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Super Hydrating Salad: Watermelon Cucumber & Mint

Dear Joyous Readers,I was on the Global Morning Show this morning sharing my drinks, foods and recipes to hydrate your skin. You can watch the segment here:
Jun 9, 2014 | Joy McCarthy

Dear Joyous Readers,

I was on the Global Morning Show this morning sharing my drinks, foods and recipes to hydrate your skin. You can watch the segment here:

 

I created this juicy, fresh and delicious salad (per the photo above) to enjoy for lunch today and share on the segment. It is super hydrating because both watermelon and cucumbers are over 90% water content. It is important to get hydration from your food as well. In fact, you should aim to get up to 20% hydration from the foods you eat. If you are eating fresh fruits and vegetables such as those I talked about in the segment then this shouldn't be too difficult.

This salad is incredible anti-inflammatory, immune building and beautifying! Check out the health benefits below.

Salads
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups chopped watermelon
  • 1 cucumber, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • Juice from 2 limes
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl. Serve chilled and enJOY!

 Health benefits of watermelon:

Just like tomatoes, watermelon is an amazing source of lycopene. This carotenoid phytonutrient is especially important for our cardiovascular health. Be sure to enjoy a little bit of good fat in your overall meal too because lycopene is better absorbed in the presence of fat. I enjoy this recipe with a sprinkle of goat cheese as well. The more ripe your watermelon, the richer the lycopene content as it provides the rich red colour.

Watermelon contains cucurbitacin E, a triterpene anti-inflammatory phytonutrient, and unusual amounts of the amino acid citrulline (which is converted in the body to arginine -- helpful to cardiovascular health, specifically in the production of nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels.

Watermelon is a very good source of vitamin C making it cell protective and beautifying for the skin. It is also a good source of pantothenic acid, copper, biotin, potassium, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and magnesium.

Watermelon is an incredibly hydrating fruit! It can spike blood sugar for some people, so be sure to include it with some fat and protein at a meal. This would go really nicely with a piece of grilled fish.

Don't toss out the white part of the rind! It contains more vitamin C than the red flesh and also most of the amino acid citrulline.

Health benefits of cucumber:

Super hydrating and a rich source of vitamin C and fiber, but only if you eat the peel (for the C and fiber).

Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. It is also known as a beauty nutrient because it strengthens hair and nails.

Cucumbers are rich in vitamin A, B1, B6 & D, folate, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Be sure to buy organic and definitely don't peel the cucumber!

Health benefits of mint:

Not only does mint freshen your breath and brighten up this salad but it is incredibly anti-inflammatory.

Aid in digestion. Just the smell of mint stimulates digestive secretions in the stomach and enhances digestion. Mint is very soothing and can help reduce gas.

Peppermint makes the flow of bile more efficient, which means that you digest your food more quickly and emulsify fats more effectively.

Incredibly brain boosting. In fact, mint improves alertness, attention span and memory.

 

 

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