By the content of folic acid, which regulates the balance of chemical processes and affects the processes of blood formation, this delicious pumpkin is in the lead among other fruits, vegetables and berries. And the watermelon is rich in iron - it is only more in spinach and salad, therefore it is recommended to eat it for the prevention of anemia. Fructose provides a feeling of fullness, fiber removes cholesterol, and pectin substances normalize digestion. Until recently, watermelon was considered a berry. However, watermelon is currently classified as a pumpkin family. But many know it as a berry.

Trace elements (potassium and magnesium) affect intracellular conduction, help with edema and hypertension. There is also a small amount of vitamins B1, B2, PP and C in the watermelon. The list of diseases in which the use of watermelons is indicated is significant.

When to buy a watermelon

Since watermelon is a seasonal product, some unscrupulous manufacturers, trying to get the maximum profit, use an excessive amount of fertilizer: sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium nitrates. Their excess accumulates in the watermelon pulp. However, sometimes weather conditions without human intervention turn a valuable product into a time bomb. In rainy summers, a lover of the sultry sun risks becoming nitrate.

That is why it is better to refrain from buying watermelon at the beginning of the season. Wait until the watermelon ripens in the wild. The time when the Astrakhan and Volgograd watermelons reach technical ripeness falls on the second half of August - early September. There are, of course, early varieties that also grow in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Stavropol Territory, but no one will guarantee that they ripen on their own.

Where to buy watermelon

I already wrote how to recognize fraud using weights (body kit). When choosing a watermelon, pay attention to how the outlet is equipped. Watermelons should lie on special trays or ventilated nets, under an awning or canopy. Resist the temptation to acquire juicy fruit on roadside collapses along the way. Watermelon absorbs harmful substances very quickly. A couple of hours on the track - and heavy metals from the exhaust gases are already in the delicate pulp. And the mountain of watermelons usually lies not one day before the full sale. And on the tracks often sell substandard goods, documents for which in most cases are missing.

Do not buy minke whales if they are lying on the ground. Microcracks in the peel are the entrance gate for malicious microbes striving to get out of the soil into the nutritious sweet medium of the pulp in order to live happily there and multiply rapidly. How your meeting with their population may end is better not to know.

It’s worthwhile to ask for a certificate of goods and ask the seller about the availability of a health record (even if you seem to be a bore, but you will remain healthy bore). Do not buy watermelon in the supermarket either - they are usually delivered there unripe.

Choosing the Right Watermelon

If the outlet is equipped according to all the rules and all the necessary documents are available, you can, in fact, proceed to the selection of fruits, doing this methodically and point by point.

• A medium-sized watermelon will be tastier.   It is generally accepted that the larger the watermelon, the sweeter it is. In fact, you should not take the largest watermelon in the party.
• Of two berries of the same size sweeter and riper one that is lighter.

• The appearance of the peel. Evaluate what your fetus looks like. Strips should be contrasted.   (if it is a variety providing for their availability). Blurry talk about the unnaturalness of its maturation.
• We need to take a watermelon with a glossy peel.   Matte peel may indicate the use of nitrates.
• A good watermelon without external damage.   There should be no flaws, cracks, scratches on the peel.
• If the crust is pierced with a fingernail and smells of freshly cut grass during friction, the watermelon is unripe.
• The ground contact spot should be yellow or orange.   Its white color gives out the presence of nitrates.
• Tail and bottom. The vast majority of consumers believe that a dry tail is a sign of ripeness of the berry. But it can dry and is stored until sale. Pay attention to halo under the tail   - he has a ripe watermelon keratinized.
• On the bottom on the opposite side of the tail, the sex of the specimen is determined. The "girl" has it wider. Watermelon-girl is sweeter, it has fewer seeds.
• Test by squeezing and tapping. Remember, in the animated film “Well, wait a minute!” The hippo chose the watermelon in this way? Apparently, the watermelons in the cartoon outlet were immature, if he liked the head of the wolf more. A ripe fruit makes a dull resonant sound when tapped, and when squeezed by hands, it bursts. The accuracy of such a diagnosis nevertheless depends on the presence of a certain experience.
• Buy only a whole watermelon. Buying half a watermelon - along with it you risk acquiring bacteria brought from a knife or hands of the seller.
• And ... listen to your intuition;).

