When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
This also applies to Spain obviously. This is our second summer in our new homeland and I can assure you: it’s HOT in July and August. Pfff.
I didn’t like the at least 7 months of cold and rain in the Netherlands, but I have to admit, I don’t like those 2 months of intense heat in Spain either.
Although, calculating it is not such a wrong exchange, don’t you agree?
So, when in Spain, do as the Spaniards do, and that is eat watermelon. It’s their preferred choice of thirst quencher. Moreover, there are a lot of advantages to watermelon.
Table of contents
Types of watermelon
The best-known type of watermelon is the oval dark green one with light green stripes and pinkish red pulp. A type has been developed that does not contain seeds. Usually the inside is red, but there is also a variety that has yellow pulp.
A couple of types are: Sugar Baby, Yellow Baby, Queen of Hearts, Crimson, Charleston Gray, Mickey Lee, Seedless Sandia. Plenty to choose from.
>>> The organic watermelon with the red pulp and black seeds tastes the best <<<
When you’re in Spain the used word is Sandía. I like the Italian translation even more, Cocomero. 🙂
In Japan designer Tomoyuki Ono even grew watermelons in square boxes, creating a square variety. Square watermelons didn’t come cheap, but were indeed something special.
The health advantages of watermelon
Let’s stick to the usual kind. Although watermelon is 91% to 94% water, it contains all kinds of minerals and vitamins, with a host of health benefits.
1. Burns fat
Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid. Certain enzymes provide fat storage in the body. Citrulline blocks the activities of these enzymes, thus helping to reduce the fat storage.
2. Supports the kidneys
Watermelon acts as a natural diuretic and makes you urinate more often, without overloading the kidneys. Watermelon supports the liver in its process of removing ammonia from the body, thus sparing your kidneys.
3. Protects the eyes
Watermelon contains beta carotene, especially the red type of watermelon. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which supports the production of pigments in the retina of the eye and protects against degeneration and night blindness.
4. Supports the nerves and muscles
Watermelon is rich in potassium, which plays a role in the proper functioning of the nerves and muscles.
5. Is anti-inflammatory
Rich in antioxidants, watermelon is particularly effective in reducing inflammation and neutralizing free radicals. Choose a ripe watermelon, because it is much richer in these beneficial substances than the unripe ones.
6. Promotes skin health
Free radicals also have a devastating effect on your skin. The antioxidants of watermelon let your skin shine again.
7. Lowers blood pressure
The amount of potassium and magnesium in watermelon helps lower blood pressure. Watermelon juice plays an important role in lowering blood pressure in obese people with hypertension.
8. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
The lycopene in watermelon is important for cardiovascular health.
9. Reduces the risk of cancer
The amount of vitamin C and antioxidants, as well as the other minerals and fibers in watermelon are – according to experts – effective against several types of cancer.
Other advantages of watermelon
1. Excellent thirst quencher
You can eat watermelon, but also squeeze or squash them. A lot of people squeeze them and then put them in an ice cube tray. For storage, I do this as well, but not to drink or eat it right away, as I consider ice-cold drinking bad for your body.
2. Improves athletes’ performance
According to the Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena in Spain the L-citrulline in watermelon works great for athletes. Eating a few large pieces of watermelon before training helps reduce muscle soreness the day after.
3. Eat the seeds as well
Watermelon seeds are even healthier than the pulp, but they taste like nothing. Yet, they are especially recommended when you have kidney problems. A perfect way is to grind the seeds and make tea from them. Or be tough and eat them anyway. 🙂
4. Have fun with the grandkids
Watermelon is quite firm, making it easy to cut it in figures. It’s a great activity together with the grandkids and might even persuade them to eat it afterwards.
5. Fits well in a weight loss diet
Watermelon hardly has any calories, making it a perfect choice when you want to lose weight.
Really? A watermelon allergy?
Even though watermelon consists of so much water, some people have an allergy for watermelon. You might not think of an allergy right away, yet, according to Healthline about 4% of adults have a food allergy.
If you have a rash, the inside of your mouth itches or tingles, stomach cramps or even vomit or have diarrhea after eating watermelon, you might have an allergy.
Some watermelon recipes
- Watermelon Juice;
- Smoothie, Mix watermelon for instance with cucumber, avocado and some of the super powders of YourSuper;
- Lemonade, Blend 600g watermelon, 250ml water and the juice of ½ lemon until well ground. Sift it if you find it too coarse. Finely chop the leaves from 3 sprigs of mint and add to the mixture. Let it rest for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
- Soup, The Spanish cold soup gazpacho is usually made of tomatoes, but watermelon is a great addition. Use 2 thick ripe tomatoes, 1 kg watermelon, 1 red bell pepper, several cloves of garlic, some concentrated tomato paste and spice it with chili pepper powder and fresh herbs like basil;
- Appetizer, some slices with ham or goat cheese;
- In a Salad;
- Dessert, a couple of slices.
Some final words
I haven’t valued watermelon for a long time. When I camped in Italy as a kid, my mother always bought watermelon from a farmer at the side of the road and made us eat it. With my recalcitrant character (I decide what I eat, not you) an excellent excuse to never want to eat it again. But as I often say, awareness and sense really does come with age. 🙂
Do you like watermelon? Tell us in the comment box.
