Every year, as winter fades away and the air warms up marking the advent of spring, many hearts are filled with the cravings of a wonderful fruit which offers a perfect combination of health and taste. They are none other than watermelons. Watermelons, with water content of almost 90%, are America’s favorite thirst quencher. Not only are watermelons well known for their great taste and for being a cool thirst quencher, they are also famous for their nutritional value.
Watermelon serves as an excellent source of vital vitamins like vitamin C, A, B6 and B1. Moreover they contain a fair amount of lycopene, which effectively reduces the risk of prostate cancer. They are also rich in potassium and quite low on sodium. Lycopene, being an anti-oxidant, is specially required by human body to fight disorders and build up immunity. Consuming this healthy fruit provides the nutrient in plenty.
Watermelons are grown in 44 states of the continental U.S.A. In the west, they are grown in California and Arizona. Florida, Georgia and Texas are the eastern states where watermelons are normally grown. Even during the New Year, watermelons can be imported from Mexico. However, the main season for domestic melons is from May to the end of October when they are more popularly used for carving for Halloween.
However, all these qualities of watermelons depend, to a great extent, on the method used for storing them. Handling and storage of these fruits do not require plenty of procedures. In fact, the process is quite simple as compared to many other fruits. But there are certain steps to follow in order to store them properly, not only to retain the taste but also to keep the nutritional content intact.
Watermelons grow mainly during the warm or hot months of the year. Hence it is pretty clear that it would be best to store them in a warmer temperature. It is true that they taste great when served cold, specially iced. But when it comes to storage, keeping them in cold destroys their texture, taste and also their health value. Almost 55 degrees of temperature is ideal for the watermelons to retain all their goodness. However, at room temperature, they can still be preserved for about 7 to 10 days.
It is observed that watermelons stored under room temperature or warmer temperature produces more lycopene and beta-carotene than they generally do even after they are freshly picked. It has also been observed that if stored in 32 degrees Fahrenheit for just a couple of days, these fruits tend to lose their color and become pitted. So the best option to store these melons once they are cut is to wrap it up and store them under a temperature of at least 37 degrees to 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
A lesser important, but necessary melon-handling information that might be useful for serving the wonderful fruit with all its flavors would be on how to remove the seeds. Removing the seeds is not typically problematic if the right procedure is followed. A quarter of the watermelons need to be washed and cut into 3 or 4 wedges. Using a paring knife to lift a piece after cutting lengthwise along the seed line would be good enough for serving the fruit. It would then be pretty easy to scrape off the seeds with the help of a fork. Watermelons, if handled and stored properly, are unmatchable when it comes to taste and great nutritional values.
