THE MELON MOMENT Saturday, 04 June 2011 02:49

by Salim Matramkot

With the continuous rise in temperature, people find ways to quench their thirst and replace the lost fluids in their body.Aside from drinking more water and fruit juices, another healthful way to beat the summer heat is eating great amount of fruits, and one such fruit which is in demand and in abundance this season is watermelon which comes in several varieties.

It is said that there are over1,200 varieties of watermelon grown in 96 countries, and some of the sweetest varieties coming from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan are available in Qatar.

Apart from being an excellent thirst-quencher as it is composed of 92 percent water, watermelon is also an excellent source of vitamin C and has high nutrition value as it contains generous amounts of beta carotene and lycopene.

It is also a used as main ingredient in fruit salads and juices in various cafes, juice stalls and restaurants across the country.