Watermelon should be sonorous. A good watermelon has a yellow barrel

The end of summer is coming soon, which means it's time for delicious and sweet watermelons. By the way, did you know that the fruits of this annual herbaceous plant morphologically considered to be a berry?! In this small instructions I want to tell you how to choose ripe watermelon to keep it ripe and sweet. Since childhood, many believe that the ripeness of a watermelon can be determined by the sound, or rather by the knock. The mature sound is more deaf. And if you press it, it will crunch. And if the knock is sonorous, then it has not yet matured.
In fact, there are much more signs of watermelon ripeness. Let's look at them all.

On a ripe watermelon, a dry tail

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

And if you are lucky and you are on melon, then in order to choose a guaranteed ripe watermelon there will be one that has a dry tendril on the stalk. Here he is:

On this basis, professional pickers on melons determine a ripe watermelon when they are loaded into transport.

How to determine maturity by soil stain

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

On the right is the “correct” watermelon. But the one on the left was plucked early and he was not ripe, so you should not take him.

We are looking for the right watermelon on the bee web

If you are looking at watermelons in a store when buying, then the so-called " bee cobweb". Here she is:

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

Boy or girl?

Did you know that watermelons are also distinguished by gender. "Men" are distinguished by a narrower and elongated shape. They have large seeds, and the taste is not very bright, but the flesh itself is very, very juicy. "Girls" are smaller and rounder. They seem to be squashed. They also have a very sweet rich taste and small seeds.

A big watermelon is a ripe watermelon!

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

The largest specimens are also not worth taking. The fact is that even "local" fruits (that is, grown in Russia) weighing more than 15 kilograms are pumped up to the eyeballs with nitrates. Unfortunately, the content of nitrates cannot be determined by eye.

Try to buy watermelons in trusted places. The point of sale must be equipped with a tray for these fruits and covered with an awning. Alternatively, a covered truck. Buying watermelons piled 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 and scratches. The stripes are clear and contrasting. Through damage to the crust, dirt and bacteria enter the fruit and this can not only spoil the taste, but also cause indigestion.
Many sellers offer to cut a piece of watermelon you like for a sample. Doing this is not worth it. As a rule, sellers don’t wash knives and bring unnecessary bacteria inside the fruit, because of which it can quickly disappear.

Choosing a sweet watermelon is not at all difficult, for this you need to remember some rules.

How to understand that the watermelon is ripe?

Find out how to choose the right watermelon. Don't buy them ahead of time. Watermelon is ripe and sweet when it ripens on time. This time is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Early fruits are always the result of nitrogen fertilizers and growth stimulants. Since the demand for this fruit is huge, in order to quickly get a rich harvest, producers feed them chemicals. If you value your health, think about it. The choice is always yours.

Let's figure out how to do it right choice. The collected fruits should be sold on the shelves of the store or in a place specially designated for this, where there is an awning and flooring. It is desirable that they are not on the ground. The fact is that this fruit is a favorable environment for the reproduction of various microorganisms. And since cracks can form on the crust, bacteria can penetrate the pulp and pose a great threat to health.

It is for this reason that you should never buy them on the roadway or in other questionable places. There is probably no point in talking about cut watermelons, since such a tidbit is simply teeming with microbes. No certificate will help here.

A good and healthy fruit should not have cracks, dents or other damage through which various bacteria can penetrate inside. A ripe watermelon has a uniform color, spherical shape. A firm rind that is difficult to pierce with a fingernail and a bright color are a sure sign of ripeness. The smell of the unripe fruit crust is vaguely reminiscent of the smell of hay.

The right choice is that the watermelon must be dry. Everything is very simple: when it matures and stops receiving moisture from the ground, the tail becomes dry. If you see a green tail on the fruit, then know that it has not yet ripened. Over time, such a tail turns yellow. If it is ripe, then its tail breaks, otherwise it will be sluggish. If his tail is cut off, it is better not to buy such a berry.

Large yellow spots are a sign that they were harvested ahead of time from the garden. But small bright spots appear in ripe fruit. They appear after the production of chlorophyll stops. The largest spot should be within 10 cm.

