Useful properties of watermelon

 Watermelon is not only tasty, but also a healthy product. The benefit of watermelon is that it perfectly cleanses the body of toxins due to its diuretic effect, helps with anemia - due to its high iron content, removes cholesterol - due to its high fiber content. Watermelon helps with gout, cystitis, jaundice, arthritis, atherosclerosis and other diseases.
In addition, watermelon is good for weight loss diet due to its low calorie content (25-38 kcal / 100 grams).

Watermelon juice can improve complexion.

Watermelon is very useful for young mothers who are breastfeeding: it helps to get rid of postpartum anemia, and the folic acid contained in it helps in milk production.

Watermelon seeds are no less effective anthelmintic than pumpkin seeds.

One of the important contraindications for drinking watermelon is the presence of diabetes.

Why is it believed that watermelon is a berry and not a fruit or vegetable?

Many people believe that watermelon is a fruit. And they are wrong. Watermelon is actually a berry. Strange, isn't it? After all, we are all accustomed to the fact that the berries are small, do not have a hard peel. Why is a watermelon a berry?

In botany, a berry is a fruit with a thin skin, juicy pulp, a large number of seeds, and, most importantly, it is formed from the upper and lower ovaries. In any other case, such a fruit is a false berry. Berries, for example, include tomato, eggplant.

According to the main features, watermelon also belongs to berries, or rather, to a subspecies called "pumpkin". Pumpkins include melons, cucumbers, however, they are not berries. For this reason, some botanists doubt that watermelon is a berry, referring pumpkins to a separate species, and not a subspecies of berries. And all plants related to pumpkins, they call berry because of their similarity to berries.

And finally, here are some tips for choosing a watermelon.

How to choose the right ripe, tasty watermelon?

You can choose the right ripe watermelon by following some recommendations. When choosing a watermelon, criteria such as:

The size: the larger the watermelon, the better, most likely, such a watermelon is ripe and has a juicy, tasty pulp. However, it is also not worth chasing giants, especially until August - most likely, such a watermelon has reached its size artificially, so there is a risk of getting a tasteless watermelon with nitrates inside.

Tail (stalk): in a ripe watermelon, it is completely dry. At the same time, distinguish a tail that has dried naturally from a cut and dried one already during transportation - there is a chance of running into an unripe fruit.

Sound: a ripe watermelon makes a dull sound when knocking, and crackles when the whole fruit is squeezed.

Color: if the place on which the watermelon lay is yellow or more saturated, then it is definitely worth taking.

After purchasing, do not forget to check the watermelon for the content of nitrates (the so-called "saltpeter"), so as not to get food poisoning. The flesh of a watermelon without nitrates is grainy. However, a strong graininess also indicates an overripe fruit.

If yellow streaks are visible in the watermelon, it means that it was not without chemicals. You can also dip a slice of watermelon into the water: if the water turns pink, then nitrates are present. To minimize the likelihood of buying a watermelon with saltpeter, take them closer to mid-August, in September - then it is more likely that the watermelon has ripened by itself, naturally.

It turned out to be so difficult with these watermelons in practice. But despite all the disagreements, we eat a berry or a fruit, vegetable or pumpkin, the benefits and taste of this do not diminish in a watermelon. Watermelon is a storehouse of useful elements such as folic acid, fructose, and iron. Therefore, eating watermelon is not only tasty, but also beneficial for our body.

Almost all people on earth are looking forward to summer. And the whole point is not only in the gentle sun, warm sea. After all, it is in the summer that watermelons and melons are harvested in the fields. So let's figure it out, watermelon is a berry or a fruit. Watermelon has the fame of the largest berry and belongs to the pumpkin family. These berries are among the annual plants. Their fruits are bright red. They are delicious and juicy. As you know, these berries are grown in 96 countries around the world.

The history and composition of watermelon

There are more than a thousand different types of watermelons. For the first time, residents of South Africa began to grow this berry, and only then it appeared in Ancient Egypt. The fruits came to us by chance. They were brought in during the Crusades. As for the composition, inside the edible pulp, you can find sugar, water, thiamine, riboflavin, fiber, ascorbic acid, pectin substances and bioflavonoids. Having eaten one hundred grams of this fruit, you consume 38 kilocalories.

Why is watermelon a berry

Many people do not believe that watermelon is a berry. Let's figure it out.

