part of the application that watermelon - a berry, causing confusion.Most people are accustomed to thinking of his fruit, and there are those who believe that it is a vegetable.The question ambiguous, a lot of opinions.So who is right?And why watermelon is considered a berry?
This issue will require a comprehensive review.It is best to start with the basic concepts.
What berry?
Opinions botanists and laymen to this effect vary.So, in everyday life are all the small berries fruits whose juicy pulp.These include true (for example, currants), false (rose hips), drupes (cherries), polydrupes (raspberry).At the same time the fact that from the point of view of botany is the berries, but has a large size, the people can not be attributed to them.For example, neither of tomato or about kiwi do not tell.But in reality they are a fruit.
In botany, no reference to size.This is to some extent explains why watermelon - berry, t. To. Many is the size and confused.In botany, the definition is as follows.Berries - it is the fruit of any size, but they have to be a lot of seeds with a hard rind and juicy pulp.All of this is wrapped in a thin skin.True berries develop from the ovaries, false - from any other parts.
Additional types
yagodovidnyh The group also includes fruits melon, oranges and apples.This is also a variety of berries, t. To. They meet all the criteria.
first are the fruit of plants - members of the family Cucurbitaceae.This is the largest berries weighing up to several tens of kilograms, and size - more than a meter in diameter.They are characterized by a juicy and dense flesh and firm the skin.The outer layer can sometimes be woody.This is what family is watermelon.Berry Pumpkin or its fruit?The second name not be used.Since the so-called other plants.The general name for a fruit crop of the family - melon.
Oranges - a typical citrus fruit.Consequently, lemons, oranges, etc. can also be attributed to the berries.
The latter include representatives of the subfamily and apple.It polyspermous fruit with a thin skin, a lot of pulp and seeds, located closer to the center.In addition, the berries are considered botanically fruits that grow on pear, mountain ash, quince.
What nerds - not berry
As already mentioned, not every fruit that at home berry is considered, in fact it is.So, the typical error.
drupes.This fruit with a thin skin and juicy flesh.Their distinguishing feature - one seed, not a lot, like berries.Besides pericarp layers sharply separated.Therefore, because the flesh is easily detached.Thus, cherries - a drupe.It also includes peaches, apricots, plums and other fruits with a single seed.
There are fruit, where many, many drupes connected together.The most common example - raspberries or blackberries.In fact, they are polydrupes.
Strawberries and strawberry - a false berry, since they are not formed from the ovaries, and from the receptacle.The fruits are white and black seeds on the surface, called mnogooreshkami.
About watermelons
As is now clear, scientific, and narrow-minded attitudes vary significantly.If we compare the description and appearance of the fruit, it becomes clear why the watermelon - berry: it meets all the features of this group of plants.
little history
Watermelon can be considered a novice in European cuisine, t. To. He was imported recently.This culture appeared on the table in the Middle Ages, during the Crusades.Until Russia striped fruit got even later met him in about the 14th century.
motherland of this wonderful delicacy is considered South Africa, the area of the Namib Desert.Also, the role of trying to challenge Brazil and Paraguay.In all these regions watermelon occurs in wild and related species are well represented.Accurate information about the ways of the culture no.However, due to historical sources it is known that in the ancient world the watermelon was well known.It is cultivated in many different countries and has been a favorite delicacy.At the dawn of humanity still has not wondered why watermelon - berry, t. To. At that time did not exist botanical classifications.
is now known more than 1200 varieties of this crop.Features of distribution it has received in China.At the moment, China is a leader in growing watermelons.They are also cultivated in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, countries of the American continent - all in 96 countries.
What is this culture?
To understand why watermelon is called berry, should refer to its botanical description.This plant, as already mentioned, relates to the Cucurbitaceae family.It is the melons.The fruit develops from the ovary and is a large melon, which is spherical, oval or cylindrical shape.Weight watermelons can be more than 20 kg.The fruit is covered with a dense, smooth and thick crust (4-15 mm), the color is usually green, there are also varieties with white or yellow color.In most cases there is a pattern of dark and light bands.Why watermelon berry is considered?The fact is that the melon - a subspecies of it, has all the characteristics.
flesh is red.There are also varieties with pink, yellow or white core.The taste of the fruit is sweet, it might be sugary.The flesh is juicy and tender.It contains a large number of seeds.
chemical composition
Watermelon is very useful, t. To. Is rich in various vitamins and trace elements.Thus it contains a minimum amount of calories: 38 kcal total 100 g pulp.The edible portion of the fruit at the time of ripening, mainly contains glucose and fructose.Sucrose occurs during storage.The longer watermelon is, the more it accumulates.The pulp contains from 5.5 to 13% easily digestible sugars.
Fruits contain the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, K, PP.Also, pulp is rich in trace elements such as iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, sodium, selenium, phosphorus, fluoride, zinc.100g watermelon contained 0.61 g protein, 7.55 g carbohydrate, 0.15 g of fats, 0.4 g of dietary fiber.
With this abundance of mineral trace elements striped "ball" becomes an indispensable product on the table.It is not only possible, but necessary.A large amount of water helps the body moisture saturation, which is especially important in the summer heat.
Berry Is watermelon?And is it worth it to argue?
After a detailed consideration of the problem from all sides, you can compile the information and summarize some research on the topic "Why watermelon - berry and how this is true."
So Watermelon belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae.The fruit has all the inherent features of berries: juicy pulp, a large number of seeds, the presence of the outer skin.However, the family, respectively, it will be called melon.And this is the most correct from the point of view of the botanical name.
At the same time belong to the group melon fruit yagodovidnyh.Consequently, there are not only similarities.They differ from typical berry, first, larger size, and secondly, the dense-skinned, thirdly, a large number of seeds.
remains to clarify the last question about the watermelon, "This is a berry or melon?"Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the juicy fruit can be called a berry, t. To. On the basic biological criteria it is appropriate for the group, and it is.This broader name.A more narrow and specialized name - melon (which, in turn, is a type of berry).
is also necessary to make a small digression for those who raised the question as follows: "The watermelon - a berry or vegetable?"The fact that the first definition of a botanical, and the second - a culinary, gastronomic.Mix concepts from different areas correctly.However, if we consider a watermelon with the food point of view, it is by its characteristics will refer to the fruit, since this group is referred including edible sweet fruit.
