Columbia Star

1963        Celebrating 60 Years      2023

Sweet S.C. watermelons are as nutritious as they are delicious

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Of course, Carolinians love our peaches and tomatoes, but don’t forget our watermelons. Tell us more.

How many things can you think of that not only taste good but actually are also good for you? Welcome the watermelon.

The S. C. Department of Agriculture (website agriculture.sc.gov) has an abundance of information about this advantageous treat. It provides this summary:

Watermelon is naturally high in Vitamins A, B6, and C, is a great source of potassium, and is very low in sodium. Containing virtually no fat, watermelon is a great snack for both children and adults. A two-cup serving contains 80 calories with 0 calories coming from fat.

Vitamin A is very important to eye health and boosts the body’s immune system by enhancing the infection fighting actions of lymphocytes. Vitamin B6 is used by the body to manufacture brain chemicals such as serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine. Research shows this vitamin helps the body cope with stress, anxiety, and panic. Vitamin C has long been known for its ability to help the body’s immune system fight infections. It can also fight free radicals in the body that are responsible for premature aging. Vitamin C also plays an important role in the formation of collagen that is vital in strengthening bones and tissues in the body.

 

 

Watermelon is also the Lycopene Leader among fresh fruits and vegetables? It is a carotenoid that gives watermelon its red color. It is also an antioxidant. Lycopene has been linked, through research, to having significant disease preventing potential. It may also help reduce the risks of certain cancers. Some vitamin companies are now including Lycopene in their vitamin formulas. We encourage you to get your Lycopene naturally. Watermelon contains 13.63 mg of Lycopene per 1.5-cup serving.

Interestingly, watermelon is considered a fruit and a vegetable. It is a fruit because it grows from a seed, it has a sweet flavor and refreshing qualities. It is a vegetable because it is harvested and cleared from the field like other vegetables and because it is a member of the same family as cucumbers, pumpkin, and squash.

The Spanish explorers, the first to come to South Carolina in the early part of the16th century, found melons in the native Indian culture. By the 1700s and 1800s, farmers were producing watermelons for their own consumption. During the hot, sweltering South Carolina summers, families often traveled to their coastal homes or to their pineland villages away from deadly swamp air. The lack of fresh water by the ocean and the possibility of transmitting disease through the water system led people to consume great amounts of watermelons. At that time, the watermelon, which contains 90 percent water, served as a source for water, staple food, animal feed, and fermentation for alcohol production.

Naturally, watermelon gives us a lot to celebrate with annual festivals, among them the famous Hampton County Watermelon Festival and the Pageland Festival in Chesterfield County, held earlier this summer, so keep your eye out for announcements for the 2020 events.

The Columbia Star wants to add to the community’s storehouse of knowledge, whether it is a neighborhood matter, a larger issue or a simple curiosity. We’ll do the footwork for you. Submit your questions to: wmchughes27@gmail.com.

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