Quick Answer
A watermelon typically weighs anywhere between 20 – 25 pounds, which is quite substantial. The interior portion, because it’s made up from so much water, is responsible for its weight, accounting for around 18 pounds of its overall weight. Although it’s hard to give an exact figure of how much a watermelon weighs, when you visit your local grocery store, they’ll put the melon on a weighing scale for you, and this will determine how much money you’ll spend on the fruit.
Watermelon is truly one of the most delicious fruits that you can get. It’s enjoyed the world over, and is an incredibly nutritious, satisfying, and moreish food.
Truly, nothing compares to indulging in a juicy watermelon on a hot summer’s day.
Because they’re 92 percent water, they are a great snack for warmer months. But just how much does a watermelon weigh?
If you’ve ever found yourself asking the question above, you’re not alone. Physically, they’re one of the largest fruits we can get at the supermarket, and do a great job of feeding the whole family.
To find out more about this fantastic fruit, keep reading as we take a closer look below.
Weighing Watermelons
As we mentioned above, when you visit a grocery store, they will weigh the watermelon for you.
Because it’s so large, it’s typically measured alone, unlike other fruits and vegetables which are measured in bundles.
Something which will affect the weight of your watermelon, is the variety that it belongs to.
There are a whole host of different watermelon varieties, including jubilee, gray bell, carolina cross, and crimson bell. Your grocery store will likely stock at least one of these varieties.
In addition, you’ll be able to work out roughly how much you’ll be required to spend on your watermelon based on its specific size.
As we mentioned before, they can weigh anywhere between 20 – 25 pounds, and some are smaller than others.
What Factors Are Responsible For A Watermelon’s Weight?
There are a whole host of different things that determine how large a watermelon will grow. It depends on things such as genetics, and environmental factors. To find out more, keep reading below.
1. Environmental Factors
This is one of the key things which determines how large a watermelon will grow.
If a watermelon is grown in conditions which are sub par, it won’t grow as large as it would have with the correct weather conditions.
To grow properly, watermelons need just the right amount of rainfall and sunlight.
The better the weather conditions, the more the watermelon will grow. Some people grow watermelons in artificial light, which can do a good job at replicating this.
2. Genetic Factors
The next item which influences how large a watermelon will grow, is genetic factors. Like we mentioned before, there are a lot of different varieties of watermelon.
Even if you were to grow two different species of watermelon in the exact same soil, with the exact same weather conditions, they would still end up being different sizes.
You will notice that different varieties of watermelon will look different from one other too. Identifying and choosing the correct variety of watermelon will give you an idea of how large they’ll grow.
3. Quality Of Care
Another thing that will influence how large a watermelon will grow, is how well it has been looked after by the individual cultivating it.
As we mentioned above, watermelons need plenty of sunlight and water to flourish.
If the person taking care of the watermelon neglects their duties, they can end up growing in malnourished soil, which will result in a very small melon.
On the other hand, you can make your watermelon flourish and grow bigger than expected by adding growth hormones to the soil, and plenty of fertilizers.
How Much Watermelon Will I Need To Serve Each Person?
If you’re planning on purchasing a watermelon to feed your family, you’ll need to work out how big it is, and if it’s adequately sized for the task.
Thankfully, because of the weighing scales they have at the grocery store, you’ll be able to determine whether it’s enough or not.
You can actually feed up to 20 guests with just one watermelon depending on the size that you purchase.
If you pick up a 20 pound watermelon, you will be able to feed each of these 20 people around 3 slices each.
If you’re planning on feeding a smaller crowd, you can opt for a smaller, 5 pound melon instead. Because they yield so much fruit, you don’t want to have to waste any and throw it in the trash afterward.
Some Interesting Facts About Watermelons
Now that we’ve taken a look at how much watermelon you’ll need to purchase at the grocery store to feed your guests, let’s move on to take a look at some fun facts regarding this delicious fruit.
1. China Is The Largest Producer Of Watermelon
Watermelon is produced ubiquitously in a whole host of different regions, but some of you might be surprised to find out that China is actually the dominant producer of the fruit.
The Mediterranean region as well as Turkey also produce a lot of watermelon fruit, as well as a whole host of other tropical areas.
2. Watermelons Come In Different Colors
Although when we initially think of watermelon, we tend to think of a pinkish red fruit encased in a green exterior, it does actually come in different colors too.
You can also get a watermelon that has a yellow interior, as well as ones that are orange or green.
Some varieties of watermelon also have striped green exteriors, instead of the plain dark green that we’re accustomed to.
3. Watermelon Grows On A Vine
Some people might not be fully aware of how watermelon grows, but it is actually a vining plant. The vines of the watermelon are actually capable of reaching 10 feet, which is a colossal length.
The vines are covered in a series of tiny hairs, and large, dense leaves. Both male and female flowers are produced by the plant.
4. Watermelon Originated In Africa
It was in Africa that watermelon found its origins, and is a plant which is harvested annually there.
The reason why it is so ubiquitous in this country is because of the hot weather conditions that help it to grow.
During hotter portions of the year, this is when watermelons are consumed in Africa the most. Because they’re made up of 92 percent water, they’re great for breaking thirst.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Watermelon?
Watermelon is truly one of the most nutritious fruits that you’ll come across. It’s packed full of vitamins and minerals which are essential for the human body, such as Vitamin A, C, potassium, and magnesium.
It’s also great for those who are on a weight loss diet, because it’s incredibly low in calories.
Because it’s made up of mainly water, one cup of watermelon only contains 46 calories, so you can enjoy as much as you like without any of the added guilt.
It has also been reported that watermelon can prevent you from developing cancer later in life. This is because some of its nutritional contents, including lycopene, actually helps to lower the risk of cancer.
It lowers the insulin growth factor, which is the cause of cancerous cell division.
Therefore, adding watermelon to your diet could have some excellent health benefits in terms of helping to prevent disease.
It is also known to improve the function of the heart too, an issue that many of us are facing today.
Because heart disease is the leading cause of death on a global scale, incorporating watermelon into your diet could help to prevent such illnesses.
The reason is because it helps to lower your cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure levels, helping your heart to regulate normally.
It also contains nitric oxide, which is one of the elements which are responsible for helping your blood vessels to expand, and reduce your risk of having a heart attack.
Finally, watermelon also lowers inflammation levels in the body, which is one of the main contributors of stress. So eating watermelon every day could actually help you to feel more relaxed.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, a typical watermelon will weigh around 20 – 25 pounds. The former should be enough to feed around 20 guests.
The size of the watermelon will be dependent on a number of different factors including proper care, species, and environmental factors.
Watermelon has a host of different health benefits, including improving heart health, reducing stress, and helping to prevent cancer.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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