a large amount of fluid will cause unnecessary severity and can provoke premature contractions.

Slimming

The low calorie content allows you to eat a fairly large amount. Some people gladly arrange fasting days for themselves, using only watermelon. It cleanses the body, saturates it with vitamins, creates a large volume in the stomach, which "deceives" the feeling of hunger. However, such a diet should be advised by a nutritionist.

About seeds

Watermelon seeds are an excellent means for neutralizing and removing harmful substances from the kidneys - uric acid, have a diuretic effect, and also help to reduce inflammation.

Contraindications

Any product other than benefits can cause significant harm. And watermelon is no exception. It is contraindicated in some categories of people:

• stones and sand in the kidneys (a diuretic effect can provoke their rapid advance, which will cause colic);
• diarrhea (a laxative effect will only make trouble worse);
• the last months of pregnancy;
• young children (up to 2 years old) - due to the presence of nitrates that accelerate the growth of berries, it is not recommended to feed children with watermelon before September, when they ripen on their own, without adding fertilizers.

The enormous benefits of watermelon for a person made it a favorite treat on the table in the first autumn months, when it was already fully ripe, filled with sweetness. The debate about its belonging to fruits, vegetables or berries has subsided, it is time to enjoy the gift of nature.

Well, for those who love healthy and tasty food, but at the same time want to be sure exactly what is on their plate, we will have to remind you: a watermelon is a berry!

Watermelon is favorite treat many, not only children, but also adults. Tucking the sweet juicy pulp of a watermelon fruit on both cheeks, few people think about where this culture came from at all and what it really is: a vegetable, fruit or berry.

But the watermelon has a very interesting story domestication and causes a lot of controversy over its botanical classification.

This culture has been discovered for a very long time in African deserts. Moreover, the wild watermelon barely recalls today's well-known one. It is called colocynth or "bitter gourd", and its fruits are much smaller than that of a cultivated representative.

From the second name it turns out that its fruits by taste differ significantly from watermelons, which are valued precisely for their sweet pulp. But not all colocynth fruits grow bitter, some of them may have a sweetish taste. In any case, this wild ancestor of the watermelon saved nomads and desert wanderers from thirst, because, like the usual watermelon, it contains a large amount of water in the fruits.

In 2000 BC. this so-called "bitter gourd" fell into the hands of the Egyptians, who became interested in the watery fruits of the colocynth and began to carry out experiments and experiments on it, which can even be called the methods of ancient selection. And after that, watermelons began to spread throughout the world:

• in the XII century they began to be cultivated in India
• in the 10th century - and in China
• in the XVI-XVII centuries, watermelons captured the territories of America and Europe
• when this culture was imported into Russia is not fully known

There are two versions of the appearance of watermelon in Russia.

1. Supporters of the first argue that they were brought to the country by the Tatars in the XIII-XIV centuries.
2. Others say that watermelons came to us directly from India much earlier - already in the VIII-X centuries.

But both versions agree on one thing: the Volga region is considered the Russian territory, where watermelons were first cultivated. Already in the 16th century, the Astrakhan watermelon was known throughout the country and was one of the desserts on the tsar's table.

But the Russian watermelon selection in its full understanding began during the reign of Peter I, who liked the pulp of the watermelon so much that he wanted to transfer the cultivation of this culture closer to him, to Moscow.

It is clear that nothing grew there, since the watermelon preferred to grow only in hot climates. In general, breeders are seriously engaged in the creation of cold-resistant varieties that can grow even under not very favorable conditions in different parts Rus. And only in the 19th century it was possible to bring out varieties suitable for cultivation in the cold regions of the country.

This is such a long way a watermelon has come to look like we and our contemporaries are used to it. But even today, world breeders continue to experiment with enthusiasm and develop new varieties. sweet berries without losing scientific interest in it. What can we say, if square watermelons grown under special conditions have been very popular in Japan for a long time.

Nowadays, if you wish, you can grow a watermelon in your garden, observing simple agricultural techniques and choosing a suitable variety according to the ripening time, the color of the pulp, peel, or even the absence of seeds from the huge assortment of specialized stores available on the shelves.

Many are interested in this question, because in fact, the fruits of watermelon fit into all these categories in terms of their characteristics.

