Low-sugar watermelon
Living the Country Life Radio Program with Betsy Freese
Radio interview source: Angela Davis, plant geneticist, Agricultural Research Service
To me, eating watermelon is like eating candy. The sweeter, the better. But I also know there are those of you who want to enjoy this summer favorite, but can't because of the high sugar, carbs, and calories.
Angela Davis is a plant geneticist with the Agricultural Research Service, and is developing what you'd call "diet watermelon" with 50% less sugar. Davis says she got the idea three years ago when talking with a woman who loved watermelon, but couldn't eat it because she was diabetic, and suggested a low-sugar variety.
"We initially said, 'That's a great idea, won't take us very long at all.' Well it turns out that sugar and lycopene -- which is the red pigment in watermelon -- are associated. And so when you breed out sugar, you usually breed out the color also," Davis says. "So it took us several years to actually breed a watermelon that produced lycopene but had low sugar content."
The process took Davis around the world, screening many kinds of watermelon. She found some that had a bit of red pigment and low sugar, and crossed them with high-pigment varieties. Eight generations later, they ended up with the traits they wanted in a low-sugar watermelon. And if you compare this one with one of its sweeter cousins, you won't know the difference.
"It's a small- to medium-sized watermelon, about 7 or 8 pounds," Davis says. "It has light green and dark green stripes, it's elongated and it has seed. The inside is red and crispy, and if you sprinkle some artificial sweetener or sugar on it, it tastes just like regular watermelon."
Davis says they did some taste testing comparing their low-sugar melon sprinkled with sweetener with a regular high-sugar variety. The testers slightly preferred the low-sugar fruit over the other one.
Sorry, you can't jump on the Internet tonight and buy it. Davis says she's working with a few companies to make the seeds available for the public within a year or so.
Learn more:
Of watermelon and waistlines: The ARS offers more information on the new low-sugar watermelon varieties.
Watermelons: Here are some useful tips for growing your own watermelon patch.
