Next week we celebrate the Fourth of July or Independence Day. One of the fruits that is a common treat at summer picnics is the watermelon. This month for this Created For So Much More Health newsletter, I wanted to share a bit of the history of this common summer treat.
Recently, on a visit to Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, my husband and I were privileged to witness a presentation of storytelling, history, song, and so much more by a seventh generation Gullah woman. Through this presentation I was struck by God’s amazing provision and faithfulness to His unjustly enslaved children.
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (emphasis mine)
Gullah people are a distinct ethnic group of African Americans primarily found in the coastal regions of South Carolina. Enslaved Africans were brought to work the rice and cotton fields of the southern United States. Here, they were forced to endure long hours of brutal work in sometimes 100 plus degree heat. With no health care at their disposal, the Gullah population relied on their knowledge of the natural healing properties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and roots. Their gardens and surrounding woods became their pharmacies.
Our storyteller told us about the many specific plant species she and her ancestors use(d). When she brought up the watermelon it was with an almost defiant demeanor. What had been a God-given health provision, later became a racist stereotype. How did that happen?
Wafter the Civil War, watermelons became a symbol of freedom when many formerly enslaved people cultivated and sold watermelons as a means to make a living.Unfortunately, as the newly freed Americans gained economic independence, their success was turned against them and the watermelon was re-cast as a racial stereotype by those who were threatened by these newly freed Americans.
What God had used to strengthen and protect, man turned into a demeaning symbol. Today, I want to re-cast the watermelon again and suggest that we look at it as a sign and symbol of God’s provision.
We have the people who were brought here from West Africa to thank for this amazing fruit. In fact, some accounts suggest that the women of West Africa even wove watermelon seeds into their hair in order to bring watermelons to America.
Watermelons offered many nutritional benefits, particularly for a population forced to work the fields in the southern United States.
Watermelon is 92% water. It was very important in helping the enslaved stay hydrated during the southern summer heat. Other nutrients found in watermelon include potassium, vitamins A, C, and B6—all of which helped to strengthen the enslaved population’s immune health.
I can’t help but think of God’s faithfulness for this group of people in such dark times. He covered their health needs through nature. He strengthened and protected this unjustly enslaved population from illness and death through the use of food and herbal medicine.
God continues to actively care for His children here and now through nature and His abundant creation. Watermelon continues to be a nutrition powerhouse for us all.
“As a nutritionist and lifestyle medicine professional, I eat watermelon as often as I can, especially in the summer when it’s in season,” said Gigi Carter from Daniel’s Plate Recipes. “Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s hydrating and healthy. Nutritionally, watermelon is rich in lycopene and citrulline, a compound that converts into the amino acid arginine. Arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, and shown to lower high blood pressure.”
This summer, as you take a bite of a juicy watermelon, remind yourself that it is not only a delicious fruit, it is a symbol and a reminder of the rich heritage of God’s faithfulness to His children—even in the darkest of times.
Gigi Carter is the cofounder of Daniel’s Plate. She is a highly trained nutritionist and fitness expert. You can learn more about Gigi here.
Check out these favorite watermelon recipes: