National Watermelon Day 2017: 10 Interesting Facts To Know About The Fruit

Pretty much every one likes biting into a succulent piece of watermelon on a summer day. No wonder Thursday is celebrated as National Watermelon Day — a summer food holiday in the United States.

Though it is not really known who first came up with the idea of celebrating Aug. 3 as National Watermelon Day, it has not stopped enthusiasts from carrying forward the tradition, with the National Watermelon Promotion Board even encouraging social media users to use the hashtag "#NationalWatermelonDay" as part of the celebrations.

Watermelons are cool, delicious and healthy and thus make for a perfect summer snack. It is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Watermelons also help prevent or minimize the effects of asthma, high blood pressure, indigestion, cancer, muscle soreness, inflammation and dehydration.

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Here are some facts about the fruit and the holiday that you might not be aware of.

• Watermelon is considered both a fruit and a vegetable.
• Watermelon is the official state vegetable of Oklahoma.
• You can consume all parts of the fruit, even the rind and the seeds.
• A watermelon is over 90 percent water. The Watermelon Promotion Board states the fruit is made up of 92 percent water and is ideal for consumption in summers as it helps you stay hydrated.
• It is a good source of Vitamin A and C, potassium and magnesium.
• The United States ranks sixth worldwide among the list of watermelon producers. The states of California, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Indiana are the largest producers of the fruit in the country.
• China is the largest watermelon producing country in the world, growing almost 72 million tons of the fruit annually. It is followed by Turkey, which produces just over 4 million tons per year.

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• Watermelons are said to have been first developed in the Kalahari Desert in Africa, and the first ever recorded harvest took place about 5,000 years ago in Egypt. It is believed the ancient Egyptians honored the fruit in the form of hieroglyphics on the walls of their ancient buildings. The fruit was also placed inside the tombs of the kings in Egypt, to provide them nourishment in the afterlife.
• The citron melon, found in southern Africa, is believed to be a possible ancestor of the watermelon. However, horticulturalist Harry Paris told National Geographic there was evidence that indicated humans enjoyed the fruit even before farming began in southern Africa.
• The National Watermelon Day started gaining popularity in 2009, but search results and stats on Google Trends showed searches for "National Watermelon Day" being made as early as 2004. Since 2009, searches for the food holiday has only gone north.