Watermelon – Juice Health Benefits & Recipes

17 Apr

Best Melons For Melon Juice And How To Choose Them

When you’re new to juicing one melon looks just as good as the next. But once you develop the juicing habit, you’ll notice that some of your batches taste better than others. The culprit is the type of melons that you use. Veteran juicers know how to pick the best melons for juicing.

Melon Season

In today’s global market you can buy almost any type of melon at almost any time of year. But for the most flavorful juices with the highest vitamin content, you should concentrate your melon juicing during the season for the type of melon that you want to use. Buying in season means accessing melons from California, Arizona and Texas that come to you relatively fresh and full of vitamins.

Honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon are the best melons for juicing in the U.S. because they’re available fresh and have sweet, crisp flavor and lots of juice. Honeydew melons are a late summer fruit and the prime season is between August and October. Cantaloupes are sweetest between June and September but are available until December. The watermelon season is longer, from April to November but the best time to buy is in the summer.

How to Pick a Melon

Thump the melon. Hold the melon close to your ear in one hand and thump it with the other. You are listening for a hollow “thunk” that means that the melon is ripe and full of juice, not hard and underripe.

Look at the color. Ripe honeydew melons vary in color from pale green to pale yellow. Avoid white honeydews. These are underripe. Watermelon skin should be green, striped and smooth. Avoid watermelons with overly shiny or overly dull skin. One side of the watermelon should be yellow or cream colored. Watermelons without these markings were harvested prematurely. Cantaloupes should have golden color. You can pick greener cantaloupes and leave them in a shady spot to develop golden color.

Next, feel the weight. A melon, no matter the species, should feel heavy for its size. While you hold it, look at the melon’s surface. Avoid buying melons with scars or other signs of damage or decay. Feel the surface of the melon. Avoid buying any melons with soft mushy spots. Honeydew melons should have a waxy, not fuzzy surface. Look for cantaloupes with tight netting on the skin.

The Best Place to Shop

The best places to shop for melons are farmer’s markets. What makes farmer’s markets the best? Melons from farmer’s markets are local. This means that they end up in the stall soon after they are picked from the plant. As soon as the melon leaves the plant the vitamin content begins to degrade. Head their early on market day and you can pick up a melon that was picked hours before it ended up in your basket. Look for organic melons and you won’t have to worry about chemicals on the surface of your fruit.

Use these techniques to pick the best melons for juicing and you’ll get the most out of your juicer and your favorite juicing recipes.

12 Mar

Best Watermelons For Watermelon Juice And How To Choose Them

Watermelon can pose a special challenge to a juicer because of the rind and seeds. To avoid this problem, you can choose a seedless watermelon variety and do a little prep-work to remove most of the rind before juicing. If your juicer can handle it, the watermelon rind is actually full of nutrients and can provide an extra dimension to your juice.

What Are the Best Watermelons for Juicing?

Watermelons are available year-round in most areas, but grocery stores usually stock them in the highest quantities during the summer months. In July and August, Watermelon is easy to find on sale, making even large quantities very affordable.

Seedless varieties are the best choice for juicing, but many juicers are able to work with whole seeded fruits very easily. Be sure to check your machine to see if there are any limitations to seeds or rinds before juicing your product.

Watermelon varieties vary in size from small five-pound melons to massive fruits of 30 pounds or more. Depending on how much juice you want, you may want to buy a smaller melon; watermelon doesn’t keep very well once it’s been cut as the flesh will dry out and become grainy fairly quickly.

Small seedless melons include Extazy, Mickylee and Pixie. Other popular varieties for juicing include the Starbrite and Sweet Favorite. Any watermelon in the market will be good for juicing, however, so pick whatever looks freshest.

How to Choose a Watermelon at the Market

The process of choosing a watermelon for juicing is very similar to choosing one for eating. Once you get the hang of it, picking the best watermelon variety is very easy.

Most grocery stores provide whole watermelons as well as pre-cut slices. Whole melons are the best for juicing. They have a better texture and are often sweeter and fresher-tasting than melons that have been already prepared. If you do opt for sliced melon, be sure to choose one with dark-colored flesh and no white streaking.

The best watermelons for juicing will have firm, unblemished skin that is neither too dull nor too shiny. It should feel heavy for its size and if you tap on it, it will sound slightly hollow. Watermelons that are not fully ripe will have a duller response to being tapped.

Fresh watermelon should also have one side that is paler in color to the others. This area may be cream, yellow or pale green. This is the part of the fruit that touched the ground while ripening, and shows that the watermelon was allowed to mature on the vine before picking. Watermelons without this will not be as sweet as those that ripened on the vine and will not produce as much juice.

25 Feb

Watermelon Nutrition Facts

Watermelon Nutrition Facts

Betaine 0,3 mg
Calcium 7 mg
Calories 30 Calories
Carbohydrate 7,6 g
Carotene-a 0 mcg
Carotene-ß 303 mcg
Choline 4,1 mg
Copper 0 mg
Dietary Fiber 0,4 g
Fluoride 1,5 mcg
Folate 3 mcg
Iron 0,2 mg
Lutein-zeaxanthin 8 mcg
Lycopene 4532 mcg
Magnesium 10 mg
Manganese 0 mg
Niacine 0,178 mg
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) 142 µ mol TE
Pantothenic Acid 0,221 mg
Phosphorus 11 mg
Phytonutrients 4921 mcg
Potassium 112 mg
Protein 0,6 g
Pyridoxine Vit. B6 0,045 mg
Riboflavin Vit. B2 0 mg
Selenium 0,4 mcg
Sodium 1 mg
Sugar 6 g
Thiamine 0,033 mg
Total Fat 0,15 g
Vitamin A 569 IU
Vitamin B6 0,045 mg
Vitamin C 8,1 mg
Vitamin E 0,05 mg
Vitamin K 0,1 mcg
Water 91,5 g
Zinc 0,1 mg

24 Jan

Which Fruit Has The Most Lycopene?

