Eat melon to boost your water intake

Watermelon is a sweet summer treat that I always look forward to.

Since water is the most important nutrient for humans to consume, it’s good to know that this melon is over 90% water by weight. What a tasty way to hydrate!

Watermelon also is a good source of other nutrients. Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, creator of the Nutrivore system that scores food based on nutrient density, said watermelon qualifies as a highly nutrient-dense food.

“It is particularly rich in beneficial phytonutrients such as carotenoids (especially lycopene), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin C and polyphenols,” she said.

Watermelon also contains fiber and, surprisingly, a little bit of protein. Because of its high water content, watermelon is low in calories, so it makes a great choice for anyone who is watching their weight.

Use it as a dessert or in fruit salads. And since it’s plentiful right now, you might consider freezing some of it. Cut it into bite-size chunks, spread the chunks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and place it in the freezer. It should freeze solid in one to two hours. Then, transfer it into a freezer-safe bag or container and store it until you need it.

How can you use frozen watermelon? I like to eat frozen fruit as a snack. It’s a lot healthier than popsicles when the weather is hot. My favorites are frozen grapes or cherries, but watermelon would be good, too.

Another option would be to use your watermelon as the base of a smoothie. As I wrote in my last column, an occasional smoothie can be a healthy treat. This watermelon smoothie is very low in calories and contains a bit of protein and healthy fat from almond milk. It can be made with fresh watermelon as well.

Watermelon smoothie

1 cup frozen or fresh watermelon cubes

¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (30 calories per cup)

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Less than 70 calories per serving.

There still is plenty of warm weather left, and it is peak melon season here in the Midwest, so enjoy our local watermelon and cantaloupe while you can. We are lucky to have some great melon growers nearby!

Sherry DeWalt is the healthy lifestyles coordinator for the CGH Health Foundation in Sterling.