Ah, summer, summer! It is a wonderful time when all people have a rest, children are on vacation, adults go on their well-deserved vacation. And immediately begin trips to the beaches and trips to the sea. But summer is not only sun and tan, but also delicious watermelons! In summer, this large berry becomes a faithful companion in every trip to the forest, to a picnic, on a hike, to the beach, to visit. You can buy watermelon and just home. He will not let you get bored and stay hungry. However, choose a ripe, juicy and delicious watermelon- not an easy task. To buy only delicious foods, you need to know when to buy them and what they should be.
How to choose a ripe watermelon
A well-ripened berry is tasty, healthy, it's just a pleasure. Many do not know how and do not know how to choose the right watermelon. In order for the purchased berry to please with its taste, you need to know a few tricks. You need to be guided by them when you go shopping for watermelon:
- Place of trade.
- Berry color and contrast.
- Sound quality.
- skin requirements.
- Weight range.
Requirements for the place of purchase
To purchase a truly delicious watermelon, you need to decide where it is best to do it. You should not buy a miracle berry in street tents. Of course, it is better to give preference to proven places (shops, shopping centers, civilized markets). The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a watermelon is its storage conditions. Berries should lie in pallets that are specially designed for this. Moreover, their height should be at least a quarter of a meter.
In addition, watermelons should be hidden from direct sunlight, i.e. in without fail be under a canopy. Feel free to ask for a certificate. The seller must have a document on hand, which will at least indicate that his product has passed the examination and does not contain nitrates above the established level. If your health is precious, then you should not be afraid to defend your rights. One simple question about certification can easily prevent the possibility of food poisoning.
If you are satisfied with the quality of the place where watermelons are sold, and the owner has the necessary documents for his product, but at the same time his shelter is located next to the highway, then you should not buy a watermelon in this place, even if it seems ideal to you. By their properties, gourds perfectly absorb everything from the environment, because there are many microcracks on their bark. Striped whales, which are sold along highways, absorb a large amount of exhaust gases and harmful substances. Using them can cause serious damage to your health.
How a ripe watermelon should sound
A ripe berry, when tapped on it, should respond with a dull sound, as if there is nothing under its bark. And if it is possible to squeeze the watermelon on both sides, then such a procedure should definitely be performed. If the minke whale responds with a sonorous crack, you can be sure that it was picked from the garden on time, it is very juicy and ripe.
Requirements for the condition of the peel and its color
Watermelons should be the correct spherical shape. This criterion does not apply to Japanese square berries, which are grown using special technology in glass cubes - this is a completely different matter. The color of the watermelon peel should be dark, and the darker - the better and tastier it will be, and the stripes should be as light as possible. The higher the contrast of the berry, the more likely it is to be tasty and juicy. As for the peel, it should be hard and shiny, without any plaque. Hardness is determined by fingers: if the berries have a soft peel, then they are most likely underripe. It is worth trying to rub the shell with your fingernail. If it scratches easily, this is definitely a plus in favor of choosing this watermelon. There should not be any cracks, spots, etc. on the surface of the fruit. It must be solid, because all extraneous points indicate the unnaturalness of the minke whale. In addition, such inclusions can tell about the introduction of injections of various drugs.
Most likely, before you could hear that if there is a yellow spot on the side of a watermelon, then this speaks in favor of its ripeness. Yes, this is true, but this mark must be of a bright yellow color, in no case white. The white spot just shows how the watermelon lay (and possibly stored for a long time) on the ground. Such a fruit is unlikely to please anyone with its taste.
Often, people do not know how to choose sweet watermelon and ask the seller for help. Unfortunately, the time has passed when people behind the counter were afraid for their reputation and were happy to help the buyer. Now the majority is aimed at selling their product at any cost. Find a good seller who will really help in choosing good fruit, is very lucky. So every man should know how to choose ripe watermelon Right.
You should not buy berries with a cutout from the middle. This is bad not only from a hygienic point of view (after all, you don’t know what kind of knife you did the autopsy), but also from the point of view of safety, since being cut or at least cut, the berry will no longer retain its taste qualities if not placed in the refrigerator. Also, do not buy damaged watermelons, even if they are offered at a discounted price. It is better to pay more for a tasty and ripe fruit than to suffer from stomach problems later.
