Try these cool recipes!

Imagine a summer without watermelon. Where would we be without juicy slices of watermelon at our picnics and backyard BBQs? How would we enjoy seed-spitting contests?

People can't seem to get enough of the sweet treat.

And nutritionists have long appreciated the fruit's many health benefits. For instance, watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases.

What’s more, watermelon is one of the few fruits brimming with citrulline, an amino acid that helps your body with cell division, wound healing, and other critical jobs, says Penelope Perkins-Veazie, a plant physiologist with the federal government’s Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Okla.

But that’s not all: watermelon is also rich in vitamins A, C, and B-6, and magnesium, thiamin, potassium, and dietary fiber.

A sibling to squash

With roots traced back to Africa, watermelon's siblings are cucumbers and squash. They also are probably the most refreshing, thirst-quenching fruit of all, containing 92 percent water and only eight percent sugar.

With this high water content, watermelon is perfect for “volumizing,” a concept picking up steam in the dieting world, thanks to Penn State nutrition expert Barbara Rolls.

In her book, The Volumetrics Eating Plan, Rolls says eating fruits, vegetables, and other foods packed with water but fewer calories per portion – in other words, “volumizing” – could help you lose weight while still feeling full and satisfied at meals.

Rolls says your best bet for keeping your energy density – the number of calories per weight – as low as possible is feasting on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and soups. And watermelon is right near the top of the list for water content.

The Volumetrics Eating Plan was lauded recently by Consumer Reports as the country’s best diet book backed up by research. Rolls also wrote The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan.

Thump, if you must

And watermelon isn't just a summer tradition. You can find watermelon in the grocery store throughout the year in more than 50 varieties, most with red flesh, as well as with orange and yellow outsides. You also can serve them in several tasty and tempting ways.

Here's a knock-your-socks-off idea: South-of-the-Border Watermelon Walla-Walla Sweet Onion Salsa.

When you’re scouting around for watermelon, choose melons that are firm, symmetrical, and free of cracks, bruises, soft spots, or mold. Ripe watermelon will have a healthy sheen, a dull rind, dried stem, and a buttery yellow underside where it touched the ground. There should be a melon-like smell or fragrance.

Thump if you must – and listen for a dull, hollow sound. Lift them; weight should be heavy for size.

But avoid watermelons that are very hard, white, or very pale green in color on the underside, indicating immaturity. An immature watermelon will be slightly acidic, according to nutritionists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Once picked, watermelon will not ripen easily. If unripe, try putting the whole melon in a paper bag and leave unrefrigerated, which sometimes ripens them. Watermelons can be kept for up to two weeks, uncut, at room temperature.

Wash watermelons with soap and water before cutting. Once cut, put the parts you don’t eat back in closed plastic containers or bags in the refrigerator.

Check these out . . .

Try these tasty treats from Nubella’s 6,000-plus Recipe Database and Healthy Eating Center:

•  Blueberry Watermelon Freeze

•  Mango Watermelon Shake

•  Smoked Salmon and Watermelon "Sushiushi"

•  Spiced Carrots with Watermelon and Pecans

•  Watermelon Salad

•  Watermelon Stacked Breakfast

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.