Healthy Foods from A-Z, “X”

March 28, 2016 Meredith Mitchell

Good Morning Everyone!

We are on to the letter “X” in our journey through the alphabet of healthy foods!

Xigua (aka Watermelon)-

Xigua, common in Africa, is just a specific type of the commonly known watermelon. It is closely related to squash, cantaloupe, pumpkin and cucumbers. Xigua is full of many valuable nutrients. The xigua is synonymous with watermelon, the sweet melon produced in over 1,200 different varieties worldwide. It shares the exact same health benefits of watermelon!

Melons play an important role in the treatment of many infections in the body, including inflammation of the joints.

Watermelon can be eaten in entirety, the flesh, the rinds, and even the seeds! It is very good for us, as you may have guessed. Since it is 91% water, consider it one of the best liquid vitamin drinks around, with vitamins A, B, C and lycopene. Lycopene is good for our heart and may be important for bone health.

While this is a healthy fruit to consume, please be mindful of the sugar content and your calorie needs as relates to your activity level. Those who do a lot of cardio activity (180+ minutes weekly) can consume more sugar than those who don’t because they are using/burning more calories throughout the day. Remember, the sugars your body does not use for energy immediately will be stored as fat.

Watermelon seeds are also good for us! They contain iron, zinc and protein.

***Did you know that the riper a watermelon is, the more nutritious it becomes?

For more information visit:

http://healthybenefits.info/the-health-benefits-of-xigua-fruit/

For more nutritional information go to: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2072/2

Some great and healthy recipes for xigua (or watermelon) include:

Watermelon Mint Cooler – http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/watermelon-mint-cooler