I love watermelon but I never realised it had so many health benefits! Not many things you like so much are so good for you, although I’d prefer to be eating it in sunny Spain than rainy Derbyshire. 🙂
I really like the sound of your watermelon soup recipe, I can’t wait to give that a try so thank you for sharing that.
I’d be interested to know more about why you feel icy cold drinks are not good for you though??
Hi Amy, I can imagine you’d rather be in the sun. 🙂
When you drink ice cold water, your body temperature goes down, so your brain will give the message to warm up. Making you warmer instead of cooling down. And there are several health issues – for instance, cold water makes the fat of the food your stomach is digesting harder, disrupting the digestion process. Other organs are not too happy with cold water either. That’s why I never have ice cubes in my drinks.
I always knew that watermelon was great for your body. Although I didn’t know about a few of the health benefits. Potassium really didn’t think that watermelon had any in it. Let alone enough to be beneficial to your nerves and muscles. My family has a history of kidney function issues and it is news to me that watermelon seeds can help this. I will be keeping them next time instead of tossing them in the trash. I can’t believe I didn’t know these things before now. We love watermelon in my house, and now I can’t wait to get out and find another one. Have you grown fonder of watermelon through the years since your childhood?
Given the fact that watermelon is over 90% of water, it amazed me as well there is so much in it, Cheyenne. That’s the beauty of nature – she keeps amazing me. 🙂
Yes, I definitely grew fonder of watermelon since my early years. And a lot of other things as well. All those things we refuse to eat as children! That young we don’t know what’s good for us, LOL.
You just reminded me that the exchange between 9 months of rain and 2 months of intense heat is not such a bad deal. I live in Mexico, in the semi-desert, and summers here are brutal. This summer I have been complaining a lot, but now that I read your words and remember my time in Belgium and Germany, I think I also prefer this exchange. Nine months of rain and frequent cloudy sky is depressing …
I don’t eat much watermelon, but I have tried to grow some. I have not been successful yet, but I will get there. I love organic watermelons, they taste so much better than the storebought ones. This is why I hardly eat them, because I can’t always get organic watermelons … Although I was aware of their health benefits, I did not know that they were good for the eyes, so maybe from now on I should buy more watermelons. I spend so much time of the day staring at the computer screen, I need to get more nutrients for my eyes 🙂
LOL, Christine, I too complain a lot in July and August because of the heat. But that’s soon forgotten and oh, those depressing gray skies… I don’t miss them either!
Years ago the tomatoes in Holland were unbearable. For the same reason – too much water, too little nutricion. Organic is indeed so much better. It’s funny how some things will grow in the kitchen garden and others won’t, isn’t it. We still haven’t managed to grow pumpkins for some reason. They start out well enough and after a week turn brown. No idea yet what’s bothering them.
Hi there and thanks so much for this informative article,
Here in Australia we’ve just started Spring so it’s almost watermelon season. We like to make watermelon sorbet; it’s very sugary but really really nice and the kids love it.
Sttt, don’t mention spring is starting over there, Marketa! Because that means autumn is starting over here and I like spring more. 🙂
Great idea, a watermelon sorbet. So much better than all those sodas, so it’s a big advantage your kids love it.
Wow, great article. I love watermelon, I eat it all summer. But I never thought of so many benefits (for me it is delicious and a great thirst quencher!) and so many kinds (I knew just a couple until now). Now the summer is still going, so I will continue to eat more, and more conscious of the advantages of watermelon, thanks to this article.
Definitely, I will share it too!
Good to hear that, Pablo, isn’t it marvelous when something delicious is beneficial as well. 🙂 I love that too.
Hi Hannie,
Firstly, I have to say that your article has taken me on a wonderful trip down memory lane.
I remember as a child, especially during the really hot summers (Yes, we occasionally have hot summers in London too, LOL), my father used to regularly buy watermelons.
He’d store them in the fridge overnight, and then cut open the water melon the following morning and slice it into approximately 1 inch cubes.
I used to get so excited when I knew we were having watermelon, I’d be sat there in my paddling pool in the garden, and enjoying the treats.
Thank you so much for that reminder.
I guess we ate watermelon as a thirst quencher, but it is something that has stayed with me throughout my life, and now my family gets to enjoy the tasty treat during the summer.
I must admit I was aware of a number of the health benefits that you have mentioned, but there’s certainly a few that I didn’t know about before, so thank you once again for that.
I guess I’m going to have to start consuming watermelons all year round now.
Oh well, at least it’s something I enjoy.
Partha
LOL, well, if you want the organic kind, Partha, all year around will pose a bit of a problem probably. At least, here they are only available during the season. But London is more sophisticated than rural Spain, we can be sure of that. 🙂
Awesome article, something about watermelon always reminds me of summer.
I had no idea that the seeds provided any healthy benefits. I’ve never eaten them before (on purpose) and when I’ve chewed and swallowed them before I thought they tasted terrible.
I’m going to try the tea idea though and see how that goes.