Home examination

What is watermelon poisoning, I wish you not to know. In the best case, you run the risk of spending a lot of time in a cozy little office in the company of a “white friend”, in the worst ... But let's not talk about sad things, let's try to avoid this. Check at home, if the watermelon contains nitrates, maybe even a child. The simplest test, coupled with external signs, will give out a deceiver with a head.

The appearance of the peel and its condition is easy to consider before buying, but can tell a lot about the berry and pulp. You can also assess its condition at a point of sale if a watermelon cut in half lies on a display case for a sample.

Signs of excessive nitrate content:

• yellowish veins going from the center to the crust (in normal they are white);
• perfectly smooth smooth flesh on the cut (in the right, a grainy structure is clearly visible);
• rich color of pulp;
• a piece filled with water colors it pink or red (in the absence of nitrates, the water becomes just cloudy).

If a watermelon passed the test with dignity and proved that it is clean in front of you like a baby’s tear, and at the same time it is ripe and tasty, it makes sense to return to the seller and take a small batch for storage.

Watermelon storage

For long-term storage, small fruits (4-5 kg) with dry tails and small yellow spots on the sides should be purchased. It’s better to do this at the end of September. Each watermelon must be thoroughly washed, dried and put in a soft grid. It is advisable to store watermelons in limbo. The advantage is high humidity, this environment prevents the loss of moisture by the fruits. Optimum storage temperature +5 ° C. But even under warmer conditions, watermelons are good, but they will have to eat faster. Under good storage conditions, it is quite possible to save watermelons until the New Year.

So, everything is simple! To choose the right watermelon and save it, follow three conditions:right time, right place and ... ripe watermelon!

Waning from the summer heat, I so want to quench my thirst with something fresh and tasty. The best way for these purposes is a watermelon. A large berry beckons with friable pulp full of vitamins.

Alas, there has been a recent trend towards a decrease in the quality of this product. And an unpleasant pulp may turn out to be an unpleasant surprise. How not to bring home a "pig in a poke"? In this article we will consider all the tricks that answer the most important question for the buyer - how to choose a watermelon. Tips will help you buy the most safe, ripe berry, which will certainly cheer you up, while bringing a lot of benefits.

Benefit and harm

Before you make a purchase, get acquainted with the fetus. The most delicious and ripe pumpkins contain the following substances:

• vitamins;
• organic acids;
• trace elements;
• cellulose;
• pectin;
• lycopene;
• easily digestible carbohydrates.

Low calorie content - 27 kcal per 100 grams of product - allows the fetus to be used in therapeutic diets.   Tidbits are consumed in vegetarian cuisine. Useful substances will help to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, replenish the water-salt balance, strengthen immunity, remove toxins, toxins, and cholesterol from the body.

Sweet pulp can be consumed even by diabetics.

Risk factor

Unfortunately, manufacturers quite often use hazardous chemicals for cultivation, and traders do not comply with the rules of transportation, storage, sale of goods. In pursuit of money, they do not think about the end user. In order not to fall into the trap, you should know how to choose the right watermelon.

Seasonality

Looking at the vegetable shelves in the supermarket, it is so easy to succumb to the temptation by buying summer fruits in an uncharacteristic season for them. The first thing to remember before choosing a watermelon is the seasonality of a thermophilic culture.

Meanwhile, melon ripen in mid-August. Having made a purchase earlier than this period, you risk not only acquiring immature fruits, but also getting serious poisoning. Manufacturers are trying to harvest early, picking jackpot on the first wave of sales. For these purposes, the berries are abundantly pumped, they are treated with chemicals for long-term storage of goods. The sooner you succumb to temptation, the higher the risk of chemical poisoning.

Mass ripening of melon begins in mid-August and continues until the end of September. This time period is the best time to buy a sweet watermelon without unnecessary chemistry.

