Want a slice of summer? Watermelons that are grown closer to home are hitting their peak about now.

We’re not talking the picnic watermelons of your youth. Some 9 out of 10 domestic melons are now seedless, and most are nowhere near as huge as the older oblong varieties with seeds.

True to its name, watermelon is—drumroll—about 90 percent water. So are cantaloupe and honeydew. That means tons of refreshment for just 50ish calories per cup.

And tons of nutrients. There’s vitamin C, potassium, and (in cantaloupe and honeydew) folate. A cup of cantaloupe will also give you a third of a day’s vitamin A, thanks to its beta-carotene. All for about the same price as a pint of berries. What a deal!

Got a smaller household? Try “personal” watermelons or mini or “sugar cube” cantaloupes.

The $64,000 question with any melon: Is it ripe? For watermelon, check the underside for a creamy yellow spot. (Stripes don’t signal ripeness.)

Ripe cantaloupe rinds have a yellowish cast. Ripe honeydews are creamy yellow and a bit tacky or waxy to the touch.

Your sliced melon a tad underripe? Use it in a savory salad or a fresh salsa (for a recipe, go to nutritionaction.com/melonsalsa).

No matter how you slice it, summer time is melon time.

watermelon.org

Tags

Topics