I’m probably going to have a lot of salad posts… because summer.  So here’s another one using showcasing Watermelon in a savory manner.  You can just eat it chopped up without any effort, too, and if you are more likely to get all the water/fiber/nutrients that way then go for it!  But this is interesting and delicious, and… the juice makes a really good mixer for Tequila.  That’s not the healthiest thing I could say but it’s true.

Just like any type of fruit or vegetable consumption, watermelon consumption is associated with lower disease risk.  But above and beyond the normal lower disease risk associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, the compound L-citrulline found in abundance in watermelon been shown to cause vasodilation.  Vasodilation= improved blood flow.  There have been some small studies showing benefit of L-citrulline consumption in improving erection hardness in men with erectile dysfunction and decreasing muscle soreness in athletes.  Although these studies are too small to be powered for significance, it’s a good start investigating an idea that makes sense: improved blood flow from L-citrulline can improve performance in conditions that need more blood flow.

Basically… just eat yer watermelon and here’s a recipe for a new and interesting way to do it ;-).

Ingredients

1/2 fresh watermelon cut into even, >1/2 inch chunks

3 jalapenos, diced

1 red onion, diced

Juice and zest of 3 limes

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients and enjoy.  We have had 2 people eating this 1-2 times daily for the last 3 days, so we’ll say it serves 6, or 2 + lunch the next few days.

Variation for those who don’t like spice: use 1/2 c blue cheese instead of jalapeno.