Another useful and no less important factor when choosing a watermelon is the dry tail of the berry. When maturing, the minke whale itself breaks away on the melon from the place of its maturation, like any other of its family. But, unfortunately, a dry tail may also indicate that it was plucked a long time ago, so this sign is only an additional one in the question of how to choose a good watermelon.
Mass requirements
When choosing a watermelon, you should give preference to those fruits that are small in size. It is better that the weight does not exceed ten kilograms. Stripes heavier than this mark are large in volume and are usually notorious for their unnaturalness. But you should not chase small watermelons - they are usually unripe and fresh. The main thing is that before you eat a purchased minke whale, you should smell it. So to speak, to check whether he himself grew up or the miracles of chemistry helped him. If it emits a sour smell, it is better not to take it: you can easily get nitrate poisoning. If there is no pronounced specific aroma, you can be proud of yourself: you bought a good, natural watermelon.
How to choose a watermelon girl
Many people do not like to eat watermelon because of the presence of a large number seeds. In order not to suffer with them, you can cheat a little and find a special fruit, namely a watermelon girl. Buying it is not very easy, because almost everything is on sale for the selection of boys. And according to statistics, there is only one girl for twenty watermelon boys, and, as you understand, meeting her on the market is a rarity.
So, how to identify a ripe watermelon girl? Stripes are determined by gender only by their buttocks. The "soft spot" of the girl's watermelon is flat, with a large speck, while in the berry-guys it is embossed and the speck is smaller. The difference in this mark on the buttocks lies in the flower that blooms during the maturation of the girls.
If you know how to choose a ripe boy watermelon, then buying a girl berry will also not be difficult.
How to choose between two identical watermelons
We are all very indecisive and want to get the best product. In people, uncertainty is always born about which berry to give preference to when both suit them. How to choose a delicious watermelon from two seemingly identical ones? When choosing between two identical berries, you should give preference to the one that will be lighter. The entire weight of a watermelon depends on how much water it contains. With the same volume, a large mass will indicate its juiciness, and in a smaller striped berry, the pulp will be sweeter.
The first signs of a delicious watermelon
Let's summarize a little all the information on how to choose a ripe watermelon, and what you should pay attention to:
- The average size.
- Smooth clean shiny skin.
- High contrast watermelon stripes.
- A small yellow or orange patch on the flank, but by no means white.
- The rind should be firm when pressed with a fingernail.
- Dry tail.
- When choosing between a boy and a girl - take a girl, and distinguish them by curvy and flat ass.
- Crunches when pressed, buzzes when slapped.
- No cracks or breaks in the skin.
- Large volume and low weight.
- No sour smell when cut.
There are many lovers of watermelons, but it is extremely problematic to correctly find and choose a ripe and sweet watermelon, environmentally friendly, which contains minimal amount nitrates.
By tradition, summer is associated with travel, fresh greenery, sun and beach holidays. In summer, you can enjoy the divine taste of a delicious treat - watermelon.
Juicy and velvety flesh will please you with a pleasant coolness on hot days. Previously, watermelon was considered a useless fruit. Over time, scientists have found that watermelon is a source of folic acids, which have a beneficial effect on chemical processes and blood circulation. The pulp contains a lot of iron, vitamin C and fiber.
6 secrets to choosing a juicy watermelon
High-quality ripe fruit can be safely eaten in pure form, or use for liquor.
The carved pyramid is the most popular technique used by sellers to prove the freshness of the fruit. This method does not inspire confidence in me, sellers often use dirty knives.
5 main rules
- Make sure the stem is dry. She is the perfect indicator of ripeness.
- The sound of a watermelon when patted depends on the pulp. Ripe makes a dull sound, green - rings.
- If the fruit squeezed by hands cracks, it is ripe.
- If the earth stain is white, you should not buy. It is recommended to give preference with a yellow spot.
- Ripe watermelon scratches easily. In a ripe watermelon, the top layer of skin can be easily removed with a fingernail.
As you can see, there are many ways to determine ripeness.
How to determine the presence of nitrates in watermelon
Summer accounts for the largest number food poisoning. In hot weather, products deteriorate, and manufacturers add nitrates to speed up ripening.
How to protect yourself from nitrate poisoning?
Buy products that are in season. For example, cherries and strawberries are bought in the summer. If offered in spring or autumn, they are greenhouse-friendly and contain nitrates.
6 rules for determining nitrates
Buy a special device - a nitrate meter. With its help, the amount of nitrates in watermelon is easily determined.