For example,

• some believe that watermelon is a vegetable, because it belongs to melons, many of which are just vegetables: pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, etc.
• others suggest that watermelon is a fruit because it has a juicy pulp and is the "brother" of the melon.
• scientists tirelessly assert that the fruits of a watermelon are berries, since in botany the word "berry" means a fruit that contains a large number of seeds and is formed from the upper and lower ovaries.

In general, people have been trying to accurately attribute this culture to any of the above for a long time, but they did not come to a common opinion, and everyone continues to insist on their own.

Why is the point of view that the watermelon is a berry is so widespread? It is worth digging deeper here. The fact is that the fruit of a watermelon is a pumpkin, which is traditionally referred to as berry-like according to the botanical classification.

Some scientists, however, doubt the correctness of such a division and seek to consider the group of pumpkins as a separate one, and not as a subspecies of berries.

There are more scientific supporters of the idea that watermelon is a berry, so no one is going to change the traditional botanical classification of this culture yet.

The chemical composition of watermelon is very interesting from the point of view of the content in it of a large number of names of vitamins, macro- and microelements.

Moreover, their share is not very high, and therefore it is difficult to call a watermelon a treasure nutrients, and the main useful element contained in it is lycopene, which acts on the human body as a natural antioxidant.

But its fruits have an excellent diuretic, cleansing effect of the body, and also help to improve digestion. For diabetics, this seemingly sweetness is not prohibited, and for those fighting overweight, the use of watermelons is not contraindicated, but even useful - it contains some fat-burning acids.

The nutritional value is only 27 kcal per 100 g of product.

Carefully!

Not everyone is equally allowed to eat a large number of watermelons, for example, people suffering from flatulence and diseases of the pancreas, its use in food is generally not recommended.

The rest of the lucky ones can calmly enjoy the juicy pulp of a watermelon, quenching their thirst on hot days and without fear of any unpleasant consequences.

Why is watermelon called a berry? video

One of the most beloved summer fruits is watermelon. Let's try to figure it out, is a watermelon a fruit or a vegetable or a berry? Some refer to it as a fruit, others as a berry, and still others call it a vegetable. In fact, none of them are one hundred percent right. Most botanists would say that a watermelon is a berry, since in science a berry is understood as a single or multi-seeded fruit that has a juicy pulp and thin skin. However, according to the last criterion, watermelon cannot be confidently attributed to berries, since it has a thick peel. Therefore, scientists have identified a separate category - pumpkin berry.

What is watermelon

It is an annual herb, a species of the genus Watermelon (Citrullus), the Pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae). The wild fruit of a watermelon weighs no more than 250 grams, has a round shape and does not at all look like what we are used to seeing on store shelves. The weight of the fruit of a cultivated plant can reach 16 kg. What a watermelon looks like depends on the variety. The shape can be round, oblong and even cubic. The color of the peel of the fruit, depending on the variety, can be green, white or even black. But most often the watermelon has a green striped skin.

The pulp of a ripe berry is pink, red, and in some varieties it is yellow or white. Watermelon seeds are flat, ovoid.

Note! Seed germination lasts up to 5-8 years.

The birthplace of watermelon and its distribution

It is believed that the birthplace of watermelon is South Africa, from where it spread throughout the world. In those places, the wild plant colocynth is found, which today serves as one of the important sources of water for the Bushmen. Scientists have carried out genetic studies, which have shown that this plant may be the ancestor of the watermelon. In the twentieth century BC. watermelon has already been cultivated by people as a cultivated plant. This is evidenced by the seeds found in the buildings of the Twelfth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt.

Interesting! The watermelon was revered as a food source in the underworld, it was often placed in the tomb of the pharaoh. This is indicated by pictures and found seeds.

In ancient Rome, they were also familiar with this plant. From the verses of Virgil, you can determine that the watermelon was eaten in fresh, salted or made jam from it. By the 10th century, the Chinese also met him. They loved this fruit so much that in September every year they organized a "watermelon holiday", where the main treat was this juicy fruit.

