Power Watermelon Fitness Smoothie

Watermelon is super sweet and delicious. It’s also packed with so many nutrients it makes it the perfect fruit for a fitness routine. Here is a yummy recipe for a nutritious treat. Plus, the health benefits of having watermelon.

• 1 medium seedless watermelon
• 1 cup almond milk, or soy milk, or whole milk 
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 small wedges watermelon, garnish
• 2 sprigs mint, garnish

1. Cut the watermelon into small chunks of about 1/2 inch square. This size will be easier to blend into the smoothie. Reserve a few wedges, rind included, for the garnish.
2. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place the fresh-cut watermelon on the cookie sheet, leaving space between the pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour. If preparing the watermelon in advance for smoothies later in the week, once frozen, transfer to plastic storage bags and freeze in 3-cup portions until ready to use.
3. Once frozen, measure 3 cups of frozen watermelon and place in a blender. Top the fruit with milk, yogurt, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth.
4. Serve the watermelon smoothies immediately in cold glasses. Garnish with a wedge of watermelon.
5. Cali picnic ready!

Benefits of Watermelon

Packed with Nutrients

• Body temperature regulation, normal organ function, nutrient delivery to cells, and alertness are only some of the bodily processes that rely on adequate hydration.

• May help give your body the water it needs to function properly.

• Watermelon comprises 92% water, making it a great choice for daily water intake.

• Furthermore, due to its high water content, this melon has a low calorie density— in other words, very few calories for its total weight.

• Eating foods with low calorie densities, such as watermelon, may aid weight management by keeping you feeling full for longer.

 May have anticancer effects

• Several plant compounds found in watermelon, including lycopene and cucurbitacin E, have possible anticancer effects.

• While study results are mixed, lycopene intake may be associated with a lower risk of some types of cancer, such as prostate and colorectal cancers.

• Lycopene is believed to work by lowering blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), a hormone that promotes cell division. Notably, cancer forms when cell division becomes uncontrollable.

• Additionally, cucurbitacin E may inhibit tumor growth by promoting the autophagy of cancer cells. Autophagy is the process by which your body removes damaged cells.

• All the same, further human research is necessary.

May relieve muscle soreness

• Citrulline, an amino acid found in watermelon, may improve exercise performance and reduce muscle soreness.

• It’s also available as a supplement

• One review found that regular intake of citrulline for at least seven days improved aerobic performance by increasing the body’s production of nitric oxide.

• This compound helps expand blood vessels so that your heart doesn’t need to work as hard to pump blood through your body. 

• What’s more, some evidence suggests that watermelon itself is medicinal.

• One study gave athletes plain watermelon juice, watermelon juice mixed with citrulline, or a control drink. Both watermelon drinks led to less muscle soreness and quicker heart rate recovery than the control drink.

Watermelon smoothie is super power fitness!