Market vs Supermarket - Trading Rules

Choosing a watermelon is not an easy task. Where is it better to buy sweet melon - in the market or in the supermarket? The answer to this question lies in the seller's compliance with the rules of trade.

Berries should be bought in specially designated places for sale - in the market or in a closed pavilion. Most supermarkets carefully monitor the observance of trade rules, requiring suppliers to provide relevant documents.

You can purchase goods on the market if the following trading rules are observed:

1. the presence of a canopy from the sun and rain;
2. remoteness from the carriageway;
3. the availability of documents for each batch of goods;
4. the presence of a pallet with a height of 15-20 cm.

Land melon trade is a violation of the law.

Where you can not buy melon

Making a purchase on a spontaneous market or from a car by the road is not a good idea. The fetus easily absorbs harmful substances from the environment. The smallest microcrack in the peel and the flesh will become a nutrient substrate for the reproduction of microbes. Watermelon, which lay on the counter by the side of the road, easily absorbs heavy metals from exhaust gases.

Which fruit is better to completely abandon

Supermarkets are also fraught with danger. Often, cut fruit is sold on a closed trading floor; in the market, you are unlikely to be tempted to try a piece of juicy pulp. And the ostentatious purity of the store can lure the buyer into a trap. The risk of acquiring an unripe watermelon is reduced, but there is an opportunity to catch an intestinal infection.

Never get a cut fruit.

It is not known why the berry was cut. Perhaps she began to deteriorate. If dirty tools were used in the cutting process or the fetus was not washed, pathogenic bacteria probably entered. To prevent the flesh from getting dirty, sellers pack it in a cling film. Such material will only contribute to the rate of reproduction of microorganisms.

Present the documents!

Before choosing a watermelon at the outlet, ask the seller for the availability of documents. By law, each product is subject to mandatory or voluntary certification. Merchants must have a certificate of conformity for each consignment of melon.

This document contains the following information:

1. importer;
2. country in which the crop was grown;
3. harvest date;
4. compliance with quality standards (content of harmful substances);
5. term for the sale of goods.

The presence of blue print is the key to the quality of the goods.

If the seller does not present the relevant document, it is better to refrain from buying.

Omens

To choose a ripe watermelon will help folk signs. People very long ago learned to determine the degree of fetal maturity by characteristic features. An experienced buyer pays attention to the following parameters:

• the presence of damage;
• exterior peel;
• sounds made when tapping and squeezing sounds;
• earth spot size;
• the degree of drying of the "tail";
• product weight.

It is better to rely not on specific signs, but on their combination.

Crust characteristics

Determining the ripeness of the watermelon by external signs includes a thorough examination of the shell. There should be no dents, cracks or visible signs of spoilage on the peel. Even tiny cracks will become “gates” for the bacterial flora. Microorganisms will cause fermentation, damage to the pulp.

If the cut fruit has a sour smell, refuse to use it.

The right appearance of a ripe watermelon will help the appearance of the crust. It hardens after the lash dries up, because the water stops flowing along the “umbilical cord”. If the peel is easily injured by nails or smells of mowed grass, an unripe fruit is in front of you.

Peel exterior

When choosing a watermelon, pay attention to the color scheme of the peel. The ripe berry's shell is glossy. The exterior of the peel is of considerable importance - the brighter the contrast between the stripes and the background, the higher the chance of acquiring ripe melon. Small light spots, evenly scattered on the surface of the crust, are welcome.

Ground stain

In the process of maturation, “minke whale” constantly lies on one side. The place where the culture comes into contact with the soil is called an earthen spot.

It is painted in yellow or light orange. Its diameter is 5-10 cm. This section of the cortex must correspond to the parameters described above, i.e. not have dents, cracks, or traces of spoilage. The absence of stripes indicates that the melon did not move during ripening. A white earth spot indicates the immaturity of the fetus.

How to check the degree of maturity by the state of the stalk?

A ripe watermelon must have a tail. Through it, the culture received nutrition throughout the growing season. After ripening, the lashes dry out. If the stalk is green, complete formation has not yet occurred.

A dry tail is also present in a long-picked berry, so you should not rely entirely on this symptom.

The yellowish and dry stalk indicates that you have a juicy, sweet watermelon.

Knock knock who lives under the crust?

Perhaps the most popular way of choosing goodies is tapping the shell. Experienced buyers competently listen to the "musicality" of the fetus. To choose a delicious watermelon by sound, you will only need a couple of nuances:

1. ripe berry will respond to tapping with a loud sound;
2. when the poles are compressed, a mature pumpkin makes a characteristic crack, it bends a little.

Girls and boys

Determining the sex of melon is a favorite factor among buyers. Watermelons are not divided into "boys" and "girls" - this berry is same-sex.   But, according to popular myth, in order to choose the most delicious instance, you must adhere to the following rules:

"Boys" have a bulging ass with a tiny circle.   They are more watery, contain less sugar. The bones of males are black, there are quite a few of them. The "boy" is slightly elongated relative to the vertical axis.

The female sex is more compact, rounder, sweeter, has fewer seeds.   In addition to the shape, pay attention to the structure of the ass - the watermelon of the "girl" is flatter with a large circle.

Weight category

Some varieties hit a large mass - it sometimes reaches 18-20 kg! It is difficult to deny yourself the pleasure of eating up to dump, so among the "giants" try to choose individuals with less weight.

And it’s better not to get carried away and observe the rule of the “golden mean” - let a copy with a mass of 5-7 kg become your chosen one.

Safety comes first

Buyers have long heard about. Watermelons are fed with nitrogen to accelerate growth and ripening, so you need to choose the right specimens with a minimum of dangerous chemistry.

Unfortunately, the presence of chemistry can only be determined with the cut berry. Try to refrain from eating pulp when you find the following factors:

• the pulp contains a large percentage of yellow or white elastic fibers;
• lilac tones - a dangerous sign;
• the surface of the cut does not crumble into grains; the cut is smooth with a glossy sheen.

Sometimes the purchased watermelon has a red flesh, and the berry itself is not sweet. This can be both a natural process and testify to the presence of chemistry. When ripe, sugars accumulate solely under the influence of sunlight. Cloudy, damp, cold weather could affect the natural process of carbohydrate accumulation. For the same reason, voids sometimes hide under the crust.

Knowing how to choose a watermelon, you can not worry about the quality and safety of the purchased goods. Let the advice of experienced buyers help you make the right choice, enjoy a juicy pulp of tasty and healthy berries.

Greetings, our dear readers. This year, the heat is incredible. Someone is feeling bad, someone is good, but they say watermelons will be very sweet. Let's find out how to choose a sweet watermelon, truly ripe and preferably harmless.

To begin with, I learned, as I think, to choose watermelons only last year. Sorry just at the end of the season. Well, this year I have never made a mistake and chose the right one. So the technique works and share them with you.

We actually can find a lot of things on the Internet about how to identify ripe watermelon. But they do not always work. Of course it’s easier for those who grow these watermelons in the region. I think it's always sweet there. But what about those who live in Siberia, like ourselves, or in the Far East?

If, for example, watermelons appear in the Kuban already in June, and even sweet ones, then in Siberia and further in the north, they appear in late July, then August and September can still be bought.

Only here are those that appear in July, the very first we do not buy at all. Either there is no ripe or nitrates so much that just the hair stands on end in arms. How to distinguish a natural watermelon will also tell you, stay with us until the end.

Season of sale.

Here I look first. We will never take watermelons from us, before mid-August. The fact is that choosing a sweet watermelon before is almost impossible. Only from mid-August you can buy sweet berries.

Methods for choosing a watermelon

By this time they manage to collect the sun and all the vitamins. Those that appear earlier are either immature and bland, or full of nitrates.

But there are early ripening varieties, you say. Yes there are, but it takes time to transport them, also consider. Here it will already depend on the variety of watermelon. For example, this year I was on vacation in June in the Kuban. In late June, they bought there an early ripening variety. Just a jumble. Sweet and very ripe.

The appearance of the peel.

Choosing a sweet watermelon is easy enough by looking at the appearance of the berry.

Here a few key signs of a delicious watermelon:

• the stripes forming the pattern should be clear;
• glossy peel;
• the crust is hard, it cannot be damaged without effort;
• if the painted skin layer is damaged, a recognizable smell of fresh grass appears.

Signs of ripeness or illness of the fetus:

• the pattern is broken or uncharacteristic, the bands are blurry;
• dull peel;
• the crust can easily be damaged even with a fingernail.

Choose a watermelon with a large distance between the bands, as it is believed that they are sweeter.

Does watermelon size affect quality?

Let's just say there are many varieties. There are varieties when the weight of a watermelon reaches 20 kg. Therefore, choose a medium watermelon. In this regard, the rule of the golden mean always works.

In most cases, large watermelons are said to be grown using nitrates. But small watermelons are often unripe.

Again, it all depends on the kind of watermelon. If you don’t sort it out, just choose a medium size.

A yellow spot on the side.

This spot is not a sign of ripe watermelon or disease. Just a watermelon lay on the ground with this place and the sun, of course, did not get there.

  Yellow spot on a watermelon (large)

From this speck, it is also easy to determine the ripeness of the berry. It should be as yellow as possible.

But buying a watermelon with a white circle on its side, you run the risk of running into a tasteless product.

Spot size also requires attention. Know that a large spot indicates that the watermelon has been ripening for a long time in not too warm conditions. Because of this, the fruit loses taste and becomes less juicy.

Damage to watermelon.

Carefulness will help you choose a sweet watermelon. The berry should not have any damage, even small ones:

• cracks;
• dents;
• incisions;
• rotten areas (even very small!).

The fact is that the juicy and nutritious flesh of watermelon is an ideal medium for the propagation of bacteria, which together with air and roadside dust can get in plenty.

Eating watermelon with such a surprise can lead to poisoning and gastrointestinal upset. The same applies to sliced \u200b\u200bwatermelons, so do not try to save money by buying not a whole watermelon, but only half. Such frugality can cost you a lot.

Sometimes we are offered to cut a watermelon to try ripeness. See that the knife is clean from the seller and if you bought such a watermelon, then you need to quickly eat it. You should not keep it for a long time, even in the refrigerator.

Ringing and cracking watermelon.

They constantly say that you need to knock on a watermelon and then you will understand whether it is ripe or not. Yes, only few people remember how a ripe watermelon should actually sound. I’ve guessed on this more than once.

Remember: a ripe and juicy watermelon makes a loud, booming sound, and an unripe one is a muffled one.

Also, a ripe watermelon sounds deaf in which there is already too much moisture and she began to acidify. It is also better to refuse such a purchase. Thus, a loud sound is good, a loud sound is bad.

In addition, to be sure, you can put pressure on the watermelon, squeeze it with your hands, it should crunch a little. Just don’t overdo it, you can crush it))) Light crackling indicates ripe berries.

Watermelon girls are sweeter.

  choose the "floor" of watermelon

Still watermelons are divided by gender. Such a division has no relation to biology and exists only to simplify the selection process. Indeed, in practice, watermelon girls are more juicy and sweet. There is an assumption that this is due to the characteristics of pollination.

It's easy to choose, look at the spot in the place where the flower used to be:

If the spot is flat and quite large, then this is a girl. In male watermelons, the spot is convex and smaller in size.

Such a watermelon will be sweeter, provided it is ready to eat.

Dry tail - a sign of ripeness or not?

It is believed that when a watermelon, ripening, can no longer take nutrients and moisture, and under its own weight is separated from the bush. In general, the theory is correct, but it turns out that in practice, watermelon can be separated from the paths of nutrition to cutting.

The tail dries in 3 days, so a green watermelon with a dry tail may well lie on the counter.

If you still do not want to abandon this method, pay attention to the tip of the tail. Even with a dried stalk, it can be determined whether it was cut off or broken off naturally.

The structure and color of the pulp.

And this can only be determined when you cut the watermelon. But sometimes on the counter you can find half a watermelon wrapped in cling film. By the way, it prevents bacteria from getting inside.