• The first sign by which a watermelon can be classified as a berry is the pulp.
• The second sign of a berry is the presence of seeds in its fruit. This point is also undoubtedly suitable, since there are plenty of seeds in a watermelon. Every now and then they have to be extracted from the pulp.
• The third sign is the presence of a hard peel on the fruit, which serves to protect the berry from possible damage. Here, too, everything is in favor of the berry, since the watermelon has a striped skin.

From all of the above, it turns out that watermelon belongs to berries. Undoubtedly, watermelon is not very similar to the classic berry, but this is simply because in a science such as botany, everything is divided by function and characteristics, and not by appearance.

You should pay attention to the fact that the berries are divided into subspecies. Watermelon, in this category, belongs to the family of pumpkin fruits and plants. And the watermelon and pumpkin are even somewhat similar to each other.

Recently, a certain opinion has been formed regarding the fact that the pumpkin family should be separated from absolutely all berries, considering them as if they were some kind of subclass of fruit plants.

This decision was made for the simple reason that pumpkin or watermelon berries have the ability to exceed all other berries in size. Think of the largest watermelon you have ever seen and agree that currants or cherries will never grow to this size.

Now, you undoubtedly know and can explain why watermelon is called a berry.

Sometimes the question is: "Is the watermelon a berry or a fruit?" causes misunderstanding. Fruit, of course! Or maybe it's a berry after all? Or a vegetable? Let's figure it out: what kind of plant does this striped miracle belong to, red and incredibly tasty.

From the life story of a watermelon

Let's try to find the answer to the question: "Is watermelon a berry or a fruit?" in the history of its appearance. According to botanists, watermelon is a creeping vine that belongs to the herbaceous annuals of the pumpkin family. His distant great-great-

the progenitors were wild plants of tropical Africa. Even today, in the valleys of the Namib Desert and the Kalahari semi-desert, you can find whole thickets of wild watermelon. About 4 thousand years ago, our delicious and sweet watermelon was something bitter the size of a grapefruit. This is how the ancient Egyptians found a watermelon and began to experiment with it. Then he really looked like a berry. And today we are already at a loss to answer directly whether a watermelon is a berry or not.

Adventures of a watermelon in Russia

The watermelon was brought to Russia quite late, somewhere in the VIII-X centuries. At the time when Kievan Rus was engaged in lively trade, it was brought from India. At first, it took root in the Volga region, but by the 17th century, by decree of the tsar, it began to be grown as a greenhouse culture even in Central Russia.

Victory watermelon procession

Today there are more than 1200 different types of watermelons in the world. These are not only table dessert types with red juicy pulp, but also with yellow and orange ones. It is grown in almost a hundred countries. Most of all it is cultivated by Russia, USA, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and China.

Our watermelons in America

In the United States alone, more than 300 varieties of juicy, sweet and, most importantly, delicious watermelons are grown. Although we are accustomed to believe that the best watermelons we grow on melons in Astrakhan, American watermelon farmers can argue with us. With all our universal love for watermelon, we did not find a single national holiday for it - like, for example, Melon Day in Turkmenistan. But in the USA there is no dispute about whether a watermelon is a berry or a fruit. They just worship him. Over forty festivals are held in the country, the main character of which is a watermelon, announcing from time to time even a small settlement as the "watermelon capital of the world."

Round, square, striped ...

Is watermelon a berry or a fruit? What a difference actually! It consists of bark, sweet, juicy pulp and seeds. The shape, color and size depend on the bred variety and growing conditions. We are used to seeing round fruits, but rational Japanese paid attention to how much space is lost during their transportation, and brought out square watermelons, which can be loaded into a truck much more. True, in terms of taste, they are inferior to their round "brothers", since they are completely bland. Although Japan does not consider itself a watermelon country, its breeders are seriously involved in the plant. So, for example, they bred a variety with excellent taste, with good keeping quality, excellent transportability, but without seeds.

Watermelon is a cure for all diseases

Watermelon is almost 90% water. Therefore, for a very long time it was believed that it does not bring any benefit to the human body. But due to the chemical composition of their juice, watermelons are included in the diet for diseases of the stomach, kidneys, liver, as well as in the treatment of gout, in the prevention of kidney stones and anemia, in some heart diseases. With the help of this "striped healer", diseases such as obesity, heart disease, arthritis and others are treated.

Is watermelon a berry or a fruit?

So after all, what is a watermelon? According to TSB, this is a pumpkin, that is, a multi-seeded fruit. Melon and even cucumber can be attributed to the same family. But we used to call it a berry, and it's so convenient for us.

