THREE REASONS WHY WATERMELON SHOULD BE THE OFFICIAL FRUIT OF VALENTINE’S DAY

Watermelon has always been the unofficial fruit of summertime, and it’s clear that watermelon’s red, green, and white color pallet makes it perfect for Christmas. That’s great, but I think the folks in charge of Valentine’s Day should give serious consideration to embracing watermelon as the romantic holiday’s official fruit (don’t worry, it can share the spotlight with chocolate).

Just in case the Valentine’s Day Board of Directors (or Cupid) is reading this, below are three reasons why watermelon and February 14 should profess their undying love for one another.

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HEART

Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to filling your heart with love, and watermelon loves your heart! According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board’s Heart-Check page, fresh watermelon is certified by the American Heart Association’s “Heart-Check mark” program as being low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Watermelon is also the primary source of citrulline in fruits and vegetables, and citrulline can help maintain blood flow within the heart and cardiovascular function.

2. IT’S ALL ABOUT ROMANCE

That citrulline I mentioned above also helps increase blood flow in other parts of the body. Researchers at Texas A&M’s Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center have even hinted that watermelon is a natural form of a certain “romance-enhancing” drug. Though watermelon isn’t as powerful or “organ-specific” (their words, not mine), it might be a good idea to have some watermelon on hand when you cue up the romantic music.

3. IT’S RED!

This one’s pretty simple. If Valentine’s Day is all about red balloons, red teddy bears, red greeting cards, and red hearts filled with chocolate, why not include the reddest fruit in the produce aisle (on the inside, at least)? Bonus: They even grow watermelon in the shape of a heart!

So there you have it. Three compelling reasons to take the relationship between watermelon and Valentine’s Day to the next level. If anyone has the email address for someone on the Holiday Committee who can make this happen, feel free to send him or her a link to this blog entry!