If you've been keeping up with the latest in health news, you may have seen a few articles reporting that watermelon is more nutritious when served at room temperature. Personally, I prefer my watermelon ice cold, so I was a bit dismayed when I heard about this. After all, that's one of the joys of these sweltering summer days...a juicy, deep red, icy cold slice of my favorite fruit. The thought of eating watermelon at room temperature is well...a little less than appetizing.

I did a little sleuthing by taking a look at the study behind these headlines. Turns out that watermelons continue to produce more lycopene and beta-carotene even after they are picked, as long as they are stored at room temperature. Lycopene, as you may know, is a powerful anti-oxidant that gives watermelon (and tomatoes) that beautiful red color and also plays a role in preventing heart disease as well as some cancers. Beta-carotene is converted by the body into Vitamin A.

The study, completed by U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed that whole watermelons, when stored at 70 degrees, had substantially more of these nutrients than melons that had been freshly picked or that had been stored at cooler temperatures.

When compared to freshly picked melons, whole watermelons that had been stored at 70 degrees (the temperature of an air-conditioned building) for 14 days, gained up to 40 percent more lycopene and a whopping 50 percent more beta-carotene.

Watermelon is a great summer food. True to its name, this favorite summer fruit is 92% water and two cups (a 1-inch half moon slice) contain only 80 calories. Watermelon is also loaded with potassium and is very low in sodium. Of course, watermelon contains no cholesterol or fat.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: Go ahead and enjoy your watermelon ice cold! Store whole watermelons up to 2 weeks at room temperature, rather than your refrigerator, before eating. Chill just prior to serving, so you don't lose out on any of those great nutrients watermelon has to offer. Look for watermelons that are free of damage (cuts, bruises, cracks or dents). The yellow, flat place on one side of the melon is perfectly normal, as this was the part of the melon that had contact with the ground as the melon was ripening on the vine. Rinse the melon well before cutting, as your knife could drag dirt and germs into the fruit.

Happy eating!

Ellen Britt

Ellen is a wellness coach, writer and professional speaker who also facilitates workshops and distance learning programs. She practiced as a PA (physician assistant) for twenty-two years, specializing in emergency medicine, occupational health and urgent care. Ellen has coached hundreds of clients on stress resiliency, weight loss and smoking cessation as well as health and wellness issues.

She is co-founder of the Helix Institute, an international distance learning organization, specializing in the virtual delivery of Wellness Coach training to coaches and health professionals. Ellen is also co-founder of Primal Waters, a subsidiary of Blue Crow Studio, Inc. She is the executive producer of Primal Waters’ Telly award-winning relaxation video, The Fifth Season and served as the executive producer and writer for the acclaimed web based presentation, Lessons from Water. As co-founder of Primal Waters, Ellen is responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s innovative health and wellness programs for professionals, executives and individuals.

Ellen holds a doctorate in biology from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana and is currently completing degree requirements for a Ph.D. in clinical psychology through the Fielding Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, California. Ellen lives and works near Atlanta, Georgia.