With the arrival of spring, delicious and juicy watermelons are being sold in shops and in numerous agricultural markets. Many of us may be wondering if such a fruit is a vegetable, a fruit, or is it a berry, as scientists say. Let's take a closer look at what a watermelon is all the same, and tell you in more detail about this garden culture.

Watermelon belongs to the pumpkin family and, depending on its variety, can be a one - or perennial plant. This culture is characterized by a strong branched root, which can go to a depth of more than a meter.

The stem of this plant is creeping with long pinnately dissected leaves. This culture is distinguished by active vegetation and, after planting, quickly forms ovaries, which can ripen, depending on the variety, in 40-60 days.

Flowers are both dioecious and hermaphrodite. During fertilization, a spherical or oval pumpkin is formed, the color of which can be from white to green, with various patterns in the form of a grid and stripes. The pulp of the fruit is raspberry, red or pink with a sweet and juicy taste.

Watermelon fruit or vegetable

Initially, gardeners argued about whether a watermelon is a berry or a fruit. On the one hand, fruits grow mainly on trees, but at the same time, in terms of taste, watermelon is close to fruits, not vegetables. Whereas in terms of growth, these treats are more like vegetables, since vegetables grow on the ground. Not surprisingly, for years, gardeners have argued over whether a watermelon is a fruit or a vegetable.

As a result, already in the twentieth century, many horticultural crops were classified, and the watermelon was attributed not to vegetables, but to berries. Today, in accordance with generally accepted terminology, watermelon is called a berry.

Watermelon is a berry

In botany, it is customary to call a berry the fruit of a watermelon with juicy pulp and thin skin. The pulp should contain numerous seeds, from which new plants subsequently grow. All berries are formed from the lower and upper ovaries. It is this feature that allows us to attribute this exotic garden culture to berries.

By their characteristics, watermelons belong to pumpkins, which are actually a subspecies of berries. When attributing this plant to pumpkins, there is a certain confusion. After all, melons and cucumbers also belong to pumpkins, but these crops cannot be attributed to berries. Botanists have identified watermelons as a separate type of pumpkin, referring them specifically to berries.

Useful properties of this delicacy

Watermelons are not only sweet and juicy fruits. The pulp contains fructose, folic acid and a large amount of iron useful for the body. The pulp of the delicacy has an excellent diuretic property, which can be explained by the high water content, the proportion of which reaches 90%. Regular consumption of fresh ripe fruits improves stomach function, removes toxins from the body and improves skin condition.

You just need to remember that when growing berries, many farmers use a variety of pesticides and chemicals that tend to accumulate in ripe fruits. Such a delicacy not only has no taste, but is simply dangerous to human health. That is why the choice must be approached as responsibly as possible.

Do not buy berries from questionable sellers, and carefully examine the fruit and pulp before making a purchase. All this will allow you to choose a tasty and healthy berry that will not contain nitrates and other harmful chemicals.

Homeland and history of watermelon

For the first time, this culture began to be massively grown in Ancient Egypt about four thousand years ago. The homeland of the watermelon is the arid deserts of Namib and Kalahari, which are located in the center of Africa and Sudan.

In ancient times, this culture was actively cultivated in Greece and the countries of the East, exotic berries were brought to Europe by Genoese merchants, and in the 16-18 century they were already grown in southern European countries.

Such a delicacy came to Russia in the 15-17 century. For a long time they were eaten exclusively stewed or soaked. Only in the 17th century, watermelons in Russia began to be eaten fresh. Initially, this delicacy had a high value, and was available exclusively to aristocrats and merchants. Only in the 20th century, thanks to the development of trade, these fruits became available to each of us.

Watermelons record holders

On sale we can see fruits of medium size, the mass of which usually does not exceed two to three kilograms. What is the biggest watermelon? The largest watermelon is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, weighing a record 122 kilograms. This watermelon is grown in Arkansas, and the variety is called Carolina Cross. Several years ago, Azerbaijan also managed to grow a gigantic fruit weighing 118 kilograms.

In Japan, original watermelons, which have a characteristic square shape, are popular. This is a special variety with an average weight of 20 kilograms. The specific shape of the fruit is achieved through the use of a special shape in which a young watermelon is placed, and which grows in size as the berry ripens.

And yet it should be said that rarely does the largest watermelon have a sweet and juicy pulp. It was noticed that the best taste has small-sized fruits, which weigh in the region of 1-2 kilograms. Therefore, we would not recommend you to chase the size.

Why are watermelons striped?

