Melon Season: How to Choose Safe Watermelons and Melons

The onset of hot summer months always pleases Russians with the opportunity to enjoy juicy and refreshing fruits of melons - watermelons and melons. However, not all batches of these vegetables are equally healthy and safe for health. Experts warn: if you choose them incorrectly, there is a risk of harming the body.

According to experts' recommendations, the most favorable period for purchasing these fruits is the end of July - beginning of August. It is during this period of time that melons have time to reach natural maturity and accumulate the optimal amount of nutrients.

However, not all producers adhere to the principles of a healthy and responsible approach to growing watermelons and melons. Some of them resort to various tricks to speed up the ripening of the crop and increase its volume.

In particular, farmers can "overfeed" crops, especially with nitrogen fertilizers. Such measures really allow you to get fruits earlier than usual and achieve their larger size. But this has a downside - excessive saturation with fertilizers leads to the accumulation of increased amounts of nitrates in the rind and pulp.

The concentration of these harmful substances depends on many factors - growing conditions, irrigation regime, harvesting dates, etc. And the earlier watermelons and melons hit the shelves, the higher the nitrate content in them.

Meanwhile, these chemical compounds are capable of transforming into toxic nitrites in the human body. Such substances have a negative effect on the blood, disrupting its ability to carry oxygen. As a result, oxygen starvation of tissues and serious complications can develop.

Children and people with chronic cardiovascular, respiratory and excretory diseases are especially vulnerable to such consequences. For them, eating melons containing high amounts of nitrates can be seriously dangerous.

Therefore, experts strongly recommend purchasing watermelons and melons between late July and early August. At this time, the fruits have time to reach natural maturity and accumulate fewer harmful substances. Of course, it is impossible to completely rule out the possibility of low-quality products entering the market even at the height of the season. But the chances of purchasing lots with high nitrate content will be significantly lower than when purchasing early or late melons.

In addition to choosing the optimal period, experts advise consumers to carefully inspect the fruits before purchasing. You should pay attention to the integrity of the rind, the absence of visible damage and signs of overripeness. Only an integrated approach to choosing watermelons and melons will help protect your health and enjoy their refreshing taste.

In addition, during the melon season, it is important to follow the rules for storing and consuming these fruits. For example, experts recommend not leaving cut watermelons and melons at room temperature for long periods of time to prevent bacteria from growing.