Watermelon: Health benefits + how to get more in your diet, plus three refreshingly delicious recipes
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Posted By: How May I Help You NC on June 28, 2016 By Molly Kimball | NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune There's a reason that summer is the season for watermelon: not only does it taste its best during the summer, reaching its peak flavor during the warm months, watermelon also has the highest nutritional profile this time of year, making it refreshingly delicious and nutritious. Watermelon is getting a bit of extra press this year with the recent spotlight on WTRMLN WTR, a cold-pressed bottled watermelon juice in which Beyoncé recently invested. All positive things happening for watermelon lately, which is a good thing, because watermelon is one of those under-the-radar, often-overlooked power foods. Here are seven reasons to eat more watermelon, along with three recipes to make it even easier to get more into your diet. It's hydrating. No surprise here. But you may find it interesting that watermelon is 92 percent water – so you really can eat your way toward better hydration. Top source of lycopene. Tomatoes get most of the glory when it comes to lycopene, an antioxidant linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, but watermelon actually has more lycopene – about 40 percent more, on average. Our bodies also absorb lycopene from watermelon more easily. Unlike tomatoes, which need to be cooked in order to maximize lycopene absorption, we can effectively absorb and reap the benefits of lycopene from raw watermelon. Reduce muscle soreness? Watermelon and watermelon juice are marketed as remedies for muscle soreness, due to their concentration of the amino acid citrulline. Supplementing with citrulline – about 6 to 8 grams a day – may help to reduce exercise-related muscle soreness and improve post-workout recovery. While watermelon is one of the top food sources of citrulline, it only has 250 mg of citrulline per cup. Translation: we would have to eat 24 cups of watermelon – or drink 8 bottles of Beyonce's WTRMLN WTR – to reach the therapeutic levels of citrulline used in these studies. But we can still file it under "every little bit helps" category. Improve blood pressure. Another benefit of citrulline is that it can be converted into arginine, which can help to improve blood flow, blood pressure, and overall cardiovascular health. So while there's not enough citrulline in watermelon for it to immediately have a significant impact on blood pressure, when it's incorporated along with other healthful food and lifestyle choices, it's at least a nudge in the right direction. Sugar busting. Watermelon has a reputation for being high in sugar. The reality: Nearly all fruits are naturally high in sugar, and they're also rich in nutrients. Here are the stats: One cup of cubed watermelon has just 45 calories, 11 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of (naturally-occurring) sugar. A cup of cubed sweet potatoes, by comparison, has 175 calories, 41 grams of carbs, and 16 grams of sugar – nearly four times more carbs and twice the sugar of watermelon. Watermelon is ranked as high glycemic, meaning that its sugar can spike our blood sugar levels. But glycemic index is based on consuming 50 grams of carbohydrates of a specific food – so that means we would have to eat nearly five cups of watermelon — without any type of protein or fat along with it— in order to experience this high glycemic impact. Riper is better. All of the goodness of watermelon – the lycopene, beta carotene, and overall antioxidant content – gets better with age. The redder the flesh of the watermelon, the higher the concentration of nutrients; lighter or whiter flesh means fewer nutrients. Don't toss the rinds. Most of us eat the juicy red part of watermelon and leave the rinds behind. But the rinds are entirely edible (just remove the outer peel), and are also as rich in flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C as the flesh itself. Watermelon rinds can be sliced and added to your favorite stir-fry recipe, juiced, or pureed for chilled soups, like the recipe for Commander's Palace Caribbean Watermelon Gazpacho, below. Select the perfect watermelon. This picnic staple should be firm and symmetrical, with a dark green color indicating ripeness, says Chris Romano, senior global produce coordinator for Whole Foods Market. For the juiciest melons, go for fruit that feels heavy for its size. And while many people believe that knocking on the watermelon can determine how ripe it is, Romano says this isn't a definitive measure of