Let's figure out how to choose sweet fruit by its size. Large fruits are mainly the result of the use of fertilizers. They often contain a large amount of nitrates. And small ones can be unripe, although very sweet fruits are sometimes found among them. Therefore, we choose the average size.

How to choose a watermelon by sound?

To determine the ripeness of the fruit, you need to knock on it with your fist. You will hear a characteristic sound. Why knock on a watermelon? This is probably the most common way to determine maturity. If you hear a ringing sound - this is a good sign, then the fruit is fresh and ripe, and if the sound is deaf, then it is better not to buy it. You can squeeze it with your hands and listen, if the watermelon crackles, then feel free to take it.

There are watermelons boys and girls. Oddly enough, but watermelons also have a gender. The girl can be recognized by the flat bottom, and the boys are watermelons with a convex bottom. The girl is distinguished by a large brown circle at the bottom, and male half it is small.

Watermelon girl is usually always very sweet and delicious. If you are not a fan a large number seeds, then your choice is a watermelon girl.

You can ask the seller about the origin of the fetus, where it was brought from, and then draw conclusions.

How to expose nitrates? After you have chosen the right, in your opinion, watermelon, take a closer look at what it is like from the inside. Unnaturally bright flesh with a purple hue should cause doubts. Smooth and glossy flesh refers to watermelons grown in an unnatural way. And remember, nitrates accumulate closer to the rind, so for safety reasons, it's best for children to always give the center.

Is watermelon a fruit or a berry? Most likely, a large berry that loves warmth and a lot of sun. Watermelon, like melon, belongs to the heat-loving crops of the Pumpkin family, growing under the direct rays of the sun. A lot of controversy took place about what a watermelon is: a fruit, a vegetable or a berry. By their own palatability it looks more like a fruit, but since fruits grow on a tree, and a watermelon spreads on the ground, they decided to classify it as a berry.

TO useful properties watermelon can be attributed to its ability to alkalize the body. With it, you can safely arrange fasting days, which are tolerated by the body very easily, the reason for which great content fiber in it. It quenches the feeling of hunger. The fruit has a pronounced diuretic property, which means that it cleanses the entire urinary system. It perfectly quenches the feeling of thirst. It contains:

• ascorbic and folic acid;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• pectin.

If you are a watermelon lover, then you just have to learn how to choose it correctly. The above tips will definitely help you.

This raises the need to solve the problem - how to choose a watermelon, because to determine the juicy and delicious fruit not so difficult. The main thing in this matter is a competent approach, otherwise, there is a great risk of getting light pink instead of scarlet pulp without any good taste. How to choose a good watermelon It is necessary to choose such a berry correctly due to the fact that some watermelons may contain harmful substances. Poisoning with nitrates, the content of which in the fetus sometimes exceeds the norm, causes headache, nausea and vomiting. In addition, do not buy melons near highways, because. Car exhaust contains heavy metals and harmful substances. To buy a ripe fruit, take into account the following main criteria:

Seasonality of ripening

In order not to buy an unripe fruit, take into account the month in which you decide to purchase melons. Most delicious watermelon ripen in a season that starts from mid-August and lasts until the end of September. Early fruits are usually saturated with nitrates, because producers who want to harvest faster feed gourds with growth stimulants and nitrogen fertilizers. If you want to enjoy useful products without any consequences for your health, then try to be patient and take into account the period of full ripening.

Appearance

One of the signs of fruit ripeness is appearance. Examine it and make sure that there are bright contrasting stripes on the surface. They, like a shiny hard crust, are considered a sure sign of the ripeness of the fruit. If they are not found, then feel free to pass by and continue your search. Also, make sure that the surface of the watermelon is free of dents, soft spots, small cracks, scratches, and other damage. The fact is that through them microbes and bacteria can easily penetrate into the fetus. The benefits of watermelon for fasting days when losing weight Watermelon with vodka - how to pump up with a syringe and tincture recipes. How to make a watermelon inflated with vodka It will be good if the fruit has a slightly elongated or spherical shape, an even and uniform color - this is a huge plus in favor of choosing a specific product. Be sure to rub the crust, because. immature products will have a pronounced smell of fresh hay. In addition, do not buy cut fruits - in this case, even the presence of certificates may not protect against possible problems with health.

