Wednesday 4 May 2011

TIME FOR INDULGENCE, TIME FOR WATERMELON


I picked up a juicy red half a watermelon cut and kept, from Sultan Center, Salmiah. Now isn’t this is one fruit anyone would love. Watermelons are available in plenty right now. Get this wonderful fruit and enjoy some harmless indulgence!

Let me share with you some fun and health facts about this amazing fruit which gives you an instant kick and uplifting of moods besides its high nutritive value.   

A certain component in watermelon helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies.

Watermelon is 92% water and doesn’t contain any fat or cholesterol, is high in fiber and vitamins A & C and potassium. 

Watermelon is grown in over 96 countries and 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown worldwide. 

 In China and Japan watermelon is a popular gift to bring a host!

The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt

Today China is the largest producer of watermelon.

In Zentsuji, Japan, farmers grow square shaped (cubic) watermelons, by growing the fruits in glass boxes and letting them naturally assume the shape of the box. The square shape make the melons easier to stack and store and are double the price of normal ones.  

Pyramid and heart shaped watermelons have also been developed by them.

Watermelons have a yellowish or cream-colored underbelly which is the area that lays on the ground during ripening. Melons which lack this yellowish coloured area should be avoided as they may have been harvested too soon and may leave the melon lacking taste and juiciness.
Square (cubic) watermelons, Japan

Pyramid shaped watermelon at an exhibition in Japan

Interesting heart shaped watermelon, Japan. 
  

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