How to choose a good watermelon to make it tasty and healthy

How to choose a good watermelon to make it tasty and healthy

A large and heavy fruit is not the right choice.

Doctor of nutrition, gastroenterologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, clinical pharmacologist, head of the company AlfaBiom

How to choose a tasty and useful watermelon?

Gourds begin to ripen in central Russia in August-September, but the first fruits appear on the shelves almost in June. However, it is important to remember that it is those berries that are harvested in season that are beneficial. Read about other summer sources of vitamins in the article at the link below.

The earlier you see the fruit on the counter, the higher the probability that it is picked too early or imported from abroad. And it is impossible to check the supplier and transportation conditions in most cases.

Therefore, the first and main rule when choosing a watermelon is to buy it in season. We tell you about six more things to pay attention to.

Storage conditions

First of all, pay attention to where and how gourds are stored. They should be neatly stacked under a canopy, not in the open sun. Preferably, in a relatively cool place. In the open sunlight, watermelons and melons spoil. Not uncommon cases of poisoning are precisely gourds.

Size

Russian watermelons are small, up to 5-7 kg. The bigger the watermelon, the higher the chances that it was “fed” with chemistry.

Tail

A dry tail is a sign of ripeness. It should be yellowish, easy to separate. A green tail indicates that the watermelon was picked early.

Yellow spot on the side

The more yellow – the better. A white pale spot or its absence indicates that the watermelon did not lie on the ground, which means that it is not ripe enough. In addition, pay attention to the surface – it should be even, matte, with a clear pattern. Although varieties of watermelons are different, this should also be taken into account.

Symmetry

Despite the fact that watermelons come in different shapes, it is important to choose a symmetrical fruit. This way you will be sure that it has received the sun’s rays evenly.

Crunch and heaviness

Press the watermelon, if it crunches – all is well, the fruit is ripe.

Weight

The lighter the watermelon, the more likely it is to have shrunk while lying in the sun.

A few more tips

• Don’t buy cut watermelon. You don’t know what kind of knife or what kind of hands cut the fruit. The risk of infection is very high.
• The flesh of the watermelon should be a rich even color (varieties also come in different colors – yellow, pink, red), light veins and white seeds indicate underripeness.
• Do not eat watermelon with a sour odor or if it has been lying in the sun for a long time (on the beach, for example).

And what happens if you swallow the seed from the watermelon, told in the previous material.