Then of course it is easier to study the goods, but if the watermelon was just opened at home, pay attention to the color, structure of the pulp and the bones themselves.

The color should be pinkish. The scarlet color indicates a large amount of nitrates or that he has oversaturated. In any case, such a berry should not be taken.

The structure should be porous, granular. They also say about such watermelons - sugar.

Also pay attention to the bones, they must be black or dark brown. If they are white or there are a lot of them, then such a watermelon is unripe or there are a lot of nitrates in it.

How to choose a sweet watermelon, ripe and tasty, we talked. In the complex of the above tips, you can easily choose the right berry. But there are also a few points worth knowing about.

Do not buy watermelons from the curb!

Then, instead of enjoying, you can get serious poisoning. There are a lot of harmful substances from cars. Naturally, they fall on a watermelon, and then deeper and then poisoning will result.

It is also worth paying attention to the point of sale and not buying from dubious sellers. Often we hear recommendations that you need to ask for a certificate for watermelons.   This is correct and feel free to ask him.

If there is one, read the data indicated in it: the place of collection, the date of harvest, the content of nitrates and other characteristics. Based on them, you can make a final conclusion, choose one or another product from a particular seller or not. If you are offered a photocopy of the certificate, then it should be colored, and the text should be clear.

The right choice of sweet watermelon will help mindfulness, not only to the berry itself, but also to the place of sale.

In the market or in the store, pay attention to the following:

• sunlight does not fall on watermelons (canopy, storehouse);
• removal from the carriageway;
• storage pallets are located at least 20 cm above the floor or the ground and have no damage;
• availability of a certificate of the Surveillance Service for each batch of goods for the market;
• availability of necessary documents for the purchase of goods from verified suppliers.

In addition, to protect children from nitrates or poisoning, the following should be done:

• nitrates accumulate in the peel and near the pulp, so try not to give the flesh to the kids from the middle and do not give the skin;
• before use, pour boiling water over the watermelon and rinse it well with running water.
• if not difficult, pour into a transparent glass with plain water. Put a piece of pulp there, preferably not from the center of the watermelon. Water should not stain near the pulp, if only a little slightly pinkish in color from the watermelon juice. If there is a lot of colored water around the pulp, it becomes pale itself, then in such a watermelon there are a lot of nitrates.

  we check for nitrates

Some popular varieties of watermelon.

Choosing a sweet watermelon is not so difficult, but the above methods are common, of course you will not go wrong. But you should know a little about the popular varieties that fall on our tables.

1.   Kherson watermelons. Sugar Kherson watermelons never grow too large, their weight does not exceed 10 kg. If you are shown a twenty-kilogram giant and claim to be Kherson, do not believe it. It was either of a different variety or grew on nitrates alone. Appearance of watermelons of this variety is classic: bright light stripes, oblong shape, soft pinkish flesh and rather thin peel.
2.   Astrakhan.As a separate variety, it was bred in 1977 through the efforts of one of the country's leading breeders at that time. This fruit has a spherical or slightly oblong shape. The flesh of the ripened berry is juicy, fragrant, coarse-grained. Her color is bright red. The color of the Astrakhan fruit is green. The drawing on the surface consists of spike-like stripes that have a dark green tint. The average weight varies between 8-10 kg. In the dry season, voids may appear inside the fetus, but they have no effect on taste.
   
3.   Crimean Crimson Gloria. Watermelons of this variety can be really big. The weight of one instance can range from 10 to 17 kg on average. In addition, watermelons of this variety can withstand long-term transportation. They are also grown in the south of Russia. In appearance they are reminiscent of Kherson, but differ in thick skin and great weight.
4.   Hybrid chill. The peculiarity of watermelons of this variety is that they are able to be stored for a very long time, up to the New Year. It is only necessary to provide the fetus with comfortable storage conditions. To do this, place it in a dry, dark place. However, representatives of this variety appear on the market only at the beginning of September, as they are too late.
5.   Scorik. Watermelons of this variety are early and appear on the shelves among the first. They can be distinguished by a dark green uniform skin color and low weight - not more than 7 kg.
6.   Photon. It also refers to the early varieties and differs from Skorik only in that it has a light peel with pronounced stripes.