If you do not want to buy a nitrate meter, you can get approximate information about nitrates on your own.
- The absolutely smooth surface of the fruit indicates the presence of nitrates.
- Cut open the fruit and bring it to a light source. The surface of a purple hue is an indicator of the presence of nitrates. The color should be red.
- Dip the pulp in clean water. If the water turns red, nitrates are present. If it becomes cloudy, there are no nitrates.
- Ripe fruit containing nitrates, slightly sour aroma.
- If the seller does not allow you to cut the fruit, evaluate it by its appearance. Containing nitrates, when tapped, does not make sounds. It becomes soft and resembles a wrinkled ball.
- You can lower the watermelon into a tank of water. If the fruit floats, there are no nitrates.
Finally, I’ll add that nitrates are concentrated not in the middle, but near the crust. If there is no confidence in the ecological purity of the product, you should not eat it to the very crust.
In the course of the story, I shared the secrets of choosing a ripe and juicy watermelon. Additionally, you learned how to determine the environmental friendliness of this summer dessert. See you soon, dear readers!
According to the content of folic acid, which regulates the balance of chemical processes and affects the processes of blood formation, this tasty pumpkin is the leader among other fruits, vegetables and berries. And watermelon is also rich in iron - only spinach and lettuce contain more of it, so it is recommended to eat it to prevent anemia. Fructose provides a feeling of fullness, fiber removes cholesterol, and pectin normalizes digestion. Until recently, watermelon was considered a berry. However, watermelon is currently classified in the gourd family. But many know it as a berry.
Trace elements (potassium and magnesium) affect intracellular conductivity, help with edema and hypertension. There is also a small amount of vitamins B1, B2, PP and C in watermelon. The list of diseases in which the use of watermelons is indicated is significant.
When to buy watermelon
Since watermelon is a seasonal product, some unscrupulous producers, trying to maximize profits, use excessive amount fertilizers: sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium nitrates. Their excess accumulates in watermelon pulp. However, sometimes weather conditions without human intervention turn valuable product into a ticking time bomb. In a rainy summer, a lover of the hot sun runs the risk of becoming nitrate.
That is why it is better to refrain from buying watermelon at the beginning of the season. Wait for the time when the watermelon ripens in vivo. The time when Astrakhan and Volgograd watermelons reach technical ripeness falls on the second half of August - early September. There are, of course, early varieties that also grow in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Stavropol Territory, but no one will give guarantees that they have ripened on their own.
Where to buy watermelon
I already wrote how to recognize deception using weights (body kit). When choosing a watermelon, pay attention to how the outlet is equipped. Watermelons should lie on special trays or ventilated nets, under an awning or a canopy. Resist the temptation to pick up the juicy fruit at roadside stalls "along the way." Watermelon absorbs harmful substances very quickly. A couple of hours on the track - and heavy metals from the exhaust gases are already in the tender pulp. A mountain of watermelons usually lies for more than one day before the full sale. Yes, and on the tracks often sell substandard goods, documents for which in most cases are missing.
Do not buy minke whales if they are on the ground. Microcracks in the peel are the entrance gates for malicious microbes, seeking to get from the soil into the nutritious sweet environment of the pulp in order to live happily there and multiply rapidly. How your meeting with their population may end is better not to know.
It is not out of place to ask for a certificate for the goods and ask the seller for a health book (even if you seem like a bore, you will remain a healthy bore). Also, don't buy watermelon in the supermarket - they are usually delivered there unripe.
Choosing the right watermelon
If the outlet is equipped in accordance with all the rules and all the necessary documents are available, you can, in fact, proceed to the selection of fruits, doing it methodically and point by point.
- A medium sized watermelon will taste better. It is generally accepted that the larger the watermelon, the sweeter it is. In fact, you should not take the largest watermelon in the party.
- From two berries of the same size sweeter and riper the one that is lighter.
- Skin appearance. Evaluate what the fruit you like looks like. Stripes should be contrasting(if it is a variety that provides for their presence). Blurry ones speak of the unnaturalness of its aging.
- It is necessary to take a watermelon with a glossy peel. Matte skin may indicate the use of nitrates.
- Good watermelon without external damage. The peel should not have any flaws, cracks, scratches.
- If the rind pierces with a fingernail and smells like freshly cut grass when rubbed, the watermelon is unripe.
- The ground contact patch should be yellow or orange. Its white color indicates the presence of nitrates.
