National Watermelon Day is August 3, so during these roasting summer days, it’s especially refreshing to grab a sweet slice and get an immune-boosting dose of vitamins A, B-6 and C, plus hydration (this melon’s mostly water)! While you’re at it, you can impress your friends with these 10 fun facts about the fruit (or vegetable, apparently it’s being debated) from the Watermelon Board.
10 Fun Facts About Watermelon
1. Watermelon is 92% water.
2. Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
3. The word “watermelon” first appeared in the English dictionary in 1615.
4. A watermelon takes about 90 days to grow, from planting to harvesting.
5. You can eat watermelon rind. Here are three ways to enjoy the green part!
6. The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1796 was titled American Cookery and contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
7. The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt and is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on walls of their ancient buildings. Watermelons were often placed in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
8. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s heaviest watermelon was grown by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee in 2013, weighing in at 350.5 lbs.
9. More than 300 varieties of watermelon are cultivated in the United States and South America. The most common watermelon options are seeded, seedless, mini and yellow & orange.
10. The United States currently ranks 6th in worldwide production of watermelon, with Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Indiana consistently in the lead.
For more fun facts, awesome watermelon recipes, nutrition information, or to find a watermelon festival near you, check out The Watermelon Board’s website.
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