What is the sound of a ripe watermelon

Do not forget that melons should be sold either on the counter of the store or in trade tents with an awning or on special flooring located above the ground. In order not to choose an unripe or, conversely, overripe fruit, be sure to tap it with your fist. A ripe watermelon makes a sonorous, clear sound. If he turns out to be deaf, then refuse to buy and continue your search. In addition, put your ear to the fruit and lightly squeeze the berry - a slight crackle is a sign of quality.

The presence of nitrates in the berry

Try to choose melons of medium size. Large fruits, despite their tempting and appetizing appearance, are often grown using nitrates. As for the small ones, they often turn out to be not very sweet, although everything will depend on the variety. Pay attention to the cut watermelon (if the seller has it). If the bones are white color, then the watermelon is either unripe, or it has a lot of nitrates. Seeds should be black or dark brown. Additionally, you should be alerted by the incredible bright color of the pulp with lilac shade. Another point that may indicate an excess of nitrates is a smooth gloss on the cut surface. Do not forget that nitrates are concentrated closer to the crust, in this regard, leave the juicy core to the children - it is just the most delicious. You should not try a berry if its flesh is riddled with yellow or light yellow fibers.

How to recognize a good watermelon

The process of finding a berry suitable for consumption can take a lot of time, because. you have to examine the fruit from all sides and make sure that there is a bright striped peel. The stem is of particular importance. If it is not there, then there is a possibility that it was torn off on purpose, because. goods passed through long-term storage and long transportation. To choose delicious gourds, pay attention to: a yellow spot on the side; bright striped crust; crust; tail; sound; gender (boy or girl).

yellow spot on side

Since the fruit lies on one side, a light spot is formed over time at the point of contact with the ground, which has a yellow or orange tint. In another way, it is also called "cheek". You should be alerted by an unevenly colored, too light or large surface. This is a sign that the berry did not lie on the melon. The optimal size of such a spot is considered to be 5-10 cm. Another sure sign of ripeness is light spots of small sizes. They appear all over watermelon rind after the production of chlorophyll stops.

Bright stripes on the skin

Choosing the right watermelon is a little more difficult than it might seem at first glance. Another important sign of the ripeness of melons is the presence of contrasting stripes, and bright ones. The color should be bright green. If you haven't noticed them or they are only slightly visible, then continue with your selection. Better spend looking for tasty and ripe berries more time than later to be convinced that the purchase made was a waste of money.

Thick and shiny crust

The rind should be smooth and shiny, but due to the fact that sellers constantly rub their products, choose a watermelon from the back of the display. In addition, the crust must be firm, because it hardens when the fruit reaches maturity and stops absorbing water. Try to pierce the crust with your fingernail, if this fails, then you have a product of really excellent quality. Despite the good density, such a crust can be easily scratched. Before choosing the product of interest, make sure that the peel does not have a matte coating, and the pattern is clear.

"Donkey Cucumber" - this is how the word "watermelon" is translated from the Turkic language. His wild ancestor is still found in Africa and, indeed, is not too sweet - just feed the cattle! This giant berry was cultivated back in Ancient Egypt at the exclusive request of the pharaohs - the nobles were gourmets! Then they were brought to Rome and Central Asia, and from there - to the lower reaches of the Volga, where to this day there are the best watermelon plantations in our country.

The seller swears that he brought Astrakhan watermelons? Let's try to believe him, but we will choose the "berry" as meticulously as possible!

1 What should be the size of a watermelon?

Not only is it difficult to carry a large specimen, but there is also a high probability that it contains a lot of nitrates. “Overfed” with fertilizers - so such a giant has grown! At the same time, very small watermelons may not be too sweet. Ideal weight for sweet watermelon: 5-7 kg.

2 Visual inspection

At ripe watermelons the skin is thick and glossy. Matte-skinned watermelons are usually unripe and unsweetened. A watermelon grown on melon must necessarily have an earthen spot - a place that came into contact with the soil during the growth of the fruit. It should be yellow, orange or light brown in color. White spots signal that the watermelon is not ripe. It is also worth paying attention to the "banding" of the watermelon. The brighter the contrast between the stripes, the riper the watermelon.