- Tail and bottom. The vast majority of consumers believe that a dry tail is a sign of berry ripeness. But it can dry out and is still stored before selling. You need to pay attention to halo under tail- at a ripe watermelon he keratinized.
- The floor of the specimen is determined from the bottom on the opposite side of the tail. The "girl" is wider. Watermelon-girl is sweeter, it has fewer seeds.
- Compression and tapping test. Remember, in the cartoon "Well, you wait!" did the hippo choose the watermelon just like that? Apparently, the watermelons in the cartoon outlet were immature, if he liked the wolf's head more. A ripe fruit makes a dull resonant sound when tapped, and crackles when squeezed with hands.. The accuracy of such a diagnosis still depends on the presence of a certain experience.
- Buy only whole watermelon . When buying a half of a watermelon, along with it you risk acquiring bacteria brought from a knife or the seller’s hands.
- And... listen to your intuition;).
Home examination
What is watermelon poisoning, I wish you not to know. IN best case you run the risk of spending a lot of time in a cozy small office in the company of a "white friend", at worst ... But let's not talk about sad things, let's try to avoid this. Check at home whether watermelon contains nitrates, even a child can. The simplest test coupled with external signs, they will give out a deceiver with a head.
The appearance of the peel and its condition is easy to consider before buying, but a lot can tell about the berry and the pulp. You can also assess its condition at a point of sale, if for a sample a watermelon cut in half is on the showcase.
Signs of excessive nitrate content:
- yellowish streaks running from the center to the crust (in normal they are white);
- perfectly even, smooth flesh on the cut (in the right one, the granular structure is clearly visible);
- rich color of the pulp;
- a piece filled with water turns it pink or red (in the absence of nitrates, the water becomes simply cloudy).
If the watermelon passed the test with dignity and proved that it is clean in front of you like a baby’s tear, and at the same time turned out to be ripe and tasty, it makes sense to return to the seller and take a small batch for storage.
watermelon storage
For long-term storage you should buy small fruits (4-5 kg) with dry tails and small yellow spots on the sides. It is better to do this at the end of September. Each watermelon must be thoroughly washed, dried and placed in a soft net. It is advisable to store watermelons in limbo. A plus will be high humidity, such an environment prevents the loss of moisture by the fruits. Optimum temperature storage +5 °C. But even under warmer conditions, watermelons lie well, but they will have to be eaten faster. At good conditions storage, it is quite possible to save watermelons until the New Year.
So, everything is simple! To choose the right watermelon and save it, follow three conditions:right time, right place and... a ripe watermelon!
August is the time of the long-awaited watermelons. And the most actual question season - how to choose a ripe and tasty watermelon? The seller can assure you in June that he has a super-early variety of berries. The purchase will indeed turn out to be with juicy and bright red pulp, only nitrates and other chemistry clearly helped to ripen such a watermelon. Therefore, until the end of the season, it is better not to succumb to the temptation. Natural gourd berries will be on sale only in August.
Perhaps, choosing a sweet fruit is a whole science. How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon and choose a berry without nitrates? Let's study it together.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon
By appearance
That watermelon is good, in which the stripes are bright and the peel is shiny. Pay attention to external damage to the fetus. If it is cracked or rumpled, then bacteria could already penetrate into the pulp. This watermelon is dangerous to health. Clothing should be so hard that it is difficult to scratch it with a fingernail. And one more thing: prefer a round watermelon to an oblong one.
According to the size and color of the earth spot
Look for a watermelon that has a yellow spot on its side - this is the place where the berry came into contact with the ground. The color should be reddish, yellow or light brown. But a white earthen spot indicates that the watermelon is not ripe. Spot size should ideally be between 5 and 10 cm.
On a dry stem
The tail of a watermelon is like the umbilical cord of a newborn: through it the fetus receives nutrients. In fact, when the watermelon is ripe, it should fall off the fruit itself and dry up. Therefore, the green stalk of a store-bought watermelon should alert you - the fruit is clearly not ripe. The tail of a ripe berry will be brittle, check without leaving the cash register!
By weight
Many people think that large watermelons are the most delicious. And they are right. A large mass of watermelon speaks of its ripeness. In some varieties, the weight of 10-17 kg is considered the norm. But there is a reasonable limit to everything: the abnormally huge watermelon is most likely grown with the help of artificial feeding. Look for the golden mean.
