5 signs to recognize "poisoned" watermelon
Watermelon contains a lot of nitrates which can be harmful to your health. You can tell by looking at the rind or the texture inside.
August and September are the months when watermelons are sold in large quantities, with good quality and low prices. Watermelon contains a lot of water and is healthy, so you can eat a lot without worrying about affecting your health. However, you need to pay attention to some important points below when choosing watermelons. Because although watermelons do not contain substances harmful to health, they can still be added by growers with chemicals to grow faster, make the fruit heavier and sweeter. Here are some tips to help you avoid buying this type of watermelon.
1. Yellow skin is a sign of high nitrate levels
This is an important substance in the growth and development of plants. However, watermelon growers tend to abuse this chemical beyond the standard. According to research, nitrate can cause watermelons to gain dozens of pounds in just 3 weeks. But people can be poisoned when consuming these fruits. However, you can recognize them by some characteristics. The yellow rind and the white stripes inside the fruit will reveal the content of nitrate exceeding the safe level.
2. Check the connection inside the melon
Some believe that the holes in the melon are caused by insects rather than nitrates. But it’s best to stay away from melons that have holes in them, or that have separate parts of the melon that are not connected to the whole fruit, as shown in the image above.
3. Don't eat fruits that are hollow in the middle.
Similarly, you should not eat melons with large holes in the middle. This is one of the signs that the melon has been stimulated to grow faster than normal, so even though the outside has reached the standard size, the inside is still not perfect. These melons often taste slightly bitter and can even cause poisoning.
4. Test for "poison" before eating
A quick way to test whether a melon is safe or not can be tested right before eating. That is, put a small piece of melon in a glass of clean water at room temperature. If the melon contains a high concentration of chemicals, the water will turn a slightly pink color and at that point, you should throw the melon away. A pure, safe melon will not have this situation if tested.
5. Do not buy melons that are too light.
Even with melons that meet the requirements such as beautiful, smooth, yellow skin, dry stem does not guarantee that the melon will be sweet and delicious. Remember to pick them up and knock on them. If the sound is firm and the weight of the melon is heavy, it is likely that the melon is ripe enough and has a good taste. If it is light, the melon is likely not ripe or has dried out inside.
Some other experiences in choosing delicious melons
Do not choose melons with dented skin.
Not only should you choose chemical-free melons, but you should also choose ones that are sweet and delicious. It is best to stay away from those with dented skins. They are most likely due to external impacts. If you eat them right away, there is no need to worry, however, if you leave them for a long time, the bruises will spread very quickly and you will have to throw the whole melon in the trash.
Choose fruits with bruises.
The “scars” on the watermelon are nothing to worry about. They are evidence of previous taste testing by bees. And usually, the fruit that has been “tested” by bees is very sweet.
A 4 kg melon should have a diameter of about 20 cm or more.
According to a published document, a naturally ripe watermelon weighing 4 kg must have a diameter of at least 20 cm. This experience has been widely spread and verified by many people to be very accurate. The watermelon will be ripe and sweeter.
Choose fruit with dry stem
Watermelons with fresh, green stems are usually unripe and not sweet. You should choose ones with dry stems. If the stem is broken, pay attention to the base of the fruit attached to the stem, it should be brown to ensure the melon is ripe enough.
Choose fruit with yellow bottom
Experience in choosing watermelons of experienced housewives shows that the more yellow the bottom of the fruit (the part facing the ground) is, the sweeter and more delicious the melon is.
Don't buy pre-cut watermelons.
Although pre-cut melons will help you check the appearance before buying, they also have many potential risks. When the knife blade cuts through the melon, microorganisms from the blade will stick to the fruit. Not to mention that "opening" the melon and leaving it in the air for a long time is very unsanitary. Even if protected by plastic wrap, they can still give you a stomachache. Therefore, it is best to buy the whole fruit.