Elliptical-shaped Fruits and Vegetables
Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Watermelon is a plant species in the family
Cucurbitaceae, a vine-like flowering plant
originally domesticated in Africa. It is a highly
cultivated fruit worldwide, having more than
1,000 varieties. Watermelon is a scrambling
and trailing vine in the flowering plant family
Cucurbitaceae.
Watermelon's high levels of lycopene are very effective at protecting cells from damage
and may help lower the risk of heart disease, according to a study at Purdue University.
A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon
extracts helped reduce hypertension and lower blood pressure in obese adults.
Lycopene has been linked with heart health, bone health and prostate cancer
prevention. It's also a powerful antioxidant thought to have anti-inflammatory properties,
according to Victoria Jarzabkowski, a nutritionist with the Fitness Institute of Texas at
The University of Texas at Austin.
Honeydew
Cucumis melo L.
A honeydew melon, also known as a green
melon, is the fruit of one cultivar group of the
muskmelon, Cucumis melo in the gourd family.
The Inodorus group includes honeydew,
crenshaw, casaba, winter, and other mixed
melons.
A honeydew has a round to slightly oval shape, typically 15–22 cm (5.9–8.7 in) long. It
generally ranges in weight from 1.8 to 3.6 kg (4.0 to 7.9 lb). The flesh is usually pale
green in color, while the smooth peel ranges from greenish to yellow. Like most fruit,
honeydew has seeds. The inner flesh is eaten, often for dessert, and honeydew is
commonly found in supermarkets across the world alongside cantaloupe melons and
watermelons. In California, honeydew is in season from August until October.
The honeydew is 90% water, 9% carbohydrates, 0.1% fat, and 0.5% protein. Like most
melons, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, with one cup containing 56% of the
recommended daily value. The honeydew is also a good source of vitamin B thiamine,
as well as other B vitamins and the mineral potassium. In addition, it is low in calories
compared to many other high potassium fruits such as bananas, with only 60 calories
per cup. However, the honeydew contains only negligible amounts of most other
vitamins and minerals.
Orange
Citrus X sinensis
The orange is the fruit of various citrus species in
the family Rutaceae,it primarily refers to Citrus ×
sinensis, which is also called sweet orange, to
distinguish it from the related Citrus × aurantium,
referred to as bitter orange. The sweet orange
reproduces asexually (apomixis through nucellar
embryony); varieties of sweet orange arise
through mutations.
The orange is a hybrid between pomelo (Citrus
maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata).The
chloroplast genome, and therefore the maternal
line, is that of pomelo.The sweet orange has had its full genome sequenced.
The orange originated in a region encompassing Southern China, Northeast India, and
Myanmar, and the earliest mention of the sweet orange was in Chinese literature in 314
BC.[2] As of 1987, orange trees were found to be the most cultivated fruit tree in the
world. Orange trees are widely grown in tropical and subtropical climates for their sweet
fruit. The fruit of the orange tree can be eaten fresh, or processed for its juice or fragrant
peel. As of 2012, sweet oranges accounted for approximately 70% of citrus production.
In 2017, 73 million tonnes of oranges were grown worldwide, with Brazil producing 24%
of the world total, followed by China and India
Kiwi
Actinidia deliciosa
Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi outside Australia
and New Zealand) or Chinese gooseberry is the
edible berry of several species of woody vines in
the genus Actinidia. The most common cultivar
group of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward') is
oval, about the size of a large hen's egg: 5–8 centimetres (2–3 inches) in length and
4.5–5.5 cm (1 3⁄4–2 1⁄4 in) in diameter. It has a thin, fuzzy, fibrous, tart but edible light
brown skin and light green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The
fruit has a soft texture with a sweet and unique flavour. In 2018, China produced half of
the world total of kiwifruit.
Kiwifruit may be eaten raw, made into juices, used in baked goods, prepared with meat
or used as a garnish. The whole fruit, including the skin, is suitable for human
consumption; however, the skin of the fuzzy varieties is often discarded due to its
texture. Sliced kiwifruit has long been used as a garnish atop whipped cream on
pavlova, a meringue-based dessert. Traditionally in China, kiwifruit was not eaten for
pleasure, but was given as medicine to children to help them grow and to women who
have given birth to help them recover.
Onion
Allium cepa
Onion, (Allium cepa), herbaceous
biennial plant in the amaryllis family
(Amaryllidaceae), grown for its edible
bulb. The onion is likely native to
southwestern Asia but is now grown
throughout the world, chiefly in the
temperate zones. Onions are low in
nutrients but are valued for their flavour
and are used widely in cooking. They add flavour to such dishes as stews, roasts,
soups, and salads and are also served as a cooked vegetable.
Onions are among the world’s oldest cultivated plants. They were probably known in
India, China, and the Middle East before recorded history. Ancient Egyptians regarded
the spherical bulb as a symbol of the universe, and its name is probably derived from
the Latin unus, meaning “one.” The Romans introduced the onion to Britain and, in the
New World, Native Americans added a highly pungent wild onion to their stews.
Curative powers have been attributed to onions throughout the centuries; they have
been used in folk medicine for such varied ailments as colds, earaches, laryngitis,
animal bites, burns, and warts.
