Generality
For watermelon is meant to be the edible fruit known as watermelon, both the plant that produces it (Citrullus vulgaris). Whatever you want to call it, the watermelon is a fruit belonging to the VI group of foods; like all the other fruits of this group, it contains good quantities of carotenoids (vitamin A), water and mineral salts, while the energy intake is not particularly high.
The watermelon (noun of Latin origin) is a false fruit. Like squash and melon, watermelon is type fleshy - peponid (since it has fleshy epicarp and mesocarp and fused together, while the endocarp is joined to the placentas of the seeds). It has a spherical or oval shape, reaches considerable dimensions and externally is green (shaded in light and dark), while the portion edible (studded with real black or white fruits) shines a bright red. The skin of the watermelon is NOT well digestible; it is even several centimeters thick (depending on the level of ripeness) and when cut it is white or greenish. watermelon "means the epicarp attached to a short proximal portion of the mesocarp.
The watermelon is a herbaceous, climbing and annual cycle plant. It has large, trefoil and pubescent leaves, while the flowers are small and yellow.
Origins of the watermelon
The watermelon is a plant native to Africa; it grows luxuriantly in tropical climates but also in Italy, where it is abundantly cultivated and is available throughout the summer.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
The watermelon is a fruit that has been cultivated since ancient times.While it was introduced in Europe only after the Muslim invasions (and in the East only two centuries earlier), in the African continent it has always been a "very important source of water, saline and vitamins. The plant is in fact able to resist desert climates," therefore dry and hot, and boasts a productivity that is anything but negligible. In the areas of origin, the watermelon is considered a real source of sustenance.
Nutritional characteristics
Let's start by pointing out that, as many readers already know, watermelon is also known for its "theoretical" aphrodisiac effect. This would be attributable to the content in citrulline (a non-essential amino acid) and the related effects of hypercitrullinemia. In reality, this molecule is involved in various functions including immune defense, the urea cycle, etc. In theory, against erectile dysfunction, it should act in several ways: dilating the blood vessels and promoting erection, stimulating the cardiovascular system and elasticizing the blood vessel wall. In practice, it is unlikely that all these functions reach an intensity. of action such as to produce the aphrodisiac effect so desired.
The dietary function of watermelon is mainly linked to its content in water, vitamins and mineral salts. In the hot months of consumption, the watermelon promotes body hydration in a similar way to water itself; thanks to the osmotic concentration of its fluids, these are easily absorbable, as well as the fructose and potassium dissolved in them. The only warning to take into account in the consumption of watermelon is NOT to exceed the portions consumed at the end of a main meal; the considerable water content can in fact prolong, even if only for a short time, the gastric residence times (due to excessive dilution of gastric juices).
Watermelon has a fairly limited energy supply and derives essentially from simple sugars (fructose). Proteins and lipids are irrelevant and the fiber is not contained in particularly high quantities.
Among the mineral salts there are excellent concentrations of potassium, while sodium is decidedly very low; this characteristic, combined with the "excellent concentration of water", makes the watermelon a suitable food for feeding against hypertension. As for vitamins, there are good concentrations of carotenoids (pro vit. A) and vit. C.
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