Melons, whether water or sugar melons, are classic summer fruits that are available everywhere in the warm season and are not only delicious, but also provide healthy vitamins and additional fluid for the body, which it needs especially in summer. As a fruit snack, smoothie or hearty salad, they enrich our diet and are also fresh and tasty when drunk.

Melons – something for every taste

Melons are basically divided into two groups: Sugar melons and watermelons. Watermelons come in different shapes and colors and their flesh is red or yellow. The name says it all – watermelon consists of 95 percent water, making it a real thirst quencher, especially as you can hardly stop eating the juicy pieces once they are on your plate, and despite its sweetness it has very few calories.

Especially in summer, we are doing something good for our bodies when we eat fruit with such a high fluid content. Increased sweating causes us to lose fluids and minerals. Both have to be replaced, which is often not so easy. Even the recommended daily intake of 1.5 to 2 liters per day is too much for some people. It’s good if the delicious watermelon then provides a liquid bonus.

In addition to the liquid, watermelons are also rich in vitamins and nutrients – the smaller melons have an advantage here. They contain less water, but their ingredients are more concentrated.

Not liquid, but still healthy: melon seeds

We remove fruit seeds before eating or spit them out – a waste in the case of melons. Watermelon seeds in particular contain very good proteins and fats. In order to benefit from these, the seeds should be chewed well. If you don’t like the slightly bitter taste of the seeds, you can leave them to dry and then roast them in a pan and add a little salt. They are ideal as a garnish for a summer melon salad.

Sugar melons

While you can recognize the ripeness of watermelons by the deep, rich sound they make when you tap on them, it’s not your ears but your nose that’s needed for sugar melons. If the fruit smells aromatic, it is ripe and tastes good.

At around 85 percent, the water content of sugar melons is lower than that of watermelons. However, they are still an ideal source of liquid for the summer. Due to their firmer flesh, they are particularly suitable for fruit skewers with cheese or ham – here the body not only gets back lost fluids, but also minerals and trace elements at the same time. Just like the watermelon, the muskmelon is suitable for use in smoothies as a fruit that supplies liquid and sweetness. Due to their higher calorie content, a smoothie with sugar melons can also replace a meal in summer – and provide liquid enjoyment. This is particularly healthy if the seeds are processed at the same time.

Not only drinking makes you beautiful: beta-carotene

It is not only the additional liquid absorbed with the melons that ensures a firmer and fresher complexion in summer. Sugar melons also contain beta-carotene. These precursors of vitamin A ensure that we see well and that our skin stays beautiful. Together with the moisture cushions in the skin, it is also a good prevention against sun damage to the skin in summer.

For those with a sweet tooth: Charentais

The French sugar melon Charentais is the sweetest melon. Their orange-colored, intensely fragrant and aromatic flesh is particularly fine and soft. This makes it an excellent ingredient for a light summer salad:

Dice the charentais and honeydew melon, top with finely chopped feta cheese and a handful of washed rocket leaves and season the salad with vinegar or lemon juice, salt and oil to taste. This makes a fresh and light-tasting side dish for barbecues or as a snack between meals.

Juicy melon exotic: Pepino

The pepino or melon pear is one of the varieties that are less common on the fruit shelves. Pepino means cucumber in Spanish – a reference to the taste of the melon. There is no need to peel them, which does not detract from the taste. If you are tired of sweet summer juices and want to save calories, the pepino is perfect for a green smoothie. This benefits from their flavor and liquid content and is not salted and refined with lemons is a refreshing liquid meal on hot days.

A colorful mix of liquids that taste good

Whether you prefer the sweet, very sweet or more vegetable ones, whether they are red, yellow or orange – if you eat melons, you are doing something good for your body. It’s not just the vitamins and taste that count here, the body’s fluid stores are also replenished, which is particularly beneficial on hot days. But it’s not just as a fruit or drink that we benefit from melons in summer. Deliciously garnished and with salty garnishes, melons of any variety are an enrichment for the palate and the barbecue table.