 The healthy gift of watermelon
(NC)-Nothing says you care like the gift of a small watermelon. At least that's the custom in China, where the offer of this red-fleshed cucurbit (cucumber, melon, pumpkin, gourd family) is considered a fine way to please a gracious host or ill friend.
Perhaps there is more to this Chinese custom than just great taste. Watermelon's nutrition profile is vaulting this kid-friendly delight to "super-food" status. In addition to being a perfect hydrator (after all, it's 92% water), watermelon is packed with nutrients including the antioxidant lycopene, vitamin C, thiamin and vitamin B6, vitamin A, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium.
Recent studies on the health benefits of watermelon are even more encouraging. Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Oklahoma, have confirmed that watermelon is an excellent source of the amino acid citrulline. The human body uses cirtrulline to make another important amino acid - arginine - which plays a key role in cell division, wound healing and the removal of ammonia. Watermelon's citrulline stores are not only abundant but they're also readily usable by the body and watermelon is one of the few foods that contain high levels of it.
Versatile watermelon can be enjoyed out-of-hand as a sweet treat, in a kid-friendly recipe or as part of a savoury meal. More about the benefits of watermelon plus recipes and carving suggestions are available online at www.watermelon.org.
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(05-2007)
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