California Fig, Feta and Watermelon Salad
Today, August 3, is Watermelon Day. Good timing. There’s nothing more refreshing on a scorching August day than biting into a wedge of watermelon and letting those juices dribble down your chin.
No wonder watermelon is so satisfying – it contains 92% water. But it offers more than hydration. A 2-cup serving contains a mere 80 calories and provides 30% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A, 25% of the DV for vitamin C and 8% of the DV for potassium. On the Watermelon Board website, (Reference 1) registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer MA, RD calls watermelon a “lycopene leader” with 15 to 20 milligrams per 2-cup serving. Lycopene is a phytochemical related to beta carotene that gives watermelon and other foods like tomatoes, apricots and pink grapefruit their red color. It functions as an antioxidant with potential health benefits such as cancer prevention. The Mayo Clinic website (Reference 3) summarizes research findings with lycopene.
An article by Karen Collins, MD, RD, DNC on the American Institute for Cancer Research website (Reference 2) states that there’s evidence that the lycopene in raw watermelon juice is as well absorbed as the lycopene in cooked tomato products, the most common source of lycopene in the American diet.
Watermelon can be enjoyed as more than a snack. Link to California Fig, Feta and Watermelon Salad, a recipe I created for the Valley Fig Growers August newsletter.
Another favorite summer cooler published on my blog is Tomato-Melon Gazpacho – a perfect start to a summer meal.
References
© 2016 Lorelle Del Matto
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