3 Cracks on a watermelon

Small flaws may occur on the watermelon - it is important that there are few of them. According to Roskachestvo: “Product quality is maintained when total area external damage caused by friction or handling operations does not exceed one-eighth of the surface of the fruit.

4 "Scars" on a watermelon

But do not confuse cracks and damage with the so-called "scars", brownish dry lines and nets on the sides of watermelons. "Scarred" watermelon will always be ripe and juicy.

5 Correct sound

A ripe watermelon, when tapped, makes a clear and booming sound. If the watermelon is not yet ripe, then the sound will be deaf. Try to slightly squeeze the watermelon from above and below, if it crackles a little, great - it's a ripe fruit!

6 What should be the tail?

The tail of a watermelon is like the umbilical cord of a newborn: through it the fetus received nutrients. In fact, when the watermelon is ripe, it should fall off the fruit itself and dry up. Therefore, a yellowish dry tail indicates that the watermelon is already ripe. If the tail is green, the watermelon was picked while still unripe. However, it should be remembered that a dry tail can also be found in old, long-stale fruits, so consider this feature when choosing only in conjunction with the rest.

7 "Boy" or "girl"?

It turns out that watermelons are distinguished by gender. "Boys" - more, they are slightly elongated. And the "girls" are smaller and flattened. Look at the side opposite from the tail. female fetus will have a depressed surface, while the male one will have a more convex one. There you can also see a speck, a trace from the stalk, if it is small, then this is a “boy”. A large circle can be up to several centimeters in diameter. So it's a "girl". And what is really interesting: “ladies” are tastier and sweeter. They also contain fewer bones. They, however, according to statistics, only 20% of the crop. Will have to search!

8 What should watermelon smell like?

Slightly rub the side of the watermelon with your fingernail; when rubbing the rind, the unripe fruit can emit the smell of freshly cut grass. Perhaps it is better to choose another copy!

9 Safety

A seller in the market may offer to cut a triangular piece out of a watermelon so that you can see with your own eyes that it is ripe. Don't agree! Are you sure the knife is clean and sterile? That's it. And even if it were clean, no one washed the watermelon itself! Its surface is full of pathogens of intestinal infections, which, if the integrity of the fetus is violated, penetrate into the pulp and, together with it, enter the stomach.

While you bring the purchase home, dirt can clog into the incision, and the pathogens that are inside will begin to actively multiply (sweet juice is what microbes need!). The result is an acute food infection, in other words, watermelon poisoning, which is not uncommon in summer.

A cut watermelon, even stored in the refrigerator, already in a day is a considerable danger to the baby, whose intestines are especially susceptible to poisoning.

10 Don't buy watermelon off the road!

As a rule, roadside traders do not have a quality certificate, and no one checks it. Suddenly the pulp is full of nitrates: how do you know? Sometimes these same nitrates, or rather, urine (!), Containing a lot of growth stimulant - nitrogen, is injected with a syringe into unripe fruits to speed up their ripening. It is not difficult to recognize “split” specimens: their flesh is red, and the seeds are white, and the injection mark can be noticeable.

Another argument against shopping on the side of the road: watermelon peel actively absorbs pollutants from the air, in particular, salts of lead and other heavy metals, which are very harmful to the body, contained in exhaust gases.

Ripe watermelons appear on the shelves from August. Soon you will be able to choose!

How to determine if there are nitrates in watermelon?

Black and brown spots over the entire surface of the peel give out the presence of nitrogen salts.

Control check is possible only at home. Cut the watermelon. If the color of the pulp is unevenly red and with a purple tint, then there is an excess of nitrates in the watermelon. This will also be indicated by multi-colored bones (black and white in one berry) as well as yellow streaks from rind to pulp.

There is another secret: the pulp on the cut of the “correct” watermelon will be with grains, as if sugar, but the watermelon with nitrate content has unnaturally glossy insides.

To fully verify the safety of a sweet purchase, conduct an experiment: drop a piece watermelon pulp into a glass of water and crush the pulp. muddy water speaks of the naturalness of the berry, did the water turn red? This is an indicator of the presence of nitrates. There is no such fruit!

What is the benefit of watermelon?

