Watermelon. Doesn’t just saying the word make your mouth water?

Watermelons come in all shapes and sizes. The classic oval melon is dark green on the outside, bright pink on the inside and has black seeds. But you can also buy round “sugar babies,” seedless melons and, for the less traditional, yellow watermelons.

Watermelon is a fun food that needs no complex preparation.

“It is good and it’s full of good stuff,” says Allison Morrow, a registered dietitian on the clinical nutrition staff at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

A watermelon, on average, is 92 percent water and 8 percent natural sugar. A one-cup serving of diced watermelon has no fat, lots of vitamins and minerals, and just 49 calories.

One healthful ingredient is lycopene, the anti-oxidant pigment that gives watermelon its color. Lycopene is one of the reasons the American Heart Association certifies watermelon as heart-healthy.

• Puree watermelon in a blender and freeze it in an ice cube tray for lemonade or sparkling water.
• Freeze small chunks and watermelon juice in ice-pop molds.
• Serve watermelon as melon balls.
• Roast watermelon seeds to eat as a snack.