All of us familiar varieties have a characteristic striped coloring. Why is the watermelon striped, and for what reason, the color of the fruit and its striping of the same variety can differ significantly. The study showed that streakiness is directly affected by the number of sunny days during berry ripening. The more stable the weather, the less stripes on the surface of the berry.

There are varieties that do not have stripes at all, but are decorated with a fine mesh or characteristic spots. Recently, even the original black watermelons have been bred, which have a spectacular appearance and a great pulp taste in ripe fruits. We will say that the number of stripes on the surface of the fruit does not in any way affect the taste of the ripe fruit.

Fruit shape in watermelons

Initially, the wild plant has a perfectly round shape. Subsequently, numerous Central Asian varieties were bred, which can have an elongated shape.

These berries, which have a characteristic square or rectangular shape, were considered a real exotic in ancient times. Such fruits in Europe in the Middle Ages were considered some kind of overseas variety and had a fabulous price. However, the secret to growing such rectangular and square varieties is extremely simple. Young fruits were simply placed in wooden boxes, and the berries took the form of an appropriate container.

Conclusion

Watermelons, thanks to their excellent sweet taste and high content of beneficial trace elements, have become one of the most popular summer treats today. Many summer residents and gardeners grow these berries on their own, for which they use special greenhouses and greenhouses. In the southern regions of Russia, this garden culture easily ripens in the open sun, which allows you to get an excellent harvest.

"Is a watermelon a berry, a fruit or a vegetable?" - a question that worries many people and gives rise to many disputes. To find out which category this sweet delicacy belongs to, you should determine what a berry, fruit and vegetable is, and draw a conclusion on the basis of this.

A berry in botany is a multi-seeded or single-seeded fruit with a thin skin and juicy pulp. Watermelon partially matches this description, but some of its characteristics are strikingly different from those that are characteristic of berries:

• Watermelon is a multi-seeded fruit. It is impossible to eat it without spitting out many small bones.
• Like berries, it has a soft and juicy middle.
• It is not a thin skin that envelops the watermelon, but a hard skin. This is the main difference.

Scientists classify watermelons as pumpkin berries. In another way, these berries are called "false".

The difference between pumpkin berries and ordinary ones lies in their outer layer: as a rule, it is thicker. The watermelon shell, unlike the thin skin of other berries (cherries, cherries), cannot be eaten: it contains nitrates, which are very harmful to the body.

It is worth noting that outwardly, a watermelon does not at all resemble the usual berries. It is much larger, and therefore people conclude that it cannot relate to berries. However, size does not in any way affect the belonging of the fetus to one of the categories.

Another reason why watermelon shouldn't be called a berry is the way people eat it. Watermelon cannot be eaten whole, it has to be cut. You don't need to do this with berries.

The controversy of the botanists never stops. Some call to consider watermelon a full-fledged berry, others insist on the name "pumpkin". Pumpkins also include melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and squash. Watermelon, by the way, has a close external resemblance to melon, which is officially classified as pumpkin.

It is still impossible to say that a watermelon is a berry. Most scientists recognize it as a false berry, which, by the way, is also considered to be a strawberry.

Most people believe that watermelon is a fruit, basing their opinion on external similarity only. Watermelon really looks like other fruits and matches their size.

The fruit is a succulent fruit of a garden plant that grows on a tree and is suitable for human consumption. Based on this, it can be stated that:

• Watermelon falls into the category of fruit, as it grows in garden conditions, it is eaten, it has a juicy pulp.
• Watermelon cannot be called a fruit, as it does not grow on a tree, but spreads along the ground.

In an everyday sense (by no means in a botanical sense), it is possible to assert that a watermelon is a fruit.

Claims that watermelon is a vegetable are quite rare.

Botanists also lack the term "vegetable". This word is used only in culinary terminology. A vegetable is a part of a plant suitable for consumption, as well as any solid food of plant origin. Therefore, it is impossible to say that watermelon is a vegetable.

According to one of the encyclopedic dictionaries, vegetables include "all garden plants suitable for consumption." If we consider a watermelon from this point of view, then you can call it a vegetable. However, in this case, all fruits and even berries that are familiar to people will have to be called vegetables: apples, bananas, strawberries, raspberries.

Conclusion

The statement that a watermelon is a berry, and the largest in the world, is incorrect. This delicious fruit is considered a false berry or, as it is also called, a pumpkin. Pumpkin differs from ordinary berries in a thicker skin, which is not suitable for human consumption.

According to the most common idea about vegetables, it would also be wrong to consider watermelon as one of them.