Watermelon Juice Benefits and more!

With an abundance of watermelon, what's a girl to do? I know, I'll make watermelon juice! One of my favorite ways to eat watermelon is simply biting into a nice big wedge of watermelon. I bet yours is also! But many times I find myself with leftovers, which is incredibly wasteful and sad to toss in the garbage. So after you've exhausted using it for watermelon salad, watermelon salsa, or watermelon gazpacho, it's time to juice your watermelon Even after a few days in the fridge, watermelon still tastes amazing juiced. Watermelon juice is great by itself or blended with other fruits and vegetables. The best part of juicing watermelon is, it contains 92% water. Just watch the how much juice comes out - it's awesome!

What are the benefits of watermelon juice?

I'm sure you already know that watermelon is super healthy for you, delivering important nutrients including lycopene and vitamin C. But did you know that watermelon's high water content, antioxidants, and amino acids can also make for a better workout. It’s high potassium content can help cut down on cramps while at the gym. It's also beneficial to drink watermelon juice after you sweat as it can help prevent muscle soreness the next day.

To juice or not to juice?

Juicing is beneficial on many levels but with watermelon it's especially great because of it's high water content. You get so much more than let's say using bananas or berries which are best eaten whole or saved for a smoothie.

Highest water content vegetables & fruits that and best for juicing:

• Cucumber 96% water
• Watermelon 92% water
• Tomato 94% water
• Grapefruit 91%
• Strawberry 91%
• Starfruit 91%
• Cantaloupe 90%
• Pineapple 87%
• Peach 88%
• Orange 87%

The upsides & downsides of Juicing

The upside of juicing is it is so concentrated. A 16 ounce portion can provide the nutrient equivalent of several serving of fruits and veggies, which makes it easier to get the key vitamins and minerals your body needs. It's great to have juices on the go, sometimes as a replacement meal or just to hold you off until you can sit down for a healthy meal. It's also great for cleansing, when trying to rid body of toxins or for the beginning of a new healthy path.

The down side of juicing is it leaves the fiber behind. This makes juices less filling than smoothies or whole fruit. By removing the fiber, you also miss out on some important nutrients and gut health benefits. Try to be mindful of your produce choices because when juices contain more fruits than veggies, they can pack far more carbs than you might expect. Sometimes up to 40 grams in a 16-ounce serving!

I love mixing watermelon juice with other fruits and veggies that have less water content As an example, many of the greens added to juice will add very little liquid so it's great to add watermelon, cucumber or celery along with the greens. Another great tip when juicing is to always add the high water content fruit after the greens to help push it through the juicer.

Tools to Use: Juicer Recommendation

I use a Breville Juice Fountain Elite. It's a bit bulky and not so fun to clean but it's one of the best juicers on the market. But if you don't have the space or budget for another piece of equipment in your kitchen, a blender will do. After blending, you just need to pour it thru a fine strainer to remove the pulp.

Like many others, I'm sure you feel some guilt when juicing. After placing delicious organic fruits and vegetables into your juicer for a single glass of juice, you toss the pulp. Since I started composting, I feel so much better. Now my leftover pulp goes straight to my compost, which in turn will feed my garden! But If gardening isn't happening in your near future, check out these 16 creative ways to make use of juice pulp.

When it's all said and done though, nothing beats chowing down on a nice healthy meal. I love to crunch, chew and create incredible recipes with whole foods! Using watermelon juice as a cocktail, now that's a whole other story!

Check out some of my Favorite Cocktail Recipes:

Watermelon Cosmo by Chef Cindy

Watermelon Mint Gimlet by Rogue Brussel Sprout

Spicy Watermelon Margarita by Rachel Quenzer

Please let me know if you enjoyed reading this post in the comments below. If I've inspired a creation, be sure to share this post and tag me on instagram @chefcindyxo!