What is Lycopene?

Lycopene is a red, fat-soluble pigment from the carotenoid family that can be found in certain fruits and vegetables. Lycopene aids in photosynthesis by serving as a light-gathering pigment while protecting plants from some of the more toxic effects of oxygen and light. It is most commonly found in fruits and vegetables with a red or reddish color such as tomatoes, watermelon, red carrots and papayas. Interestingly enough, it is not found in strawberries or cherries despite the fact that both fruits are well-known for their deep red color. Unlike other carotenoids, lycopene has no vitamin A activity.

Lycopene in Our Body

The benefits of lycopene to the plants and microorganisms in which it is found are obvious, but the pigment can also be very beneficial for us as well. First of all, lycopene is a very powerful antioxidant, meaning that it neutralizes harmful free radicals that have been known to contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer and age-related diseases such as macular degeneration. Studies have shown that a diet rich in lycopene or a regiment of lycopene supplements may be especially effective in preventing prostate, lung and stomach cancer. One study performed by Harvard found that men who ate at least two servings of tomato sauce a week were up to 36 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ate less than one serving per month. Like nearly all foods made from tomatoes, tomato sauce is of course high in lycopene.

Lycopene is said to be generally safe. There do seem to be some side effects of having too much lycopene in one’s system, the most significant of which seems to be the way in which it can interfere with chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. A high concentration of lycopene or other carotenoids can result in the substance acting as a free radical, which may contribute to lung cancer in smokers.

The Many Health Benefits Of Watermelon Juice

Watermelon juice is known for its refreshing properties and nutritious value. It is the perfect fruit to enjoy the summer season. It is an exceptional choice for a healthy diet. With its fleshy texture, juicy pulps and sweetness, it becomes a favorite ingredients for salads and desserts. It contains more water and less sodium aside from being the top source for almost all vitamins. It can be prepared fresh throughout the year and provides everyone with a lot of health benefits.

Packed with powerful antioxidants

Watermelon juice is fully packed with powerful antioxidants. Aside from its sweet taste and juicy watermelon pulps, it is a rich source of natural antioxidants which is important in neutralizing the free radicals inside the body. It has a notable concentration of beta carotene, a very good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin A. These potent antioxidants are very essential in combating the harmful substances that destroy the human system. They have the ability to minimize free radicals that greatly contributes to stress and the aging process. Furthermore, they can oxidize cholesterol and prevent the occurrence of strokes, cancers and heart attacks. They can prevent asthma attack by eliminating the toxins that might cause the air passage to close. Moreover, they can decrease the inflammation in osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis and prevent cancer cells to develop. In addition to this, vitamin C is known to prevent a person from getting colds and greatly contributes to a stronger immune system. Certainly, vitamin C and beta carotene are the main stress buster in the body and assist in getting rid of harmful molecules to avoid cell damages. With just one cup of watermelon juice, it can offer a daily value of 24.3% for vitamin C and 11.1% daily value for vitamin A through its beta carotene.

Watermelon Juice And Lycopene

The next vital element that can be found in watermelon juice is lycopene which is a potent carotenoid antioxidant found in pink watermelon. It gives watermelon the bright red or pinkish color which is thought to be found only in tomatoes. However, recent investigation shows that it is present in ample amounts and very concentrated in watermelon. It has been the main focus of several clinical health studies because of its oxidizing capabilities and cancer- preventing properties. It has been proven to be an excellent protection against various types of cancers such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers. One human clinical study shows that lycopene reduces the risk of having polyps in patients with colorectal adenomas. On the other hand, it has antioxidant function which covers the human cells and other related structures against oxygen depletion. It has also been proven that lycopene can protect the DNA inside the white blood cells through its antioxidant role.

Rich In B Vitamins, Magnesium And Potassium

Juicing watermelon is a fun and healthy way to acquire energy and boost your mood. It is rich in B vitamins which are essential to stay active everyday. It is highly rated as a good source of vitamin B6 which accelerates the brain’s capacity to cope with anxiety and panic, vitamin B1, magnesium and potassium which aid in regulating the normal blood pressure levels and keeps your heart in a healthy condition. It has higher content of nutrients compared to other fruits and contains lower calories. It delivers only 48 calories with a whole cup of watermelon juice.

Good Source Of Arginine

Another healthy benefit of watermelon juice is that is is a rich source of arginine. Arginine is a form of amino acid which is usually used in the urea cycle to eliminate ammonia that is a harmful toxin when inside the body. This kind of amino acid has been shown to relax blood vessels and minimizes high blood pressure. It has also been proven to avoid erectile dysfunction in problematic males. Also, it improves the insulin sensitivity of patients with diabetes disease type 2.

Watermelon Juice Can Prevent Macular Degeneration

Specifically, watermelon juice can prevent macular degeneration which is a type of vision loss. This kind of disease is age related and usually happens in adults. Aside from carrots, watermelon can help protect your eyesight against macular degeneration. It has been noted that individuals who take watermelon juice are less prone to this type of eye ailment compared to others who doesn’t take any watermelon juice.

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