“When one has tasted watermelon he knows
what the angels eat.”
-Mark Twain
-Mark Twain
As
a Registered Dietitian (RD), I discuss food preferences with individuals
regularly. Food favorites and aversions can be extremely personal to people, as
they are rooted in childhood memories, family tradition, and cultural heritage.
These exchanges ideally should be handled delicately and with finesse. And
during these exchanges, we may unexpectedly uncover our own long-dormant biases.
Yesterday,
I discovered one of mine.
I
now publicly admit to loathing one of the healthiest foods on the planet:
watermelon. There is no choking
incident, childhood seed-spitting torture, or other random trauma with this nutrient-packed
fruit in my past, but I have avoided it for decades nonetheless. I will not eat
it in its natural state, or in the form of candy, margaritas, juice, gum, or a
carved out punchbowl. With all due respect to Mr. Twain’s quote above, I simply
do not get it.
When
counseling a client recently, this watermelon disdain apparently showed on my
face. I blamed it on a fictional toothache, but mentally noted my bias. So, in
order to get a grip on this problem of mine, I decided to investigate the
benefits of watermelon in terms of dietary intake.
One cup of watermelon provides less than 50 calories and
no fat, so clearly we have a weight loss winner with this fruit. Watermelon
consists of over 90% water, is low in cholesterol and sodium, and is a good
source of vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as lycopene. Vitamin A
boosts immunity and maximizes eye health. Vitamin B6 assists with
immunity, nerve functioning, and red blood cell formation. Vitamin C is an
antioxidant that assists the body in tissue growth and maintenance. The watermelon’s red flesh indicates the presence of
lycopene, which may lower the risk of heart disease, macular degeneration, and
several types of cancer.
There are hundreds of watermelon cultivars,
which vary in taste, texture, and color. Not surprisingly, there are recipes
for watermelon salads, smoothies, juices, cocktails, sorbets, soups, and
salsas, and it can certainly be eaten on its own, or even grilled as
“watermelon steak,” though I don’t know from personal experience.
Watermelon is classified
as both a fruit and a vegetable. The watermelon is cousin to the pumpkin,
squash, and cucumber. (By the way, I adore those three foods to an embarrassing
degree.) This relation is evident in elaborate displays of
watermelon carving, but even here I admit to preferring the knife artistry involving
pumpkins and autumnal gourds over these summer favorites.
Recommendations
from this Registered Dietitian (RD):
1) Watermelon has minimal calories, no fat,
no cholesterol, and low sodium. With its high water content, it provides hydration
along with a stomach-filling effect to promote weight loss. Watermelon is
therefore a high-volume food (filling with few calories) and a dieter’s friend.
2) As with other foods of the same
family, watermelon may provoke symptoms
of oral allergy syndrome,
which is connected to ragweed pollen and can potentially lead to anaphylaxis if
left untreated. Contact a healthcare professional if you detect similar
symptoms after ingesting watermelon, or other associated foods, such as
honeydew or cucumber.
3) A watermelon’s bitter rind is often
tossed away quickly. As one summer option, consider using a pickled watermelon
rind (from an organic melon) to serve with grilled hamburgers. Watermelon seeds are also edible, but one cup
contains 602 calories, most of which come from fat! (Unlike the flesh of the
watermelon, its seeds are not weight loss-friendly.)
4) Food Safety first! Despite the presence of the outer rind, as with all
fruits and vegetables, wash your watermelon in clean, running water before
consumption. Also, be sure your knives, cutting surfaces, and most importantly,
your hands, are clean before you dig in!
