Healthy Summer Food Choice

What’s big and green on the outside and red, tasty and nutritionally good for you on the inside? Why watermelon of course. Summertime offers the perfect opportunity to be able to watch kids get excited over eating something that’s good for them, watermelon. They even ask for seconds and thirds! Watermelon offers up some surprising health benefits; it’s an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and B6, and also contains important amino acids that help maintain overall cardiovascular function. Watermelon is also low in sodium, while being cholesterol and fat free. Oh, and did I mention it’s high in potassium? It’s believed that watermelons originated in Africa. Now, over four billion pounds of watermelon are produced in the U.S. every year, with roughly 85% of them being purchased in fresh form by consumers. Not sure how to choose a watermelon. Well, experts say to look for watermelons with relatively smooth rinds that are slightly dull on top, and be sure to check that the bottom, which has been resting on the ground, is a slightly yellow color; that’s a sure sign that it’s fully ripe. And if you want to give it a thump to check for that deep “hollow” sound, that works too.