Fwd: [SoFlaVegans] Thanks goodness watermelon is a health food

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Thanks goodness watermelon is a health food

BY JILL WENDHOLT SILVA

Knight Ridder Newspapers

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

 

http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi

http://www.projo.com/food/content/projo_20060628_water28.144bb5c.html

 

Watermelon has always been an icon of summer.

 

Served at picnics, backyard barbecues and patio

parties, the seed-speckled red flesh is synonymous

with thirst-quenching relief from the scorching heat.

Although cut-up cubes have become a year-round staple

of supermarket salad bars, the fruit is at its peak

from mid-June to late August.

 

While watermelon is rarely thought of as a nutritional

powerhouse, the National Watermelon Promotion Board

(www.watermelon.org) has begun to describe its star

client as so packed with the good stuff that it is

" practically a multivitamin unto itself. " Fat-free and

low in calories, watermelon is a fair to good source

of vitamins A, B6 and C; thiamine; and potassium, a

mineral essential to water balance in the body.

 

The watermelon marketing gurus have also been quick to

tout their boy as the " lycopene leader " after studies

revealed it contains plenty of lycopene, a carotenoid

pigment that gives watermelon its red hue. Lycopene

has been linked to reduced risk of heart attack and

certain cancers.

 

The watermelon board also has funded some studies by

the USDA's Agricultural Research Service looking into

watermelon's levels of lycopene: 1 1/2 cups of ripe,

red watermelon contains 9 to 13 milligrams of

lycopene. That's about 40 percent more than raw

tomatoes, which were previously thought to be the

leading fruit or vegetable source.

 

Now agricultural researchers are studying just how

available lycopene in watermelon is to the body and

how growing conditions and seed varieties may affect

the final nutrient content.

 

The Kansas City Star's Frozen Watermelon Lemonade

combines the flavors of watermelon, lemon, raspberry

and strawberry to create an outrageously delicious way

to tame the summer rays. The " lemonade " can be served

as a slushy or a more elegant sorbet. And, we must

warn you, our taste testers went wild over this one,

so try it soon and enjoy all summer long.

 

SHOPPING TIP:

 

It's true: The best way to tell whether a watermelon

is ripe is to thump it. (It should sound hollow.) But

if you don't want to wrestle with a watermelon the

size of the Goodyear blimp, look for a personal-size

variety.

 

Whole melons better preserve the nutrient content, but

if you refuse to mess with the seeds and sticky rind,

head to the salad bar for precut watermelon cubes,

even better if they're seedless.

 

COOKING TIP:

 

To serve as sorbet, freeze juice mixture in an 8-inch

square dish. Omit strawberry-flavored carbonated

water. Using a small scoop, shape frozen juice mixture

into balls and arrange in individual serving dishes.

Garnish, if desired, with a fresh mint sprig.

 

FROZEN WATERMELON LEMONADE

 

3 cups watermelon cubes, seeds removed

1/2 cup raspberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cups strawberry-flavored, calorie-free

carbonated water, chilled

 

Place watermelon cubes and raspberries in blender;

process until smooth. Pour juice through a sieve;

discard pulp.

 

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat,

stirring constantly, just until sugar dissolves. Set

aside and allow to cool slightly.

 

Stir sugar-water and lemon juice into watermelon

raspberry juice mixture. Pour juice mixture into a

covered freezer container. Freeze until firm.

 

Using an ice cream scoop, spoon mixture into tall

glasses. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons strawberry-flavored

water over frozen juice in each glass. Serve

immediately.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 

Per serving, based on 6: 131 calories (2 percent from

fat), trace total fat (no saturated fat), no

cholesterol, 33 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 3

milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

 

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