Watermelon For Wellness & Recipes

Of all nature’s fruits, watermelon seems just a little too good to be good for you. But don’t be fooled by how juicy and sweet it is… For something so delicious it’s shockingly low in calories (only 45, a cubed cup). Aside from being easy to love, it’s also a wellness powerhouse that could rightly be labeled a super-fruit. For instance, that gorgeous scarlet blush comes from lycopene , a potent antioxidant (also in tomatoes), which has been linked to lowered risk of cancer, diabetes and heart attacks. Not only does watermelon have lycopene , it contains more of it than any other fruit or vegetable!

Here’s a tip: Help Mother Nature along and intensify its lycopene and beta carotene content by allowing your melon to fully ripen; the redder the better. Watermelon also contains vitamins C, A, and potassium; as well as L-citrulline : an amino acid that benefits the heart and blood vessels, since it may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.

Watermelon is also an artistic fruit, painted throughout history, dating back thousands of years. Although, those original melons were small and bitter tasting. Weirdly enough, way before there were GMO foods, our ancestors were carefully breeding melons until they eventually morphed into the luscious creations we’ve come to know as watermelon. Today there are four basic kinds of watermelon: seedless, icebox, picnic, and yellow/orange. For a fascinating account of the strategic development of watermelon through the centuries, read National Geographic’s story “the 5,000-Year Secret History of the Watermelon .”

Even though watermelon has a dessert vibe, it’s more versatile that you might think. Don’t stop at the juicy part; think twice before throwing out those seeds! They’re a surprisingly nutritious , low carb snack. An ounce has over 7 grams of protein and contains important minerals including: magnesium, phosphorus, folate and potassium. Make seeds tastier by roasting them with this simple recipe from Food 52. Even the heavy green rind doesn’t have to be wasted; studies are underway, exploring medicinal uses for watermelon rinds. And for an unusual picnic snack, try this creative recipe from Epicurious for watermelon rind pickles.

Soup, salad, or pudding, here are some unusual watermelon recipes to explore:

Chilled Watermelon-Berry Soup

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 Cups Cubed Ripe Watermelon, seeds removed.

1 Cup Chopped Strawberries

1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger

2 Tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt or Coconut/Almond Yogurt

Optional: Mint Leaves.

To Create:

Chop and freeze strawberries overnight. Combine berries, mellon, and ginger in a blender or food processor. Blend thoroughly. Serve in a shallow bowl, quickly after preparation. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a dollop of yogurt.

Watermelon Picnic Salad

(3 -4 side dish servings)

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 Cups Cubed Watermelon, Seeds Removed

1/2 Cup Chopped Unpeeled Cucumber

2 Tbsp Fresh Basil leaves

1/2 Cup Crumbled Feta or Tofu Feta

1/8 Cup Slivered Almonds

To Create:

Cut watermelon into chunks about 1 inch. Dice cucumber into medium sized pieces. If basil leaves are small, don’t cut them. If larger, slice in half. Combine melon, cucumber, basil, feta and almonds until evenly distributed. Serve as a side salad or light summer picnic lunch. Goes well paired with pita chips or rice cakes.

Watermelon Chia Pudding

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 Cups Cubed Ripe Seedless Watermelon

6 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Golden Raisins

To Create:

Puree watermelon in the blender with almond milk and cinnamon. Place mixture, in 2 Mason jars. Add an equal amount of raisins in each. Thoroughly mix 3 Tbsp Chia seeds in each jar. Place in the fridge. An hour after, shake the bottle to disperse seeds and place back in the fridge.

*The trick with chia pudding is to stop the seeds from sticking, by sporadically shaking your mixture. So repeat every few hours or so. Before going to bed, give one final shake.

Aside from eating watermelon, it’s also a hot trend in beauty products . As usual, if you have sensitive skin, make sure be sure to check side effects and patch testing. For a refreshing DIY facial, check out this Glow recipe in Vogue.