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Here’s a look into the history of National Watermelon Day as well as some interesting facts about the sweet fruit.
National Watermelon Day is celebrated on August 3.
National Watermelon Day 2025: Celebrated annually on August 3, this day highlights the importance of the refreshing fruit, watermelon. This day is meant for all watermelon lovers to savour the reviving summer delight, known for its high water content and sweet flavour. Additionally, it also highlights the health advantages of the natural product.
National Watermelon Day History
National Watermelon Day is widely celebrated in various parts of the world, mainly in the United States. Its fascinating history begins around 2000 B.C. in Ancient Egypt, linked to the earliest cultivation of the fruit about 5,000 years ago.
According to multiple research-based reports, traces of the fruit and its seeds have been discovered at sites from the 12th Egyptian Dynasty, including the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Additionally, archaeologists also discovered various paintings of watermelons in various sizes in ancient Egyptian inscriptions.
Travellers passing through the Kalahari Desert in Africa also bought seeds of the sweet fruit, as reported by Mint. From Africa, the love for watermelons then spread to Mediterranean countries and other parts of Europe, according to other reports. By the end of the ninth century, harvesting watermelons had become a widespread activity in China and across Asia.
10 Interesting Facts About Watermelon
1. Watermelon is packed with several nutrients and health-promoting properties like Vitamins A and C, lycopene, and potassium.
2. Watermelon has an impressive water content of 92 per cent, leaving the consumer hydrated for a longer period.
3. From traditional pink and red to exotic yellow, watermelon comes in more than 1,200 different types of colours and flavours around the world.
4. According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest watermelon ever recorded was grown by Chris Kent in Sevierville, Tennessee, USA. It weighed 159 kg (350.5 lb) and was officially recognised by Guinness World Records on October 4, 2013, at the Operation Pumpkin festival in Hamilton, Ohio.
5. According to the National Library of Medicine, the official name for watermelon is Citrullus lanatus.
6. According to the American Cookery cookbook, the first recipe including watermelon was published in 1796.
7. Back in 1615, the name of the fruit – usually thought of as a kind of melon but different from the genus Cucumis – made its first appearance in the English dictionary, as noted in The Dictionary of American Food and Drink by John Mariani.
8. According to National Today, watermelons generally take 85 to 100 days to reach their peak ripeness.
9. Watermelon helps in repairing skin cells and creates new ones due to the presence of Vitamin A in it.
10. These are also used in hair care treatments as they help in creating collagen and boost hair growth with the presence of Vitamin C.
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