We all know watermelon, we love it, we eat it, we even wear it on brightly patterned clothes in the summertime. With its bright green exterior and, if we’re lucky, bright red and sweet interior, not only is it a tasty snack but is featured on a lot of decor this time of year. What if we told you that there were watermelons with a different color scheme that were even sweeter?
I noticed a comment on Facebook lately where someone was asking where to find yellow watermelon around Fayetteville. Many comments were shocked that they didn’t know such a thing existed. Naturally, I did some research. Was it a type of pineapple? Is it just an under ripe watermelon? Is it genetically modified? I sought out my answers.
According to www.farmflavor.com, yellow watermelons are closely related to our beloved red watermelons. The difference? An antioxidant called lycopene that is also what we can credit for the vibrant color of tomatoes and grapefruits. Without this key component, these watermelons revert to a bright yellow color on the inside (similar to pineapple) while maintaining that signature bright green rind.
We’ve established the inside is bright yellow in color, but how does it taste? The yellow variety of watermelon is known to be slightly sweeter and have a flavor closer to that of honey but is still considered very similar to its pink counterpart.
I’m currently on the hunt for myself to find some yellow watermelon, as this unexpected twist on my favorite fruit sounds like an adventure. Let us know if you have heard of yellow watermelon. If you’ve tried it, is it better than the original?
By Kathryn Kelly