ripeness. Some people prefer the seedless varieties of watermelon, but are concerned that they're some strange type of genetically engineered franken-food. Not to worry, Romano says that seedless watermelons are not genetically modified; they're simply grown from seeds produced naturally by hybridization. How to get more watermelon into your diet. Simply slice it and eat it plain, or with a sprinkle of salt. Or go with the classic pairing of watermelon, fresh mint and feta (or goat cheese, for a lower-sodium option). Make watermelon salsa, using watermelon in place of some (or all) – of the tomatoes in your favorite salsa recipe. Grill it. Juice it. Puree it, rind and all, for soups - the options are endless. Here are three fun, no-fail recipes that look as fabulous as they taste. ## This refreshing summer gazpacho was created by Chef Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace. While it's not on their current menu, it's a light, refreshing dish to try at home. And the presentation is beautiful; it's perfect to serve as an appetizer for a group of friends over for dinner. Caribbean Watermelon Gazpacho Makes 10-12 servings 2 teaspoons coriander 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons salt ½ tablespoon black pepper 1 onion 2 cucumbers 4 Creole tomatoes 1 medium cantaloupe 1 medium honey dew 1 medium watermelon 1/2 cup light rum 1/2 jalapeno 2 limes juiced 2 lemons juiced 2 bunches cilantro, finely chopped 1/4 pound basil, finely chopped Combine dry spices and toast them in small skillet, then grind them in a mortar and pestle. Quarter the onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Remove the skin from the melons, and quarter them as well. Add all ingredients to one large pot, with the exception of citrus juice and fresh herbs. Use immersion blender to puree all the ingredients. Then add the citrus and finely chopped herbs and serve chilled. Per Serving: 75 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 0 saturated fat, 150 mg sodium, 16 grams carbohydrates, 1.5 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar, 1.8 grams protein. ## This refreshing drink, popularized in Mexico, is a terrific thirst quencher on a hot summer day, with less than half a teaspoon of honey per serving. The trick to making agua fresca (Spanish for "fresh water") is to infuse the water with fruit essence without turning it into a smoothie or a slushy drink. Recipe courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Watermelon Agua Fresca Makes 8 servings 6 pounds seedless watermelon, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 cups cold water 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon honey Ice cubes for serving In a blender, combine half of the watermelon and one cup cold water and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into a pitcher; discard solids. Repeat with remaining watermelon and one cup cold water; you should have about 8 cups juice. Stir in lime juice and honey and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve well chilled over ice. Per Serving: 110 calories, 0 fat, 0 saturated fat, 2.5 mg sodium, 25 grams carbohydrates, 0.3 grams fiber, 25 grams sugar, 3.8 grams protein. ## Our Eat Fit NOLA intern David Miller created this tasty summertime cocktail (he's also a bartender on the side). To keep sugars in check, he uses simple syrup made with Swerve or Truvia in place of sugar. Watermelon Smash Cocktail Makes 1 serving Large basil leaves 1 slice peeled ginger 3 chunks watermelon 1 tablespoon Swerve or Truvia simple syrup 1/2 ounce lime juice 2 ounces gin In a shaker, muddle the basil, ginger and watermelon in the no-sugar simple syrup. Add ice, lime juice, and gin. Shake well, and serve garnished with watermelon slice and basil leaf. Per Serving: 165 calories, 0 fat, 0 saturated fat, 2 mg sodium, 17 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams sugar, 0.5 grams protein. ### Molly Kimball is a registered dietitian in New Orleans. She can be reached at eatingright@nola.com. Comment and read more atNOLA.com/eat-drink. Follow her on Facebook: facebook.com/mollykimballrd and Twitter: twitter.com/mollykimballrd. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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How May I Help You NC
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
Comments
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Shall I prepare to come and dine? You make, I'll eat. :) Tuesday, June 28th 2016 at 11:47AM |
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Brings water to my eyes...
Tuesday, June 28th 2016 at 12:12PM |
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