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How to choose the best watermelon

How to choose the best watermelon

By Nouman ul haqPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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How to choose the best watermelon
Photo by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash

This fruit is ideal to drink in summer due to its large amount of water and its healthy properties. We give you some tips to choose the one that is right when you go to buy it

If you go to a greengrocer, you can ask the greengrocer for help to choose the best watermelon for you, but if you buy in a supermarket or in a large area, you will probably have to do it yourself. And we all ask ourselves more than once what details we have to look at to make the right choice: that it is at its right point of maturity, that it has its corresponding sweetness and water, that the pulp is not floury and is red in color intense... Do you want some tips to hit the best?

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A GOOD WATERMELON

Although it is considered a fruit -and that is how we know it-, in reality the watermelon belongs to the group of vegetables and specifically to the same family as the pumpkin , the zucchini or the cucumber, known as cucurbitacea. It is one of the most exported products by Spain, mainly to Germany, France and the Netherlands. And a lot is also imported from Morocco and Senegal. Almería, Murcia and Ciudad Real are the main producers of watermelon in our country.

It is one of the star fruits of summer and when you go to buy it, you have to take into account some considerations that we will detail below to choose the best one.

look for the yellow dot

To know if a watermelon is ripe, it must have a pale yellow spot on the skin that indicates that it has been left on the ground to ripen in the sun. Look at that and opt for specimens with a uniform shape and bark -it does not matter if they are round or oval-, without bumps, cracks or deformations, synonymous that it is not damaged.

color, gloss and weight

Note that the skin color of the watermelon is rather dark and has no shine. The darker it is and the fewer green spots of different shades the rind has, the more mature it will be and, therefore, the better it will taste. Look for watermelons with a firm, smooth skin, without bumps or bruises, hard and quite heavy because it is an indicator of more sugar , water and flavor.

A trick to know if it is ripe

Bring the watermelon close to your ear and tap it lightly with your knuckles. If the sound is hollow and dry, it is a sign that it is at its optimum point. Do not buy it if you hear an echo or the sound is very weak because that means that it is not as sweet as it should be and it will not taste like anything or it may remind you a little of cucumber.

If you buy it cut

Sometimes we don't want to buy a whole watermelon and we have the opportunity to do it in quarters or halves. In that case, you have to opt for those with the reddest and least floury pulp and the darkest seeds .

Properly preserve watermelon

Unopened, watermelon, stored at room temperature, in a cool place without light, lasts about 8 days . After opening it is necessary to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum and store it in the refrigerator for about 4 days and at a temperature of 3 to 5ºC. Take it out a few minutes before consuming it so that it is not cold and has more flavor.

Fruit, always in season

Respect the moment of each fruit and of the watermelon, of course, too. Because if not, you risk having no flavor, the texture being different... And we remind you that the watermelon season runs from June to September .

HEALTH PROPERTIES OF WATERMELON

Watermelon is one of the most moisturizing fruits that there is since it has more than 90% water. This also means that it is very low in calories - it only has 8% natural sugar - as well as being fat-free. Rich in vitamins A and C, minerals such as potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium phosphorus and beta-carotene and lycopene.

Thanks to lycopene, an antioxidant, it helps us take care of the health of the heart and our bones, as well as fighting all kinds of inflammation and muscle pain and regulating hypertension. Watermelon also gives us energy, is good for our eyes and improves our immune system.

3 HEALTHY RECIPES WITH WATERMELON

Although you can find -and will find- many more watermelon recipes on Hola.com, we bring you 3 new ones, with watermelon as the protagonist. Rich, healthy, very easy and quick to prepare, as well as ideal to drink on these hot days.

STEP BY STEP: GRILLED WATERMELON SALAD WITH CUCUMBER AND TOMATO

We usually take it as is, but grilled or grilled watermelon is also a great option, especially to put in refreshing salads like this one.

STEP BY STEP: VEGAN BOWL WITH WATERMELON AND EDAMAME

A poke bowl is a kind of salad, to which some fish is usually added. But here, we go vegan and do it with watermelon, edamame, rice, and various vegetables.

STEP BY STEP: WATERMELON AND MELON SMOOTHIE

This drink could not be more refreshing and hydrating, and it is also delicious! The two most summer fruits are its main ingredients.

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Nouman ul haq

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