By sound
Many people know the old-fashioned way - to lightly knock on a watermelon. This is the main sign of a ripe watermelon. If the sound is sonorous when tapped, and the rind of the watermelon springs a little from the impact, feel free to buy! But a dull sound, on the contrary, should alert you - the watermelon is most likely unripe.
How to choose a good quality watermelon
Few calories and a lot useful substances. This is about the watermelon that was grown correctly. per century modern technologies we buy gourds with fear - the reason for this is the chemicals that create artificially ripe watermelons, and also get rid of pests on melons. How to calculate excess nitrates? Look at the peel. Black and brown spots over the entire surface give out the presence of nitrogen salts. Did the fruit look cute? Check it out at home after cutting. If the color of the pulp is unevenly red and with purple spots, then there is an excess of nitrates in the watermelon. This will also be indicated by multi-colored bones (black and white in one berry) as well as yellow streaks from the peel to the pulp.
There is another secret: the pulp on the cut of the “correct” watermelon will be with grains, as if sugar, but the watermelon with nitrate content has unnaturally glossy insides.
To fully verify the safety of a sweet purchase, spend a simple experiment at home: dip a piece of watermelon pulp into a glass of water and crush the pulp. Turbid water indicates the naturalness of the berry, the water turned red - an indicator of the presence of nitrates. This is the best way to test watermelons.
- The most natural watermelons appear on sale only in mid-August.
- It is better to buy watermelons in the store. If you go to the market, then bypass the side of the seller, whose watermelons are right on the ground.
- Do not buy watermelons on the highway. Vehicle exhaust fumes are not the best way to affect the safety of the product.
- Refuse to buy a cut watermelon, even if the half is carefully tightened cling film. Under it, bacteria actively develop. And whether the one who cut him observed hygiene is generally unknown.
- Press the fruit from above and below: if you hear crackling, then the watermelon is delicious and ripe.
We wish you delicious watermelons and a pleasant summer!
Well, the long-awaited season has come for everyone's favorite, bright, fragrant, sweet berries - watermelons. Most of the stalls are full of heaps of striped specimens of various sizes and shapes. How to get the best, of all offered, berries? We will give advice on how to choose a ripe watermelon, tasty and, most importantly, healthy.
When to buy watermelon
The main season of ripe "delicious minke whales" falls on the second mid-August - September. Buying watermelons earlier due date their ripening, you run the risk of buying an unripe fruit or a “nitrate cocktail”.
How to choose a ripe watermelon - inspect
The appearance of a watermelon is the main determinant of its ripeness and harmlessness. Do not be shy and always carefully inspect your purchase, because this is the guarantee of your safety.
Integrity
Pay attention to the covers of the watermelon. They must be without visible external flaws. Dents, cracks - these are all signs of an overripe fruit and its improper transportation.
Crust
A sign of a ripe watermelon is a dense, shiny, maximally contrasting and hard rind. If you can easily pierce the covers of a watermelon with your fingernail, while the berry smells like freshly cut grass, and the color of its stripes is blurred, the fruit is immature.
barrel color
A sure sign of a ripe “minke whale” is a pigment spot of a rich yellow or orange color. This is explained simply: in a ripe fruit, the lateral tail dries up, the production of chlorophyll and the flow of moisture stop.
Choose "watermelon"
The ripest and sweetest fruits are female-type berries. When buying, choose watermelons paying attention to the side opposite the tail. Girls have a flat side with a wide circle.
Berry Melody
You can choose a ripe watermelon by the sound. Tap on the berry. If you hear a dull sound - this is what you need.
How to choose a ripe watermelon - what should not be
Watermelon is not a simple berry in every sense. You can buy seemingly ripe, tasty and safe product, but in fact, everything will not be so rosy. Therefore, when buying a watermelon, you need to know a few simple rules that will help keep you and your loved ones healthy:
- A dried tail is not a sign of ripeness of the berry; it may appear if the watermelon has been plucked for a long time.
- A large copy will not guarantee ripeness and great taste. Check with the distributors for information about the variety of berries. Do not chase the size, choose the “golden mean” from one batch of goods.
- Too bright, glossy, rich red color of watermelon pulp is a clear signal that it will be unsafe to eat this berry.
Do not forget that you need to buy watermelons only in those places where the quality of the goods sold is responsibly and certified. Buying melons at roadside trade points is fraught with serious poisoning.
