watermelon - the choice fruit
i used to eat lots of grapes and mangoes. of late, i have been eating more watermelon than any other fruit.
watermelon is an ideal health food because it does not contain any fat or cholesterol. it is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and contains fibre and potassium, as well as lycopene.
watermelon is a very concentrated source of the carotenoid, lycopene. lycopene has been extensively studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. in contrast to many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopene has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. these cancers now include prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers.
watermelon will not continue to ripen after it is picked from the vine, so first of all, look for one that was picked ripe. you can tell by finding the spot where it lay on the ground - a yellow, white or pale green area on the bottom of the melon. you are looking for creamy yellow. the other two colours (white and pale green) mean that the watermelon was picked green.
along with a creamy underneath, a ripe watermelon sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles. you can learn to distinguish the sound... tap several melons at the market and pay attention to which ones sound hollow. if you find a melon that thuds dully, compare that sound to the others and find one that does not.
only buy a watermelon if the rind is free from dents, gashes, bruises or other marks of poor handling. it should be of uniform shape, oblong or round depending on the variety. if it is misshapen, it may not have a good flavor as it may be a genetic throwback.
at 92% water, a watermelon should seem heavy. pick it up, turn it over, look at it carefully. with a little care, you'll be able to choose the perfect watermelon every time.
along with a creamy underneath, a ripe watermelon sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles. you can learn to distinguish the sound... tap several melons at the market and pay attention to which ones sound hollow. if you find a melon that thuds dully, compare that sound to the others and find one that does not.
only buy a watermelon if the rind is free from dents, gashes, bruises or other marks of poor handling. it should be of uniform shape, oblong or round depending on the variety. if it is misshapen, it may not have a good flavor as it may be a genetic throwback.
at 92% water, a watermelon should seem heavy. pick it up, turn it over, look at it carefully. with a little care, you'll be able to choose the perfect watermelon every time.
it is so cheap these days. you can get a whole seedless red watermelon for less than $2.00 at sheng siong supermarket.
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