Contributed byClemson University

Watermelon is a nutritious and delicious summer treat.

Served cold it works as a dessert, as a snack, or as part of a refreshing salad.

Watermelon is high on the list of good things: sweet, yummy, filling, and hydrating. It's also low on the list of bad things: calories, fat, and cholesterol. A one cup serving of watermelon has about 50 calories and weighs 160 grams. Water makes up 146 grams of that total.

Consumers have a wide variety of watermelon to choose from during the summer, whether they shop at the supermarket or at roadside stands. You can find the usual red-fleshed melons or the more scarce yellow ones. They both come with seeds or without, icebox size or jumbo.

It's a wonderful fruit. Well, actually, it's related to the cucumber, summer squash, and pumpkins.

How to pick

a good watermelon

Some experts swear by the thump test which consists of tapping the melon and listening for a hollow sound.

A better method may be to inspect the stem end. A dry, brown stem indicates the melon was left on the vine until it fully ripened. If you are a home gardener and are lucky enough to grow your own watermelons, the easiest way to decide when to harvest is to inspect the tendril closest to the watermelon. A brown, shriveled tendril means the melon is ready to eat.

When buying a melon you should avoid the ones that are particularly dirty or have cuts, insect holes, mold or decay on them.

Rinse the melon before you slice it. Don't use soap, since the porous surface of the melon will absorb some of the residue. Rinsing in clean, cold running water is still the best way to wash

produce.

Enjoy a slice of watermelon with your family today. It's an economically priced, tasty, wonderfully drippy treat.

For more information on watermelon and other fruits and vegetables, contact your local Clemson Extension office or go to the website at http://hgic.clemson.edu and check under food safety and preservation.