Melon is a berry, fruit or vegetable
There are few people who have never tasted the juicy pulp of a melon in their lives and have not admired its pronounced taste and aroma. Now you can find this “Asian” on supermarket shelves in any season.
However, not everyone knows how a melon ripens and how it grows. Therefore, the question remains open: is melon a berry or a fruit? Or maybe a vegetable?
"Fruit and berry question"
Melon is a foreigner that came from hot Asian countries. In the folk traditions of the cultures of Central and Asia Minor, it is given a place of honor: celebrations are held in its honor, it is widely represented in folklore and local cuisine.
Its cultivation in these regions took centuries, because initially it was a very mediocre plant, which did not make anyone want to eat it. However, thanks to long-term selection work to improve its taste, people have the opportunity to enjoy the unique taste.
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Characteristic
It's no wonder that melon is considered a fruit.. It is either round or oval in shape (though there are also serpentine ones, but this is very rare). The color of its peel is the most “fruity” - from bright yellow to brown-green. Large melon specimens weigh 15-18 kg. Whatever one may say, the fruits are bright, sweet and aromatic. Why not a fruit? And indeed, if we consider that fruits are juicy, sweet fruits of plants, melon undoubtedly belongs to them.
This is interesting. An Australian farmer managed to raise a record-breaking beauty weighing 200 kg in 2009.
On the other hand, it belongs to the annual herbaceous species, the stems of which spread along the ground, using their tendrils to find acceptable support for themselves., and in the juicy pulp there are many seeds, just like a berry, take at least a gooseberry or a strawberry. Some varieties of melons have strongly pronounced lobar stripes and are somewhat reminiscent of gooseberries. So what does melon belong to? In fact, everything is much more interesting.
Melon to cucumber comrade?
Not just a comrade. According to all botanical characteristics, melon is a close relative of the cucumber., and together they are from the pumpkin family. The signs of nepotism are obvious.
In melon, like cucumber:
- long stem-liana with large leaves and tendrils;
- similar leaf shape;
- the shape and color of the flowers are similar: on one melon stem there can be both male (pistillate) and female (staminate) yellow flowers;
- the roots are long, branched and strong;
- the pulp contains many oblong seeds.
Important to remember. Melon is a melon crop, a species of the cucumber genus, in the pumpkin family. The melon fruit is called pumpkin.
That is, from a botanical point of view, melon can quite rightly be called a vegetable, as they call it, for example, a pumpkin.
Princess melon
Melon is capricious and requires increased attention and care. To grow sweet, aromatic fruits, you need a lot of heat and sunlight. At the same time, the salinity of the soil is not important to it, even drought is not a problem, the main thing is that it is warm, light and not particularly humid: increased moisture will lead to the fact that the fruits will become watery and tasteless. These are only suitable for livestock feed.
Nowadays, melon cultivation is practiced everywhere.. Thanks to the hard work of breeders who created new cold-resistant varieties by grafting with pumpkin, melon grows even in the northern regions of Russia.
With proper care and watering, it begins to bloom in mid-summer, and the fruits ripen in August or September. depending on the variety and growing conditions. The yield of one melon vine reaches from two to six pumpkins.
Varieties
Over the centuries-old history of cultivation of this plant, a great variety of varieties have been created.. There are over 300 varieties of Turkmen melon alone, and there are also Uzbek, Crimean, Astrakhan and so on on the list.
Here are those that have taken root well in the conditions of the Middle Zone:
- early ripening Zoryanka, Cinderella, Skazka - two months after planting are enough for their maturation;
- mid-season varieties of greenhouse melons - Assol, Zlato Skifov, Galilei, they ripen 80 days after planting.
But still, Turkmen and Uzbek melons, whatever you say, are true carriers of the special taste inherent in melons grown in dry Asian heat (from +35). They are filled with bright sunlight and literally smell like a bouquet of honey aromas.
Particularly famous are the Turkmen varieties Gulyabi, Vakharman, Garrygyz (autumn-winter type), and the Uzbek torpedo melons Mirzachulskaya and Raduzhnaya.
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Melon and a healthy lifestyle
In the East, melon is considered not only a delicacy, but also a healing plant. Moreover, not only the pulp, but also the seeds and peel are used for healing. Modern science supports this belief, at least for the pulp and seeds.
What is the benefit
Its pulp is a whole storehouse of vitamins, enzymes and microelements. Their content varies and depends on the variety, but the extensive chemical composition and the role of the “princess melon” in improving the health of the body is not questioned. The presence of such important elements as potassium, calcium, magnesium helps maintain the tone of the cardiovascular system.
Melon is rich in fiber and B vitamins: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid (B9), which makes it especially valuable for strengthening the nervous system, normalizing the digestion process and improving metabolism.
It is recommended to consume this vegetable for those who suffer diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system.
It also improves immunity, relieves stress, and has a beneficial effect on blood quality..
100 g of product contains:
- Vitamin C - 20 mg;
- Iodine – 2 mg;
- Iron – 1 mg;
- Zinc – 90 mcg;
- Phosphorus – 12 mg;
- Potassium – 118 mg;
- Calcium – 16 mg;
- Organic acids – 2 g;
- Sulfur – 10 mg.
It is believed that eating melon rind is also beneficial for the immune system., but this statement has not been scientifically confirmed.
Melon seeds have a chemical composition similar to melon pulp. In folk medicine they are used as a rejuvenating and potency-enhancing agent. Recent research by Russian scientists demonstrates the possibility of processing melon seeds to produce oil and additives for meat pates.
Can melon be harmful?
Nutritionists recommend eating melon separately from other foods.. This rule especially applies to those suffering from flatulence and gastrointestinal tract disorders. When combined with other foods, alcohol, milk, it does not have time to be absorbed into the intestines and causes fermentation, belching, and bloating.For the same reason, you should not eat large portions of melon in one sitting.
It should be consumed with caution by patients with diabetes mellitus. (half a slice at a time, and if your blood sugar is very high, it is not recommended at all). It is also unsafe for people prone to allergic reactions. Allergies can manifest as itchy skin, redness of certain areas of the skin, and skin rashes.
It is not recommended for patients with acute peptic ulcer disease. Nursing mothers should also refrain from excessive consumption so as not to harm the baby's digestion.
Important! Melon may contain nitrates and other chemicals used in soil cultivation. She assimilates them very well, so if you consume this melon excessively, you can get poisoned.
What about calories
At first glance, this beauty contains a lot of sugar.: The sweet juice of a ripe melon makes eaters' fingers stick together. What should those who want to lose weight or take care of their own health not eat it at all?
Nutritionists advise: eat for health! 100 g of product contains an average of 31 to 38 kcal, and if you adhere to proper nutrition, then by regularly consuming it raw, you can not only lose weight, but also look younger, refresh your facial skin and tighten your muscles.
An abundance of fiber, pectins and enzymes will help you normalize your gastrointestinal tract and tone your cardiovascular activity. 90% of the fruit is water, so ripe melon juice, enriched with minerals and trace elements, will quench thirst and help the body remove toxins.
Even special diets have been developed that include melon in the menu.. They are especially relevant for those who want to lose weight.It is good to adhere to such diets in the summer-autumn season, when the harvest ripens, because during this period melons represent a real treasure trove of vitamins and minerals needed by the body.
Finally
So, from a botanical point of view, “princess melon” is a vegetable of the pumpkin family, unique in its taste. This is a biologically valuable product with a high content of trace elements, minerals, enzymes and vitamins.
Melon is good for health, and for those who are determined to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is simply an indispensable component in the menu. The main thing is to remember the rules of reasonable nutrition, because each product should be consumed in moderation.
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