Watermelon Festival in China

The watermelon came to the territory of Russia during the Crusades in the XIII-XIV centuries. There is also a version that overseas merchants brought it even earlier, in the VIII-X centuries. Be that as it may, both versions point to the spread of culture to the territory of the Volga region. Watermelon will become more widespread in 1660, when a royal decree was issued on the delivery of fruits to the royal court from Astrakhan, where "watermelon and melon gardens" were located. In those days, watermelons were not consumed raw, but prepared in an unusual way: the pulp was soaked in soda, and then molasses with spices and allspice was prepared from it.

Later, Peter I, while traveling to the Caspian Sea, was cured of ailment with watermelons. Then he issued a decree on growing the plant on the lower Volga, since Turkish and Iranian fruits cracked during transportation and therefore were not stored for a long time. The peasants could not disobey the tsar's decree and sowed watermelons for a long time until they bred the right varieties that would be drought-resistant and had the right sweetness. It was these varieties that became the ancestors of the famous southern Ukrainian and Russian (Astrakhan and Volgograd) varieties. Today, agronomists manage to grow pretty good fruits even in the suburbs.

The most famous varieties of watermelon in Russia

In total, more than 1000 varietal varieties of watermelon are known. Therefore, we will consider only those that are most suitable for the climatic conditions of Russia and the CIS.

• A twinkle. One of the most delicious watermelons grown in central Russia. A distinctive feature of the variety is the dark green color of the peel, without any stripes and spots. The fruit is not large, does not exceed 3kg. The advantages include unpretentiousness, resistance to temperature extremes, minimal maintenance, short ripening period and transportability.

• Producer. The territory of Moldova and Ukraine is ideal for its cultivation. The fruits are large, oblong, reaching a weight of 12 kg. The rind is light green in color with distinct stripes. The advantages of this variety include the ability to grow on sandy and sandy loam soils, long-term storage, resistance to diseases and pests, high yield.

Producer

• Astrakhan. This variety is most widely distributed in the southern territories of Russia. The fruit is round or oblong, has a very juicy, aromatic red pulp. The mass of one watermelon reaches 10 kg. The peel is green, has a clear pattern. The advantages of the variety include drought resistance, good yield, long-term storage and transportability.

Astrakhan

• Photon. One of the earliest varieties grown in our territories. The ripening period for this watermelon is at the end of July. Fruits are medium in size, up to 6 kg, slightly elongated. Has a thick rind with distinct stripes. The advantages include fast ripening, disease resistance, high yields and transportability.

• Gift from the Sun. This variety is grown in Russia and the CIS, but in greenhouses. Delicious fruit weighing no more than 4 kg. It has distinctive feature- bright yellow rind with dark yellow stripes. The advantages include good yield, disease resistance and transportability.

Gift of the Sun

• Lunar watermelon. This variety was bred quite recently, in 2007, but has already gained popularity. It has one unusual property - rich yellow pulp. Fetus round shape, up to 4 kg, with a thin skin, light green with stripes. The advantages include fast ripening, high yield, disease resistance, portability, unpretentiousness in agricultural technology.

Watermelon Lunar

Interesting! The legendary watermelon, which entered the Guinness Book of Records, weighed 121.93 kg, it was grown in 2005.

Root system feature

The ability to extract moisture in arid areas is realized due to the powerful root system. The root of the watermelon goes into the soil as deep as the soil type and structure allows. On heavy and loamy soils, the root penetrates to a depth of no more than 0.25-0.7 m, on light sandy loam and loamy soils, the root can reach a depth of 1 m or more.

Root system

In the ground, at a distance of 1–2 cm from the plow horizon, the root thickness sharply decreases, but it has strong lateral branches. The lower the main root, the shorter and weaker the lateral ones. The radius of the root system of a watermelon can reach 3.5 meters. It is because of this feature of the root system that the cultivation of the soil where watermelons grow occurs very rarely and not deeply.

Why is watermelon useful?

First you need to find out what vitamins are present in watermelon. The nutritional value of watermelon is only 25 kcal. It is due to such a low energy value those who are losing weight love him so much. In addition, the berry contains 92-95% water.

Why is watermelon useful?

