Slave to the Rind: The War with Watermelon

“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat.”
-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! 

While I am happy to recommend watermelons professionally as I have above, I am still personally biased. For those of you who enjoy them, please have my portion, and feel free to learn more about watermelons here. 

To read the full article on my watermelon war in OKRA Magazine, click here.

Cut and Paste (Part I): A Tomato A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins."
-Laurie Colwin, ‘Home Cooking’

June is the month of the Creole Tomato in New Orleans, which means dishes featuring this southern Louisiana crop emerge to celebrate in local restaurants, recipes, farmer’s markets, and at festivals (such as the annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival ). What is it about the South that creates such a remarkable tomato? The Creole is an heirloom tomato originally developed to grow especially well in the heat, humidity, and soil of Southern Louisiana. A principal ingredient in Creole cooking, this tomato adds distinct and robust flavor and juiciness whether eaten raw, sliced, or diced for use in salads and sandwiches. 

Attack of the Creole Tomatoes (Photo courtesy of www.louisiana-tastebuds.com)

In addition to the Creole variety, there is another legendary Southern tomato, and this Yankee learned that first-hand. Many years ago at the annual Destrehan Plantation Festival  (Destrehan, LA) and far from being a Registered Dietitian at the time, I remember being surprised that anyone would consider frying a green tomato…until I tasted one. Find out the big deal for yourself with this recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes and Cashew Relish from The Flying Biscuit in Atlanta, GA.

Aside from these Southern legends, dozens of other tomato varieties are available across the country today, throughout the year, presenting diversity of size, shape and color. Two of the most popular are the extremely flavorful heirloom, and the small, round cherry tomato, used frequently in salads, side dishes, and as garnish. Adding to your options, tomatoes are available to the consumer as sun-dried (chewy, sweet, dark and intensely flavored), canned, paste (cans or tubes), and purée. Tomatoes are commonly processed as sauce (spaghetti, pizza, and BBQ), ketchup, and tomato juice. You are unlikely to find many Registered Dietitians (RDs) that encourage consumption of processed foods, but in the case of tomatoes, I will make an exception! Raw, cooked, or processed, you’re good to go.

Many Southerners enjoy a good scandal, and the tomato obliges with a bit of a checkered past. As with the avocado profiled in last month’s To Your Health column, the tomato’s history can be traced back to the Aztecs in Mexico, and was cultivated centuries before Spanish explorers and missionaries introduced it to the rest of the world. Due to an initial unsavory reputation as sinister and poisonous as a member of the nightshade family of plants, the tomato was once considered dangerous and not readily accepted for consumption (except by Spanish and Italian culinary risk-takers), earning it the nickname of “wolf peach.” The tomato was deemed edible circa 1838, and has gained popularity in the United States ever since.

You say tomato, I say…fruit or vegetable? Though the tomato fits the botanical definition of a fruit (it has seeds), it was legally classified as a vegetable by the United States Supreme Court in 1893 in an effort to protect American farmers. Imported vegetables were subjected to tariffs, but imported fruits were not. With its primary function established for use in soups, salads, and entrees, the tomato’s classification changed from fruit to vegetable with a smack of the gavel.  While this debate continues, there is no argument that tomato consumption considerably benefits your health.

Cut and dried: A tomato is technically and botanically a fruit, but legally a vegetable

Cut and Paste: A Tomato a Day Keeps the Doctor Away (Part II) can be found here...