Watermelon

Watermlon is one of Jamaica’s fruits grown in the parish of St. Elizabeth which is regarded as bread basket parish on the island. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceous family, and related to the cantaloupe, squash, pumpkin, and other plants that also grow on vines; however watermelon like the pumpkin is grown on the ground.

 

The crops of this family prefer hot and humid weather as is found in Jamaica and the southern United States and like dryer climates and very little or no water for growth thriving only on dew. Fresh watermelon’s flesh has a unique melting quality that has proved impossible to preserve in its natural palatable form through any processing technique. Therefore best eaten fresh and unpreserved.

 

Watermelon come in various sizes and species they can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in sizes from a few pounds to up to ninety pounds in weight. There are also seedless watermelons that are sterile and are products of the cross between a tetrapid male plant and adiploid female plant resulting in triploid offspring. Basically the chromosome set is incomplete and therefore the offspring, though they produce fruit, these new fruits are sterile.

 

Watermelons are actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. They are excellent sources of vitamin C and very good sources of vitamin A stored as beta carotene. The Pink watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid, antioxidant, and lycopene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals. Water melon is nutritious and a cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the daily dietary requirement for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the daily value for vitamin A.

As a food watermelon may be use in many different ways. The juice of the sweet types can be reduced to edible sugar and syrup and is used as concentrates as a base for reconstituted watermelon juice. The seeds are used as relish in some eastern countries such as China.

 

Over time individuals have experimented with watermelon and came up with some pleasant and surprising recipes. Here are two exciting ones.

 

Watermelon milkshake

 

1 1/3 puree watermelon

 

2/3 vanilla ice cream.

 

1 Cup cracked ice

 

1 tsp g .sugar or plain white syrup

 

Into a good blender watermelon

 

Add the vanilla ice cream, sugar, and cracked ice

 

Blend the whole thing together. Pour it into a tall glass and serve.

 

Fresh watermelon salad

Ingredients

 

• 3/4 cup halved, thinly sliced red onion

   

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

   

• 1 1/2 quarts seeded, cubed watermelon

   

• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

   

• 1/2 cup pitted black olive halves

   

• 1 cup chopped fresh mint

   

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

   

Method

Place the onion slices in a small bowl with the lime juice. The acid of the lime will mellow the flavor of the raw onion. Let stand for 10 minutes.

• · In a large bowl, combine the watermelon cubes, feta cheese, black olives, onions with the lime juice, and mint. Drizzle olive oil over it all, and toss to blend. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Water melon For Yeast infection

Here is the excited quality about watermelon. Many women like wearing tight fitting jeans which as you all know are good breeding ground for yeast infection . Many women suffer from this problem and spend many uncomfortable days and night itching and burning .They also spend lots of money on doctors and medication sometimes as much as twice per year. Here is a secrete you can blend the skin of watermelon with plain water no sweetener added say 3 cups skin to one quart of water and keep it in a jug in your refrigerator. Take a glass three time a day for a week when the problems flares up. There goes your yeast infection.

 

 Author:(Soy Criada) Juliet Christie Murray