Room Temperature Watermelon More Nutritious

Category: Diet and Nutrition

Believe it or not, the temperture that foods are stored and served may have a greater impact on their nutrient value than we think. This comes after a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that room temperature watermelon contains more antioxidants than refridgerated watermelon.

For most people who enjoy watermelon in the summertime, there can be nothing more satisfying than pulling the fruit from the fridge and slicing off a few big pieces. Watermelon alone is a refreshing snack for hot days, but couple that with the cool juice, and you have a snack fit for a king.

Watermelon is thought of as having little nutritional or caloric value. But naturally it is high in antioxidants such as lycopene and betacarotene, which give the fruit its traditional red/pink color. In the study levels of antioxidants in a typical watermelon serving were compared at temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, 55 degrees, and 41 degrees.

The researchers at the US department of Agriculture found that the levels of lycopene in the 70 degree watermelon were 40 percent higher and betacarotene was increased by as much as 140 percent. They state that fruits such as watermelon will continue to produce nutrients even after ripened and picked from the fields as long as they stay at room temperature, but refridgeration actually slows down the production of nutrients by the fruit.

Also more specifically to watermelon, the fruit begins to breakdown after being refridgerated for a short time, while its room temperature shelf life is actually 2 to 3 weeks.

So next time you are thinking about purchasing a watermelon for a sweet, juicy summer snack, leave it out of the refridgerator till the first time you cut into it to maximize its health benefits.

Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on December 9, 2013 10:00 AM