In Mysore when it rained there would invariably be a power cut for long hours. So, all the kids on our street would assemble and play anthakshari/singing game, word building, narrate stories, crack jokes and also ask riddles. One of the riddle, which was often repeated was “There is an outer fort, which is green, inside this fort is a white fort and inside this exists a red fort with soldiers wearing black uniforms – What is this?”. We would all scream out “Watermelon” in glee. We were unaware that there are orange and yellow flesh varieties available too!.
This summer fruit is a favorite because of its color, taste and its ability to cool down the body. When this is consumed in the form of juice or slices of fruit it can do wonders to the overall health and skin.
Watermelons are antioxidants that help fight free radicals. They are rich in fiber and contains 90 percent water, which ensures toxins are flushed out of the system. It rejuvenates the skin and keeps it glowing with health. A bowl of watermelon every morning is a great starter during summer, it contains no-fat, and is rich in Vitamins A and C and reasonable quantities of iron.
Watermelon is actually considered as a vegetable. It is part of the gourd family. It was first grown in Egypt 5,000 years ago. Now, this fruit is grown in more than 96 countries worldwide. Gifting watermelon is popular in China and Japan. In the 1998 edition of Guinness book of world records it is mentioned that the largest Watermelon ever grown weighed about 118Kg (262 pounds). There are over 1,200 varieties of Watermelon grown worldwide. Every part of the Watermelon is edible, including the seeds and the rind. Soup and Juice are prepared using Watermelon.
Watermelon Beauty
Crush or grate the white pulp of the fruit and mix it with a teaspoon of gram flour and voila! a face scrub is ready to use. Use the red or white pulp as a face pack and leave it on the face for 5 to 8 minutes and wash it off. It will leave the skin toned and glowing. To close gaping pores, rub Watermelon juice frozen into ice cubes with crushed mint leaves, over the face.
Watermelon – The cool fruit, whether red, yellow, orange or sliced or crushed to a smoothie just enjoy the fruit in any form and reap the benefits of good health and glowing skin.
Recipes using Watermelon:
