Did You Know: Watermelon is 93% water?

ByVektween

Hey Simple Eaters!

I have to admit, this is going to be my most bias post to date. When it comes to summer and warm weather, there’s only one thing I can think about, and that’s WATERMELON. It has been my favorite food since I was a toddler and absolutely nothing has changed into adulthood. There are pictures of me from about 3 years old with my face in a watermelon half. Yes, I said half. My family always told me I was going to start growing watermelons inside my stomach. HA! Little did I know back then, watermelon’s benefits are off the charts.

Watermelon is loaded with lycopene, which may aid against inflammation, oxidative stress, cancer, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes. It may help lower high blood pressure and even increase circulation due to containing the amino acid citrulline. Watermelon is also high in vitamin C, which helps with collagen repair, and prevention of cell damage from free radicals. Watermelon is about 93% water, so it’s one of the best foods to rehydrate after intense exercise, not to mention the fact that it can assist with quicker muscle recovery. How could you possibly not love this fruit after knowing the benefits?

With Memorial Day around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of your party menus. Watermelon is the perfect food to take to any picnic or summer party. It’s refreshing, satisfying, and hydrating on hot days. You can cut it up and take it plain or turn it into a salad like the recipe below. The saltiness of the feta and the spiciness of the arugula goes perfectly with the sweet and juiciness of the watermelon. This salad takes about only 5 minutes to make, which is one it’s best features.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups baby arugula
  • 2 c cubed watermelon
  • 2 T crumbled feta
  • 1 T aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. On two large plates, lay your base of arugula, 3 c per plate.
  2. Add the watermelon on top, 1 c per plate.
  3. Add the feta crumbles, 1 T per plate.
  4. Lastly, drizzle the aged balsamic and extra virgin olive oil to finish it off, 1 ½ t balsamic and 1 ½ t olive oil per plate
  5. Enjoy!

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464475/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citrulline-supplements
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=31

Learn More About Chef Anndrea Yetter

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