The watermelon, which is not red from the inside, but yellow… Is it worth buying yellow watermelon, how healthy is it, is there a negative effect on health? Let’s find out!
Breeders obtained the yellow watermelon by crossing the wild yellow watermelon with the classic watermelon. Since the wild watermelon has absolutely no taste, this hybrid made this berry a real treat. It was first bred in the 1980s.
Yellow watermelon is especially popular in Thailand, Italy and Spain. It also grows in Indonesia, Malaysia, Israel, Turkey and the Philippines.
The most famous varieties of yellow watermelon:
- Lunny F1 (it has a mango flavor);
- Golden Grace (it has a very sugary flesh);
- Yellow dragon (honey flavor);
- Prince Hamlet F1 (has a lemon sweet flavor, but the aftertaste is like pineapple);
- Imbar F1 (has a sweet taste).
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Benefits and disadvantages
The yellow watermelon is chemically similar to the classic red watermelon. It contains vitamins A, C, D and B, antioxidants and fiber, magnesium, folic acid, fructose and glucose, iron, selenium, phosphorus, potassium. It has a low caloric value. One piece of yellow watermelon contains about 30 kcal, 0.35 oz of carbohydrates and 0.04 of fiber.
Such watermelon improves the metabolism, cleanses the body through diuretic effect and perfectly quenches thirst.
However, not everyone can eat this summer berry. It is not recommended to eat it with individual intolerance, the mobility of kidney stones, renal failure, pyelonephritis, pancreatitis and low blood pressure. Also, people with problems of the urinary system should not abuse watermelons. Pregnant and nursing women, as well as young children should eat the berry with caution.
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Yellow watermelon Nutritional Info
Yellow watermelon vs. red watermelon
Watermelon with yellow flesh is quite similar in appearance to the classic one. The yellow one most often has no characteristic stripes on the rind, which in addition is still quite hard. And the fruit itself is not that big. They usually weigh no more than 16 lbs, so the fruits are often called “baby”. The flesh of such a watermelon has different shades (depending on the variety): from light yellow to rich orange.
Yellow gourds contain very little lycopene, which is responsible for the red color. This substance is found in tomatoes, pink grapefruits and guavas. Lycopene is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which helps in the fight against cancer, as well as allows to strengthen the immune system and rejuvenate the body.
Also, unlike red watermelons, yellow watermelons have very few seeds. And it tastes like pineapple, peach, pumpkin, and even mango. In yellow hybrids, the amount of sugar in the fruit will vary. Red watermelons have a short-lived aftertaste, but yellow ones have a longer aftertaste.
And there is another important difference – yellow watermelon is much more expensive than red watermelon.
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How to choose a yellow watermelon?
The average weight of yellow watermelon is 11-15 lbs. Depending on the variety, they have different shapes: elongated or slightly flattened. In addition, the flattened watermelons are the sweetest and have few seeds.
As with the classic watermelon, you can tell when it is ripe by the dried out tail. There should be a resonant crunch when tapped.