Yellow Watermelon is the Best Fruit You Probably Have Never Tried

It was late at night, some years ago. I was hanging out with two friends when my one friend arrived directly from a local produce market where he worked. "I've got a delicacy for you guys to try," he said with all the confidence in the world. We were initially mystified. What he held looked like a regular watermelon.

That was until my mother cut into it.

Beneath the rind was a bright, sunny-yellow interior that was unlike anything resembling a conventional watermelon. My friend informed me that they accidentally got a shipment of yellow watermelons (sometimes known as "yellow crimson watermelons") at his workplace, so he took one with him. It was on that day that I discovered I had a new favorite fruit.

History of the Yellow Watermelon:

Whenever I bring up yellow watermelon, I get prompted with questions of disbelief. I'm rarely the first to "discover" something, so by the time a new product or video comes my way, I just assume everyone has seen it by now. It makes a lot of sense why yellow watermelons remain one of (many) great unknowns in the world of fruit. From the outside, there's no way to distinguish a yellow watermelon from a pink or red one. There's no distinct name for them other than the one that reflects their color.

A bit of background: yellow watermelons were first cultivated in Africa some thousands of years ago. The fruit went through cross-breeding to obtain qualities that would eventually render its flavor and appearance different from its counterparts. Yellow watermelons were more common than pink ones during this time. The transition of their appearance from pink to yellow occurred due to the presence of lycopene, a plant nutrient. The more lycopene, the redder the interior of a watermelon.

How Do They Taste?:

Yellow watermelons are technically a gourd, by the way. They're adjacent to pumpkins and squashes, although their flavor doesn't match that description.

Yellow watermelons are sweeter than pink or red ones. They actually have an aftertaste that lightly resembles honey. They're packed with vitamins A and C and have about 12 grams of carbs (10 of which are sugar). One cup serving is only about 46 calories, making it a fine health snack.

Where Can You Buy Yellow Watermelons?:

This is the big question, albeit the toughest to answer. Your best option is seeking out local farmer's markets or a specialty fruit shop, potentially asking if they can special-order a few for you. The few times I've seen them in big box stores, there's ample signage around their display to let consumers know these watermelons are different than they appear.

Yellow watermelons are my favorite fruit. Their rarity is a blessing (at least it assures I won't get sick of them), but also a curse!