Watermelon pulp contains vitamins C, B, B, B 6 , B 9 , PP, carotene (provitamin A), as well as salts of magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese and nickel.

Moreover, in terms of iron content, watermelon is second only to lettuce and spinach. That is why watermelons are useful for patients with iron deficiency anemia. And due to the content of magnesium and calcium, watermelons are good for maintaining the health of the cardiovascular and skeletal systems. 100 g of watermelon contains about 200 mg of magnesium. No other product can be compared with such richness. And in order to fully satisfy the human body's need for magnesium, just 150 g of watermelon per day is enough.

Watermelon is probably the sweetest of all fruits, often referred to as "sugar". But the sugars in watermelon are special. In the edible part of the watermelon, there are fewer carbohydrates than in green peas, apples, oranges and almost as much as in currants, blueberries and raspberries. A sweet taste watermelon is due mainly to the presence of fructose.

Nutritionists generally consider watermelon best product For unloading day: patients lose weight on it with pleasure, and even “cleanse” the body along the way, without making any effort. After all, everyone's favorite melon culture has a powerful detox effect!

Watermelon beauty secret

Burnt in the sun? Here's a Korean recipe for you! Wipe the affected areas with a mixture of equally divided watermelon and cucumber juices. The redness will immediately pass, the burning sensation will decrease.

Who can eat watermelon?

Watermelons are not recommended for the formation of kidney stones and gallbladder. Aggravation peptic ulcer, inflammatory diseases large intestine - colitis, diarrhea, regardless of its cause, as well as heart and kidney diseases with edema - a reason to refrain from the sweet gifts of melons. Well? and those who suffer diabetes, watermelons can be eaten in limited quantities - taking into account the permissible daily allowance sugar consumption.

Well, the long-awaited season has come for everyone's favorite, bright, fragrant, sweet berries - watermelons. Most of the stalls are full of heaps of striped specimens of various sizes and shapes. How to get the best, of all offered, berries? We will give advice on how to choose a ripe watermelon, tasty and, most importantly, healthy.

When to buy watermelon

The main season of ripe "delicious minke whales" falls on the second mid-August - September. By purchasing watermelons before their ripening date, you run the risk of buying an unripe fruit or a “nitrate cocktail”.

How to choose a ripe watermelon - inspect

The appearance of a watermelon is the main determinant of its ripeness and harmlessness. Do not be shy and always carefully inspect your purchase, because this is the guarantee of your safety.

Integrity

Pay attention to the covers of the watermelon. They must be without visible external flaws. Dents, cracks - these are all signs of an overripe fruit and its improper transportation.

Crust

A sign of a ripe watermelon is a dense, shiny, maximally contrasting and hard rind. If you can easily pierce the covers of a watermelon with your fingernail, while the berry smells like freshly cut grass, and the color of its stripes is blurred, the fruit is immature.

barrel color

A sure sign of a ripe “minke whale” is a pigment spot of saturated yellow or orange color. This is explained simply: in a ripe fruit, the lateral tail dries up, the production of chlorophyll and the flow of moisture stop.

Choose "watermelon"

The ripest and sweetest fruits are female-type berries. When buying, choose watermelons paying attention to the side opposite the tail. Girls have a flat side with a wide circle.

Berry Melody

You can choose a ripe watermelon by the sound. Tap on the berry. If you hear a dull sound - this is what you need.

How to choose a ripe watermelon - what should not be

Watermelon is not a simple berry in every sense. You can buy seemingly ripe, tasty and safe product, but in fact, everything will not be so rosy. Therefore, when buying a watermelon, you need to know a few simple rules that will help keep you and your loved ones healthy:

• A dried tail is not a sign of ripeness of the berry; it may appear if the watermelon has been plucked for a long time.
• A large copy will not guarantee ripeness and great taste. Check with the distributors for information about the variety of berries. Do not chase the size, choose the “golden mean” from one batch of goods.
• Too bright, glossy, rich red color of watermelon pulp is a clear signal that it will be unsafe to eat this berry.

Do not forget that you need to buy watermelons only in those places where the quality of the goods sold is responsibly and certified. Buying melons at roadside trade points is fraught with serious poisoning.