When was watermelon introduced into China?

Watermelon is an annual vine plant belonging to Cucurbitaceae. It can be called "the king of summer". It is refreshing and thirst-quenching. It tastes sweet and juicy. It is rich in nutrients. In addition to fat and cholesterol, it contains a lot of glucose, malic acid, fructose, protein amino acids, tomato and rich vitamin C. Let's take a look at when watermelon is introduced into China.

When was watermelon introduced into China?

China is the world's largest producer of watermelons, but there are conflicting accounts of their origin. The more popular view is that watermelon is native to Africa, originally a wild plant of the gourd family, and later artificially cultivated to become an edible watermelon. As early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians planted watermelon, and then gradually moved northward, first from the Mediterranean coast to northern Europe, then south into the Middle East, India and other places, and then from the Western Regions into China in the 4th and 5th centuries.

Why is watermelon called watermelon?

Watermelon was introduced into China from the Western Regions in the 4th and 5th centuries, so it is called "watermelon". According to the Ming Dynasty scientist Xu Guangqi "Agricultural Political Complete Book" records "watermelon, planted in the Western Regions, so the name", Ming Li Shizhen in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" records "according to Hu Jiao in Huihe melon species, named watermelon. Watermelon has been introduced into China since the Five Dynasties, and it has existed in both north and south today."This shows that watermelon has a long history of cultivation in China.

What are the benefits of eating watermelon?

1. Reduce heat and relieve summer heat: Watermelon has the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, purging fire and removing annoyance. Eating watermelon in summer can promote body fluid and quench thirst, clear heat and relieve summer heat.

2, moisturizing sunscreen: watermelon water content in the fruit is second to none, so it is especially suitable for summer to supplement the loss of human moisture.

3, stool unobstructed: watermelon after eating urine volume will increase significantly, which can reduce the content of bile pigment, has a certain effect on the treatment of jaundice.

4, slow down aging: watermelon juice and fresh melon skin can increase skin elasticity, make people younger, reduce wrinkles, add luster.

5, treatment of nephritis: watermelon contains a certain amount of sugar and salt, so it has a good therapeutic effect on mild kidney inflammation.

6, sober up effect: watermelon has the effect of hangover, raw food or take watermelon juice frequent drink, so that drunk people clear heart refreshing, sober up hangover.