3rd August: Watermelon Day

On August 3rd, Watermelon Day honours the cool summery dessert enjoyed at picnics and fairs! And because watermelon is 92 percent water, it is refreshing in the summer heat.

This vine-like floral plant is indigenous to southern Africa. Botanists use the term watermelon to refer to both the fruit and the plant, although the plant is called a pepo. The pepo is a succulent berry with a thick rind. Pepos, interestingly, develop from an inferior ovary. They are also typical of the Cucurbitaceae, the scientific name for the gourd family.

Another benefit associated with watermelon is all of the beneficial plant compounds and nutrients that it contains. Watermelon is one of the lowest fruits in terms of calories, yet it is one of the best in terms of the nutrients that it delivers. It provides three percent of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) in terms of vitamins B6, B5, and B1. It also offers four percent of your RDI of magnesium, as well as five percent of your RDI of potassium, 18 percent of your RDI of vitamin a, and 21 percent of your RDI of Vitamin C.