But what is yellow watermelon exactly? On the outside, yellow watermelons look exactly the same as pink watermelons with an identical, striped green rind. So what makes the inside colors different? Traditional watermelons get their signature pink hue from lycopene, the same antioxidant that makes tomatoes and grapefruits red. Surprisingly, the cultivation of yellow watermelons came before pink watermelons.
First grown in Africa about 5, years ago, yellow watermelons went through generations of selective cross-breeding for texture, color and sweetness before any pink variety ever appeared. As the lycopene content of hybrid varieties increased over time, the fruit naturally became redder and redder. Far from the original watermelon in both taste and appearance, the pink watermelon on our picnic blankets today is the perfect product of centuries of cross-breeding.
See more: How to Pick Out a Watermelon. Aside from the obvious color difference, there is a slight difference in taste between yellow and pink watermelons. The yellow varieties usually taste a bit sweeter than the pink and have a more honey-like flavor. Both come in seeded and seedless varieties also a product of natural cross-breeding and can be used interchangeably in fruit salads, smoothies, desserts and other summertime treats. Nutritionally, both varieties contain high levels of vitamins A and C.
And although yellow watermelons lack lycopene, they make up for it in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that protects against cancer. See more: What is Tapioca? Of the varieties it is no surprise that the most loved are on the sweeter side of the scale. We tend to use five different terms to differentiate between watermelon varieties. These five terms refer to the characteristics of the melon rather than the direct variety. This allows us to combine multiple watermelon varieties under one category.
The five terms used to describe watermelons are:. Used to describe a basic watermelon that is round or oblong and weighs between 15 t0 45 pounds. These watermelons contains noticeable black seeds. Hybrid watermelons that are the most popular due to their seedless nature. These watermelons are generally around the 15 pound mark. Seedless watermelons often have small and easily edible white seeds.
Varieties of watermelon that lack lycopene often fall under the orange or yellow watermelon category. Before we delve into finding out the varieties of watermelon, you may be wondering who they share some relation to. Below you can read about a number of different watermelon varieties along with their taste, texture and appearance. If you are a keen gardener with a green thumb, why not buy some seeds online and grow them in your very own backyard!
Bright and crispy flesh. Sweet flesh with a high sugar content. This watermelon is one of the most popular within the species. Firm fleshed and sweet watermelon. Firm flesh that is sweet in flavor. Dark red flesh with deep green skin.
Firm and crisp flesh that is sweet in flavor. Seedless varieties are not truly seedless but actually do contain tiny, white, edible immature seeds in lesser amounts than traditional watermelons. They were developed in the s with the idea that some people don't enjoy spitting out the seeds of a watermelon. Seedless watermelons generally weigh between 10 and 20 pounds and have the same sweetness as the seeded variety.
Inside these round or oblong varieties, the flesh will range from yellow to orange in color. They can be seedless or with seeds and can weigh anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds.
No matter which variety you choose, you don't have to just cut the watermelon into triangles and eat in hand. There are other ways to enjoy this refreshing fruit! Cut into cubes and tossed in a salad with feta cheese the sweet and salty really complement each other is a nice change from the standard bowl of greens.
Or slice that watermelon into the traditional triangles but do the unexpected— place them on the grill! The sugar in the fruit caramelizes beautifully and the grill imparts a subtle smokey flavor.
Sprinkle with a little spice and serve for a surprising dessert. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content.
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