The pulp of watermelon contains vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Watermelon seeds also contain enough nutrients. Especially there is a lot of cholecalciferol (vitamin D), which is involved in strengthening teeth and bones. It also contains B vitamins, carotenoids, zinc, selenium and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Useful properties of watermelon for the body:

Prevention of kidney ailments. Due to the high water content in watermelon, it has a diuretic property, which is the best prevention of urolithiasis and nephritis. In addition, the potassium content is able to break down and move kidney stones, reducing pain and eliminating the disease altogether.

• Normalizes blood pressure.
• Maintaining water balance in the body in hot weather.
• Prevention of eye diseases.
• Reduces the risk of cancer.

Prevention of ailments

Contraindications to the use of watermelon

In the absence of individual intolerance, the use of a small watermelon will not lead to any serious consequences. You should refrain only in the following cases:

• impaired renal function;
• violation of the outflow of urine;
• kidney stones over 4mm;
• with diarrhea and colic.

Contraindications for use

Pregnant women, especially in the last months, should also limit the use of watermelon. Otherwise it will lead to very frequent urination and general discomfort.

Diseases and pests of watermelon

In fact, there are a lot of diseases and pests. Below are just a few of the most common diseases in our territories.

• Fusarium. A disease caused by a fungus that invades the root system. This is precisely the danger of this disease. While the root system is affected, it is impossible to recognize it, and when visible lesions have already appeared, the watermelon cannot be treated. Sick plants are pulled out, and the rest are sprayed with fungicides.

Fusarium

• Anthracnose. Also a fungal disease, which manifests itself at the initial stage with yellow and brown spots on the leaves. Then yellow-pinkish pads appear, which gradually turn into dark ulcers. The disease spreads to the stems and fruits. The leaves dry out, rot, and the fruits become deformed and stop growing. Especially anthracnose spreads in rainy weather. The plant can be cured by spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid. The bush is processed evenly with a break of 7-10 days. The drug works only where it gets.

Anthracnose

• Root rot. Also a fungal disease, which can be caused by a sharp change in temperature, high humidity, diligent watering with soil solutions. Signs of root rot are black-brown spots on the stem of the shoots. The roots get thicker and burst, and the top of the plant breaks down into strands and dies. The plant can be cured only at the initial stage. The frequency and volume of watering is reduced, the water is replaced with a solution of potassium permanganate. The roots are taken out of the soil and treated with copper sulfate. At an advanced stage, the bushes are destroyed.

Root rot

So, now we know exactly which family the watermelon belongs to, what is a watermelon - is it a berry or a fruit? In addition, it is now clear how it is useful and what varieties are grown in our country.

Round and square, giant and dwarf, red, yellow, orange and even black - it's all about watermelons! Do you want to know what the word "watermelon" means, why the watermelon is red, how to grow a square watermelon and other curious facts about these striped fruits? Then this article is for you!

1. Watermelon is 92% water. For comparison, the body of a jellyfish is about 95% water, the body of a newborn baby is 80%, and the body of an adult is 65-70%.

2. The pulp of watermelon contains 5.5-13% of easily digestible natural sugars. By the time of ripening, fructose and glucose predominate in it, and sucrose accumulates during the storage of watermelon. A ripe fruit is saturated with fructose, which does not cause an insulin stress in the pancreas. Therefore, small doses of watermelon can also be used for diabetes.

3. The red color of the flesh of the watermelon is given by the carotenoid pigment lycopene. Its content is greater in watermelon than in any other fresh fruit or vegetables. The red pigment lycopene is also found in large quantities and determines the color of tomatoes, guava, grapefruit. Lycopene is a strong natural antioxidant, it is able to prevent the development of cancerous tumors, helps with male infertility, slows down the aging process, and reduces the risk of cancer of the prostate, uterus and esophagus in humans.

4. The Russian name for watermelon was derived from the Turkic word χarbuz / karpuz, which was borrowed from the Persian language. The word "harbuza" (χarbūza, χarbuza) in translation from Persian means "melon", and the literal meaning of this word is "a huge cucumber" or "a cucumber the size of a donkey."

5. The birthplace of watermelons is the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. There are still small wild watermelons (about the size of a tennis ball) and weighing about 200 grams. More than 4,000 years ago, watermelons began to be cultivated in Ancient Egypt, as evidenced by images and seeds of watermelons found in Egyptian tombs. Interestingly, the Egyptians often placed watermelons in the tombs of the pharaohs as a source of food in their afterlife. Later, watermelons began to be cultivated in Persia (Iran), Arabia, India and other Asian countries with dry and hot climates.

