The Featured Harvest of June
WATERMELON
Reasons to Eat Watermelon
One ½ cup provides:
- An excellent source Vitamin C, which helps the body heal cuts and wounds and helps lower the risk of infection.
- A rich source of carotenoids such as lycopene. Studies have found that carotenoids function like antioxidants by protecting the body from free radicals and may help protect the body from some diseases.
Fruity Facts:
- By weight, watermelon is the most common melon consumed in America, followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
- There are four main varieties of watermelon: allsweet, ice-box, seedless, and yellow flesh.
- In California, melons go to market beginning in May with a continuous supply through October, peaking in July and August.
- Christopher Columbus brought the first melon seeds to North America on his second expedition, while watermelons arrived with African slaves.
Produce Tips
- Select watermelons that feel heavy for their size and sound hollow when tapped.
- Avoid melons with shriveled, punctured, or cracked rinds.
- Store whole melons on the counter and eat within two days.
- Refrigerate cut melons in a sealed container for up to three days.