We also offer to watch a useful video on this topic.

Now you know exactly how to choose a sweet watermelon, just be careful. That's all we have, leave your comments below, join us in Odnoklassniki and support us on our channel in Yandex.Zen. Good appetite.

How to choose a sweet watermelon - proven methods.   updated: August 10, 2018 Posted by: Subbotin Pavel

Perhaps there is no other berry that would also be associated with summer as a watermelon. With the advent of August, the city’s streets are filled with spontaneous sales points of this delicacy, passing or passing by which any of us would immediately want to buy a juicy ripe tasty watermelon that will quench the thirst that has arisen from the already seemingly unbearable summer heat. In addition to excellent nutritional qualities, watermelon is also famous for the presence of a large number of vitamins and minerals, as well as folic acid. In this article we would like to talk about how to choose the right watermelon, which is fully consistent with what is written above.

It is known that watermelon is at least 80 percent water. This primarily explains his ability to cleanse the body and remove toxins. They say that in order to wash the kidneys well, a person needs to eat up to 100 kg of watermelons per season. But, there is also another opinion that excessive consumption of melons and gourds flushes out useful substances from the body, which means that it is not worth “misusing” watermelons. Be that as it may, but everyone agrees that watermelon has a calming effect on the nervous system. A few slices of watermelon per day will help you improve your mood and increase vitality. Other beneficial properties of watermelons are also known.

1. Watermelon contains a small amount of calories, but is very rich in fiber, which cleanses the intestines.
2. Watermelon pulp contains lycopene, a substance with powerful antioxidant properties, which makes it very useful in the prevention of cardiovascular and oncological diseases.
   
3. Watermelon juice has a diuretic effect. This means that blood is filtered through the kidneys faster.
   
4. Watermelon contains iron, which is extremely useful for anemia.
   
5. And finally, the use of watermelon in combination with brown bread for one week perfectly cleans the kidneys.
   

Many people argue and cannot come to a consensus on what watermelon can be. To fruits, vegetables, or berries? Most of all opinions are inclined to the fact that this is still a berry. But, by and large, the class affiliation of this product is of less interest to people than the question of how to choose a delicious watermelon.

For those who grow melon, choosing the right watermelon is not difficult, as they can always navigate by the key (do not confuse the key with the tail). If it is dry, then the watermelon is already ripe. Ordinary buyers do not have such an opportunity and they have to solve the problem of how to choose the right watermelon, starting from other data.

First of all, you need to understand that more or less natural watermelons can only be purchased in their season, which in the south of Russia corresponds to the second half of August. Everything that appeared before could be grown using nitrates and growth stimulants.

Carefully choose a place to buy watermelon. In places of spontaneous trade, it is equally possible to purchase both delicious watermelons and those that do not meet sanitary standards. Ask the seller where these fruits were grown and whether they have a quality certificate. You should not buy watermelons near busy roads, as they can accumulate harmful substances contained in exhaust gases.

When trying to choose the right watermelon, you should remember that you should not buy cracked or rotted berries. In the best case, tastes will be spoiled, and in the worst, you can get food etching due to pathogenic bacteria that have fallen into the watermelon. Watermelon with a sour smell can be very poisonous.

A lot of people choose watermelon, focusing on the dryness of its stalk, or tail. This is not entirely true. The peduncle can dry during storage in both mature and immature watermelons.

Therefore, more correct in the matter of how to choose the right watermelon will be a visual assessment of its size. Stop your choice on medium copies weighing 7-10 kilograms. A larger size suggests that the watermelon is crammed with chemistry, and a smaller one indicates that it is not ripe and torn greenish.

A ripe watermelon should give a dull deep sound when tapped on it with knuckles. With a little pressure should crack slightly. A sonorous sound is characteristic of unripe berries.

Pay attention to a bright spot on one side of the watermelon. In this place he lay when he was ripening. A large spot is a sign of the immaturity of a watermelon. Choose watermelons with a small white spot.