6. Watermelons were brought to Western Europe during the era of the Crusades about 700-900 years ago. Watermelons came to Russia from eastern and southern countries by sea through Astrakhan. But sowing them, and not importing them from other countries, began only in the middle of the 17th century. At that distant time, watermelons were not eaten fresh. While watermelons were brought to the royal table from abroad for a long time, they lost their freshness and became unsuitable for fresh consumption. Therefore, watermelons were eaten only after prolonged soaking and boiling in sugar syrup with spices and pepper! Even when they began to grow watermelons in Russia, they were not consumed fresh for a long time, but served in palaces soaked in sugar syrup.

7. Vietnam has interesting tradition... During the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) celebrations, watermelons are always served on the table. It is believed that the red color of the watermelon symbolizes good luck. And watermelon seeds are used as a snack.

8. In Ukraine, in the Kherson region (on the Dnepropetrovsk - Kherson highway) there is a monument to a watermelon. Kherson watermelons have long been famous throughout Ukraine and abroad.

9. Is watermelon a berry, fruit or vegetable? There is a widespread belief that watermelon is the largest berry known to science. In fact, the fruit of a watermelon is a multi-seeded juicy pumpkin (lat.pepo, peponium). Morphologically (in structure), pumpkin is similar to a berry, but differs from it in a large number of seeds and in the structure of the pericarp (the walls of the plant fruit surrounding the seeds). Therefore, from the point of view of botany, it is not entirely correct to call the fruit of a watermelon a berry. Common watermelon (lat.Citrúllus lanátus) is an annual herb, a melon crop of the Pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae).

10. Today there are more than 1200 varieties of watermelons, which are grown in 96 countries around the world. These are mainly countries with warm climates.

11. Watermelons need a hot climate and a long ripening period. They are planted after the ground warms up, and there is no longer any chance of frost. Watermelons grow well in steppe and Mediterranean climates with long hot and dry summers and mild short winters.

12. World production of melons (watermelons, melons, pumpkins) is growing. China takes the first place in the world in the production and sale of watermelons due to its huge agricultural land, cheap labor and hard work of the Chinese. Turkey is in second place by a margin of almost 17 times.

Top 10 countries in which the most watermelons are grown (according to 2007 data):

1. China - 63 million tons
2.Turkey - 3.8 million tons
3.Iran - 3.3 million tons
4. Brazil - 2 million tons
5. USA - 1.9 million tons
6. Egypt - 1.9 million tons
7.Russia - 1 million tons
8. Mexico - 1 million tons
9.Uzbekistan - 840 thousand tons
10.Republic of Korea - 741 thousand tons

13. The shape, size and color of a watermelon can vary greatly depending on the variety. Watermelons can be spherical, oval, flattened, or cylindrical. The color of the peel of a watermelon varies from white and yellow to dark green with a pattern in the form of stripes, spots, mesh. And the pulp is red, pink, raspberry, but sometimes there are watermelons with yellow or even orange pulp.

14. Yellow watermelons are the result of crossing a wild yellow watermelon (which cannot be eaten) with a regular one. Now watermelons with yellow flesh are grown in Spain and Thailand. In Spain, they grow in summer and are round in shape. And in Thailand, they are grown in winter and have an oval shape. In Thailand, yellow watermelons are especially popular (especially among the Chinese who buy them there) and cost 2 times more than ordinary ones, since it is believed that yellow symbolizes gold and wealth.

15. Experiments on the breeding of yellow watermelons were carried out in Ukraine. Ukrainian breeders have obtained a special hybrid "Kavbuz", which is yellow inside, looks like a pumpkin in appearance and taste, and resembles a watermelon in aroma. This variety is most suitable for preparing porridge.

16. And breeders have also brought out a black watermelon! This unique watermelon belongs to the rare Densuke variety and is grown only on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. The harvest of black watermelons is usually up to 10,000 pieces per year. The main differences of the Densuke variety are the smooth dark skin without the usual stripes for a watermelon and a taste that is unlike other varieties of watermelons. Black watermelons have a strong crumbly pink pulp, fewer seeds and differ from ordinary watermelons in the degree of sweetness. The fruits of black watermelons are round in shape and can weigh up to 11 kilograms. In Japan, black watermelons are considered a luxury and are usually presented as a gift. Their average cost in the market and in the store is about $ 250! And in June 2008, one of the first grown specimens of black watermelon weighing 8 kilograms was sold at auction for 650,000 Japanese yen (6,300 dollars)! This watermelon is perhaps the most expensive watermelon ever sold in Japan and worldwide.

17. Another Japanese invention is square watermelons. For the first time, cubic watermelons were bred about 30 years ago in Kagawa Prefecture on the Japanese island of Shikoku. Then they appeared in the UAE, Brazil, Great Britain and other European countries. Regular round watermelons often roll around and are inconvenient to store in the refrigerator or transport. Therefore, Japanese farmers came up with the idea of ​​placing the watermelon ovary in special glass boxes in the shape of a cube. In the process of growing, the fruits took the form of boxes, which, by the way, were the same size as the shelves of Japanese refrigerators. Wherein taste qualities such watermelons are no different from ordinary ones. Everyone can grow a square watermelon in their country house. To do this, you need to place the watermelon ovary in a transparent box (glass or plastic) when it reaches the size of a tennis ball. The box must have dimensions of at least 20x20x20 cm, a tight-fitting lid, good ventilation and slots for whips. Similarly, you can grow pyramidal or cone-shaped watermelons, and not only watermelons, but melons, pumpkins, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers. Square watermelons are more convenient to transport and store, they fit easily on the refrigerator shelf, take up less space and do not roll off the table. Growing them is more profitable from a financial point of view. In addition, they look original, so in Japan such fruits are used for window dressing and interiors. Only square watermelons are much more expensive than ordinary ones - from 50 to 300 dollars, but at the same time they are in great demand.

18. The average weight of a watermelon ranges from 5 to 10 kg, although it can be less and more. And the largest watermelon in the world was grown in the USA. American farmer Lloyd Bright from Arkansas in 2005 grew a watermelon of the Carolina Cross variety (Carolina Cross) weighing 122 kilograms (which is the average weight of two adults)! In the spring of 2006, this watermelon was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. And the largest watermelon grown in Europe weighed 61.4 kg. This watermelon of the "Russian size" variety was grown by the farmer Igor Likhosenko from the Temryuk region ( Krasnodar region, Russia) in 2009. It was rumored that the fruit was grafted onto a pumpkin, which has a more developed root system, and this provided the watermelon with additional nutrition and growth.

19. However, in addition to huge watermelons, there are also dwarf watermelons. In South America, they grow small watermelons only 3-4 centimeters long, called Pepquinos. They taste like fresh cucumber and are often used in expensive restaurants for cooking different salads, sorbet or as an appetizer. They were discovered and brought to Europe in 1987 by the Dutch company Koppert Cress, which then began producing their seeds for sale. These mini watermelons have recently begun to be grown in the United States and Asia, but they are already very popular.

20. The people believe that there are "boys" and "girls" watermelons, and that "girls" watermelons are supposedly sweeter and have fewer seeds. In fact, this is a myth, especially considering that the watermelon is a monoecious plant (that is, the female and male flowers are on the same individual). The flowers of watermelons are unisexual, that is, they have either stamens (male flowers) or pistils (female flowers). And since there are only stamens on male flowers, no fruit is formed on them. In fact, all the fruits of watermelons are female, since the fruit is formed from the pistil of a flower.

21. Watermelon is a low-calorie product. 100 grams of watermelon contains only 30-38 calories. In addition, watermelon is healthy dietary product... There is even a so-called "watermelon diet" (or "watermelon fasting"), which helps to lose weight, cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, and improve the functioning of the digestive system.

22. Nutritionists believe that in the absence of contraindications, an adult can consume 2-2.5 kg of fresh watermelons per day.

23. You can make a lot of delicious and healthy dishes: various salads, gazpacho, juice, sherbet, jam and candied fruits from watermelon peels, watermelon honey, and also original ice for drinks. Canned, salted, pickled watermelons.

24. A special honey "nardek" is made from the pulp of a watermelon. It is prepared by evaporating watermelon juice obtained from the pulp of ripe watermelons to the density of honey. To get just 1 kg of watermelon honey, you need 16-17 kg of sweet watermelon pulp! Only for diabetics it is better not to eat nardek, as it contains at least 60% sugar.

25. Asian carving artists often use watermelons to carve incredible sculptures and flowers. Carving (from the English "carving" - "cutting") is an art artistic cutting for fruits and vegetables. Carving originated in China 2000 years ago, and in 1364 such decorations began to be carved in Thailand. Until 1932, this art form was used only to decorate royal ceremonies. Now the art of carving for vegetables and fruits has been mastered in different countries the world.

Useful properties of watermelon

 Watermelon is not only delicious, but also useful product... The benefit of watermelon is that it perfectly cleanses the body of toxins due to its diuretic effect, helps with anemia - due to its high iron content, removes cholesterol - due to its high fiber content. Watermelon helps with gout, cystitis, jaundice, arthritis, atherosclerosis and other diseases.
In addition, watermelon is good for dietary nutrition, aimed at losing weight, due to its low calorie content (25-38 kcal / 100 grams).

Watermelon juice can improve complexion.

Watermelon is very useful for young mothers who are breastfeeding: it helps to get rid of postpartum anemia, and the folic acid contained in it helps in milk production.

Watermelon seeds are no less effective anthelmintic than pumpkin seeds.

One of the important contraindications for drinking watermelon is the presence of diabetes.

Why is it believed that watermelon is a berry and not a fruit or vegetable?

Many people believe that watermelon is a fruit. And they are wrong. Watermelon is actually a berry. Strange, isn't it? After all, we are all accustomed to the fact that the berries are small, do not have a hard peel. Why is a watermelon a berry?

In botany, a berry is a fruit with a thin skin, juicy pulp, a large number of seeds, and, most importantly, it is formed from the upper and lower ovaries. In any other case, such a fruit is a false berry. Berries, for example, include tomato, eggplant.

According to its main features, watermelon also belongs to berries, or rather, to a subspecies called "pumpkin". Pumpkins include melons, cucumbers, however, they are not berries. For this reason, some botanists doubt that watermelon is a berry, referring pumpkins to a separate species, and not a subspecies of berries. And they call all plants related to pumpkins berry because of their similarity to berries.

And finally, here are some tips for choosing a watermelon.

How to choose the right ripe, tasty watermelon?

Choose the right ripe watermelon it is possible, observing some recommendations. When choosing a watermelon, criteria such as:

The size: the larger the watermelon, the better, most likely, such a watermelon is ripe and has a juicy, tasty pulp. However, it is also not worth chasing giants, especially until August - most likely, such a watermelon has reached its size artificially, so there is a risk of getting a tasteless watermelon with nitrates inside.

Tail(stalk): in a ripe watermelon, it is completely dry. At the same time, distinguish a tail that has dried naturally from a cut and dried one already during transportation - there is a chance of running into an unripe fruit.

Sound: a ripe watermelon makes a dull sound when knocking, and crackles when the whole fruit is squeezed.

Colour: if the place where the watermelon lay is yellow or more saturated, then it is definitely worth taking.

After purchasing, do not forget to check the watermelon for the content of nitrates (the so-called "saltpeter"), so as not to get food poisoning. The flesh of a watermelon without nitrates is grainy. However, a strong graininess also indicates an overripe fruit.

If yellow streaks are visible in the watermelon, it means that it was not without chemicals. You can also dip a slice of watermelon into the water: if the water turns pink, then nitrates are present. To minimize the likelihood of buying a watermelon with saltpeter, take them closer to mid-August, in September - then it is more likely that the watermelon has ripened by itself, naturally.

It turned out to be so difficult with these watermelons in practice. But despite all the disagreements, we eat a berry or a fruit, vegetable or pumpkin, the benefits and taste of this in a watermelon does not diminish. Watermelon is a storehouse of useful elements, such as folic acid, fructose, and iron. Therefore, eating watermelon is not only tasty, but also beneficial for our body.