Today is National Watermelon Day, and people all over the country are celebrating one of the most popular fruits of the summer season. We may be familiar with this fruit, but there are a few things about them that might come as a surprise to you. Here are some fun facts about watermelons.
- Although we are used to seeing the same type of watermelon in groceries stores, there are over 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown in over 96 countries. Aside from the popular red/pink watermelons, watermelons can also be orange, yellow, and even white. Reddish pink watermelons grow in the summer, orange watermelons grow in the late spring, yellow watermelons are grown in the winter, and white watermelons grow in the fall.
- We all know watermelons as a sweet fruit, but did you know that they are also considered vegetables? Watermelons are harvested and cleaned from fields, while also being grown from a single ovary, making them overlap in the food categories.
- Despite the name, watermelons are not actually melons. In fact, they are a type of berry! Their thick rinds and fleshy center make them pepo berries. Other surprising types of berries are bananas, cucumbers, and pumpkins.
- These fruits are very large in size and seem to be mostly fruit. However, they are over 92% water. With such a great amount of water, they are the perfect fruit for hydration on hot summer days. Here are some refreshing summer recipes you can easily make with them.
- Aside from their sweet taste and hydrating qualities, watermelons have many health benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamins A, B and C. They also contain lycopene, which provides them with their red color and helps prevent atherosclerosis, colon cancer, and heart disease.
Now that you know these interesting facts, we have a few deals below so that you can enjoy watermelon in a variety of different ways this summer:
Thanks to Cooking Classy for the photo.