August is the time for melons and watermelons, which are among the most useful summer treats.
Melon Health Benefits
Once doctors used them as a medicine. For example, Avicenna treated his patients for colds and gout with melon seeds and rind; melon pulp was also recommended for constipation, hemorrhoids, liver and bladder diseases. Modern physicians recommend melon for prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Watermelon Health Benefits
The watermelon is 90% water, so that a watermelon diet not only helps to lose weight, but also washes away toxins from the body. The watermelon, due to its diuretic properties, is also useful with genitourinary diseases.
Choosing the Right Melon
The main thing when buying watermelons and melons is choosing them right. Melons are often chosen by the smell – if the fruit has a grassy flavor, it is not yet ripe. A good melon should have elastic shell. If the shell is soft, the fruit is rotten. Peculiar attention should be paid to the stem end. If it is dry, the melon is completely ripe. This can be seen if you pat it on the side: if the sound is muffled, the melon is ripe.
How to Choose Watermelon?
Choosing a watermelon has its secrets. First, a ripe watermelon is always light for its size. Secondly, in a good watermelon, its light and dark stripes look especially contrasting, and you can easily leave a trace on the rind, if you run your fingernail over it. Third, if a watermelon is ripe, it produces a dull crack when squeezed.