The peel of a ripe watermelon is easily scratched with a fingernail.

On a section of a watermelon, white fibers should stand out. Yellow fibers can indicate a large number of nitrates used for growth. Since nitrates are distributed unevenly and most of all in the crust region, it is better not to eat such a watermelon to the crust, but to eat only its core.

Pay attention to the color of the peel of the watermelon. Our local watermelons have a dark green peel, while berries imported from Turkey are distinguished by a lighter yellow-green color.

Those who do not like to mess with seeds in a watermelon need to learn to distinguish berries by gender, since a watermelon is a bisexual berry with male and female individuals. Male berries have a convex lower part with a small circle above it, and female berries have a flat bottom and a wide circle. Female watermelons contain fewer seeds and more glucose, so they are traditionally more beloved.

At first, choosing a watermelon may seem complicated. After a little practice, you can choose ripe berries with sufficient accuracy to please yourself and your loved ones. Have a good choice!

Soon the end of summer, which means the time will come for delicious and sweet watermelons. By the way, did you know that the fruits of this annual herb are morphologically considered to be a berry ?! In this short instruction I want to tell how to choose a ripe watermelon correctly so that it is ripe and sweet. From childhood, many believe that the ripeness of a watermelon can be determined by sound, or rather by knock. A ripe sound is more muffled. And if you click on it, then it will crackle. And if the knock is sonorous, then he has not yet ripened.
  In fact, there are much more signs of ripe watermelon. Let's look at them all.

On a ripe watermelon dry tail

The tail of the watermelon indicates its maturity: green indicates that the fruit was picked too early and its taste will no longer be as juicy. Ripe will be the one with already dried hard tail.

And if you are lucky and you are on a melon, then to choose a guaranteed ripe watermelon there will be one with a dry mustache on the stalk. There he is:

On this basis, ripe watermelon is determined by professional collectors on a melon when they are loaded into vehicles.

How to determine maturity by earthen stain

While the fruit grows, it lies on the ground and this part of it is distinguished by a yellowish color. It is called "Earth Spot." So the most ripe, and therefore very sweet, will be the watermelon, in which the earthen spot is closer to dark yellow or even orange. The greener the fruit, the brighter the spot, closer to white. Here is a striking example:

On the right is the “right” watermelon. But the one on the left was ripped off early and he wasn’t ripe, so you shouldn’t take it.

We are looking for the right watermelon on the bee spider web

If you look at watermelons in the store when you buy, then the so-called "bee spider web" will help you find the sweetest. There she is:

These are small brown spots, somewhat reminiscent of a web. They tell us that during pollination, bees often touched the ovary of the fetus, that is, pollination was very intense, which means the fruit will be sugar!

Boy or girl?

And you know that watermelons are also distinguished by gender. "Men" stand out in a narrower and elongated shape. They have large seeds, and the taste is not very bright, but the pulp itself is very, very juicy. "Girls" are smaller and rounder. They are as if flattened. They have a very sweet rich taste and small seeds.

Big watermelon - ripe watermelon!

Another way to choose a ripe and sweet watermelon is to look for medium-sized specimens weighing from 6 to 10 kilograms. Moreover, a good fruit is always heavy enough for its size.

The largest copies are also not worth taking. The fact is that even “local” fruits (that is, grown in Russia) weighing more than 15 kilograms end up full of nitrates. Unfortunately, the nitrate content in the eye cannot be determined.

Try to buy watermelons in proven places. The outlet should be equipped with a tray for these fruits and covered with an awning. Alternatively, a covered truck. Buying watermelons piled in a heap on the ground, and even next to the road, is clearly not worth it.
  The most delicious watermelon should also be outwardly beautiful - shiny, not sluggish, without cracks, dents or scratches. The strips are clear and contrasting. Through damage to the peel, dirt and bacteria enter the fetus and this can not only ruin the taste, but also cause an upset stomach.
  Many sellers offer to cut a slice of sample from your favorite watermelon. Do not do this. Sellers usually don’t wash knives and bring bacteria unnecessary there into the fruit due to which it can quickly disappear.