Winter melon is mainly produced in summer. It is named winter melon because when the melon is ripe, there is a layer of white powder on the surface, which is like hoarfrost in winter. For this reason, winter melon is also called white melon.

Winter melon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is an annual herb.

It is native to southern my country and India. It is cultivated in all parts of northern and southern my country. The main supply season is summer and autumn.

Winter melon, the fruit is round, oblate or oblong. The size varies depending on the species. Small ones weigh several kilograms and large ones weigh several kilograms. The skin is green, and most varieties of mature fruits have white powder on the surface. The flesh is thick, white, and juicy.

, light in taste, can be eaten either as young melon or old melon.

The quality of winter melon, in addition to the tender melons picked early, is generally required for old winter melons picked late: fully developed, mature, firm, thick, small ventricles; green skin with white frost, regular shape, and smooth skin.

There are no spots or wounds, and the skin is not soft or rotten.

Nutritional value of winter melon: Winter melon has high water content, protein, sugar, carotene, multivitamins, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, high potassium content and low sodium content.

The eating effects of winter melon are: 1. Lose weight and lower lipids; 2. Protect kidneys, regulate immune function, improve clinical symptoms, and protect kidney function.

Folks have the effect of using winter melon peel, broad beans and water to boil, remove the residue and drink water, which can cure edema in kidney disease and edema in heart disease.

Winter melon and carp soup can treat chronic nephritis.

3. Clearing away heat and reducing phlegm. It has the functions of clearing away heat and reducing phlegm, reducing swelling and promoting dampness.

4. Vitamin B1, which prevents and treats cancer, and selenium, which has anti-cancer functions, are quite abundant in winter melon.

In addition, the crude fiber in winter melon can also stimulate gastrointestinal peristalsis, so that carcinogens accumulated in the intestines can be excreted from the body as soon as possible.

5. Moisturizing and beautifying. Winter melon seeds can inhibit the deposition of melanin in the body and have good moisturizing and beautifying effects.

6.7% has the effects of improving blood sugar levels, lowering cholesterol in the body, lowering blood lipids, and preventing arteriosclerosis.

Winter melon contains propanedioic acid, which controls the conversion of sugar in the body into fat, prevents fat accumulation, prevents high blood pressure, and has good effects on weight loss.

Tips for buying winter melon: Look at the appearance: the whole winter melon has a well-proportioned shape and no spots; if it is a cut winter melon, choose a winter melon with thicker flesh, less flesh, and white flesh; look at the flesh: cut winter melon, melon

If the melon pulp is firm and tightly connected to the flesh, it is fresh; if the melon pulp is collapsed and separated from the flesh, the melon has been stored for a long time.

Large picture of winter melon.jpg Comparison of winter melon.jpg When you press it with your hands, it feels soft. The body of the melon is relatively light and its shape is uneven.

There are two types of winter melon on the market, with and without frost.

The meat without frost is thick and difficult to produce soup when stir-fried, so it is suitable for stir-frying; the meat with frost is easy to absorb and suitable for making soup.

Storage tips for winter melon: Winter melon likes temperature and is heat-resistant, so it can be stored in a ventilated place.

Tips for cooking winter melon: 1. The melon is cool in nature and should not be eaten raw.

2. Melon is an ideal daily food for antipyretic and diuretic. If boiled with the skin in soup, the effect will be more obvious.

3. When making soup with melon and meat, the winter melon must be put in last, and then simmered over low heat to prevent the winter melon from being overripe or rotten.

Contraindications for eating winter melon: Winter melon is cold in nature and should not be eaten by those with weak spleen and stomach, cold kidneys, chronic illness, and cold limbs due to yang deficiency.

Women should not eat it during menstruation and those with cold dysmenorrhea.

When eating winter melon, it is recommended to remove the flesh and skin of the winter melon (if it is used to make soup, you don’t need to peel it, the skin can clear away heat and dampness), and rinse it with clean water.

Winter melon can be cut into thin slices for cold dressing or stir-frying, and cut into 1cm thick slices or blocks for stewing soup, steaming or juicing.

Peel.jpg Cutting method.jpg When eating cold salad, blanch the winter melon in boiling water until it is transparent, then add juice or seasonings for seasoning. It can be stir-fried or stir-fried with various vegetables and meats.

Do not throw away the peeled winter melon skin. You can wash it and dry it in the sun to make tea and drink it. It has a good effect of clearing away heat and reducing swelling.

Winter melon can easily become rotten if cooked for a long time, so make soup with winter melon and cook until the winter melon becomes transparent.

Prickly heat: Apply slices of winter melon directly to areas with prickly heat.

Repair after sun exposure: Take winter melon juice and rub it evenly on the skin. It has the effect of cooling, detoxifying and whitening the skin.