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Washing EnzymeWhen the summer sun is blazing down and pure H20 isn't available,rest easy: Your tastiest alternative is 92 percent water. For centuries, humans have found salvation in the refreshinggarnet-hued pulp of the watermelon. Native to Africa, the refreshing fruit was used as a water sourcein the desert or when water supplies were contaminated, accordingto about.com. The fruit has been cultivated in Egypt and Indiasince 2,500 B.C. >> Watermelons play a role in the Mexican holiday Dia de losMuertos. In the art that typifies the celebration, the dead areshown eating the fruit. Watermelons also are a common feature inMexican still life art. >>The "Watermelon Crawl", a song about a dance at a fictionalwatermelon festival, is a highly popular country music song. Thesong suggests listeners who've had too much to drink crawl backhome rather than drive. >> The Oklahoma State Senate passed a bill on 17 April 2007declaring watermelon as the official state vegetable. While people in other countries have used the fruit for survival,watermelon holds a simpler reputation in our neck of the woods. Sugar and water it's not say nutritionists and watermelonaficionados - despite its sweet taste, the fruit has surprisinglyfew calories. Two cups of watermelon (the recommended serving) onlyadd up to 80 calories. The fruit also has a lot of nutrients, said Stephanie Marroquin, aregistered and licensed dietician in McAllen. "It's high in potassium," she said. It also boasts a high amount of lycopene, an antioxidant, andvitamins A, B6 and C. The fruit also comes in a lot of shapes and colors. There are morethan 500 varieties of watermelon grown worldwide, according toabout.com. The icebox variety ranges in size from five to 15pounds, whereas the picnic kind can grow much larger. Although thered-fleshed and black-seeded watermelon is most common in theUnited States, there are also white, pink, yellow and orangefleshed watermelons, available with and without seeds, according toabout.com. While most commonly eaten by itself or in fruit salads, watermeloncan be used in glazes, cocktails and syrups. Italians makewatermelon pudding with almonds, chocolate and cinnamon. Picklesmade from watermelon rind are a favorite in the American South.Russians enjoy beer made from watermelon juice, according toabout.com. Watermelon alcohol is not just a staple in Russia, throughout theWestern world, people drink "hard watermelon," or a watermelon thathas been enhanced with an alcoholic beverage. To make thewatermelon "hard" they bore a hole into the fruit and then pourliquor inside, allowing it to mix with the fruit's flesh. But while the fruit has a great many uses and provides a lot ofnutrients, Marroquin recommends that diabetics eat it inmoderation. "It does have a high sugar content," she said.
2008-06-11 09:49:00