Eat This Superfood to Beat the Heat During the Dog Days of Summer
Let’s talk about summer weather. Canadians work hard for their very few and very short dog days of the season. My hope is that you make the most of them with delicious hydrating, high-nutrient foods. Experts predicted higher-than-normal temperatures likely throughout most of Canada this summer, and so far that seems to be true.
Summer’s quintessential quencher, watermelon, can not only hydrate but also balance your electrolytes with its mineral content. According to Medical News Today, one cup of watermelon contains 17% of Vitamin A, 21% of Vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of your calcium needs for the day. More watermelon benefits are that contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene and betaine. It’s safe to say that watermelon is summer’s superfood.
Delicious on it’s own, you can also incorporate watermelon into your summer snacks and meals. Here’s a few ideas:
- Make watermelon water by blending one cup of cubed watermelon and adding to one litre of water.
- Freeze cubes to suck on (great dog treats too!)
- Use watermelon to make gazpacho in place of tomatoes. Check out a few recipes at watermelon.org
- Make watermelon salsa (recipe below). It pairs well with corn chips (and a Riesling, just saying) but watermelon salsa is also a refreshing addition to grilled fish, chicken or pork.
- Slip a slice of watermelon into a grilled cheese. Trust me, it’s delicious!
Any fruit or vegetable will help hydrate you to beat the heat, but there is something special about watermelon juice running down your forearms that brings you right back to summer camp days. Those watermelon benefits go beyond nutrition.
Watermelon Salsa Recipe:
This is a high-nutrient, low-sodium salsa to serve in place of tomato salsas with bread or corn chips. It is also great as a topping for grilled chicken, fish, or pork. And when you are done with that application, blend it and serve it as gazpacho.
Makes: 4-6 servings
Takes: 10-12 minutes
You’ll Need:
- 1 cup diced seedless watermelon
- 3/4 cup diced strawberries
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 Tbsp diced seeded jalapeño chili pepper
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
Directions:
Toss all ingredients together gently in a bowl. Chill in fridge at least one hour before serving.
