Health Benefits of Watermelons

watermelons

Health Benefits of Watermelons

Watermelons are a summer favourite for almost everyone. Sweet and delicious! Did you know that beyond being a delicious indulgence, watermelons are a nutritional powerhouse with numerous health benefits? Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, watermelons offer a range of advantages for your overall well-being. Let’s dive into the science-backed health benefits of watermelons, making it clear why this vibrant fruit deserves a place in your daily diet.

1. Hydration: With its high water content of approximately 92%, watermelon stands tall as a natural hydrator. Staying hydrated is vital for maintaining bodily functions, supporting digestion, and keeping your skin glowing. Make a splash this summer with watermelon slices to keep dehydration at bay.

(Source: Medical News Today)

2. Cardiovascular Health: Watermelon is rich in heart-loving compounds like citrulline, which helps relax blood vessels, leading to improved blood flow. This can contribute to a healthier cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart disease and related conditions.

(Source: NCBI)

3. Nutrient Powerhouse: Packed with vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, watermelons offer a vibrant mix of nutrients. These play crucial roles in supporting immunity, eye health, nerve function, and muscle health.

(Source: USDA FoodData Central)

4. Antioxidant Boost: Watermelons contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as certain cancers and cardiovascular conditions. Antioxidants in watermelons help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, supporting overall well-being and radiant skin.

(Source: Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry)

5. Weight Management: Considering a calorie-conscious diet? Watermelon is your friend! While delightfully sweet, this fruit is low in calories and virtually fat-free, making it a satisfying and guilt-free addition to your weight management plan.

(Source: Healthline)

6. Muscle Recovery: Another one of the health benefits of watermelons: Rich in potassium, watermelon helps prevent muscle cramps and aids in post-workout muscle recovery. Whether you’re a gym enthusiast or an occasional exerciser, watermelon can help your muscles bounce back faster.

(Source: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism)

7. Skin Health: Health benefits of watermelons don’t stop there! Also a great source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants in watermelons which play a role in maintaining healthy and radiant skin. Enjoy this fruit to promote collagen production, fight signs of aging, and combat skin damage caused by environmental factors.

(Source: Oregon State University)

8. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Support: Watermelon has gained attention for its potential impact on men’s sexual health. It contains citrulline, which the body converts into arginine, an amino acid that helps increase blood flow. Improved blood flow can be beneficial for men dealing with mild cases of erectile dysfunction, potentially enhancing their sexual performance and satisfaction.

(Source: International Journal of Impotence Research)

While watermelon and its components may offer potential benefits for some men dealing with mild cases of erectile dysfunction, it is essential to remember that individual results may vary. For personalized advice and treatment options, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended.

Looking to try out watermelon in juice form? Try out our Watermelon Lime that will bring your taste buds to life!

The Ultimate Green Juice for Kids to Enjoy.

kids drinking green juice

As parents, ensuring our children receive the best nutrition is a top priority. However, enticing kids to embrace healthy greens can sometimes be a challenge. It’s almost like they know. Show them a cup of green juice versus orange juice and they may likely choose the orange one. We can help change mindset. Although they might not change their minds entirely, this will hopefully encourage them to add greens into their diet and start to enjoy them. Today we’re sharing a delightful and kid-approved green juice recipe that will have your little ones asking for more. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, this tasty concoction is sure to make their taste buds dance with joy!

The Green Juice Recipe Kids Will Love

Ingredients:

  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 apples (any variety your child prefers)
  • A handful of collard greens (can substitute with spinach or kale)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 ripe pear

Why Kids Will Adore This Green Juice:

  1. Deliciously Sweet: The natural sweetness of apples and pears in this green juice masks the taste of greens, making it appealing to even the pickiest eaters.
  2. Packed with Essential Nutrients: Loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron from the greens and fruits, this juice boosts their growing bodies.
  3. Supports Healthy Digestion: Cucumber aids digestion, while the fiber-rich fruits help keep their tummies happy and healthy.
  4. Keeps Them Hydrated: With its high water content, cucumber and pear help keep kids hydrated, especially during active play.
  5. Strengthens Their Immune System: The vitamin C from apples and lemon juice bolsters their immune system, protecting them from seasonal illnesses.

How to Incorporate Green Juice into Your Kids’ Diet:

  1. Create a Fun Name: Give the juice a playful name like “Superhero Juice” or “Dinosaur Magic Elixir” to get kids excited about drinking it. This might be key so try to name it something that your child loves.
  2. Involve Them in the Process: Let your kids participate in making the juice. They can help wash the produce, press the button on the juicer (under adult supervision), and even mix the ingredients together.
  3. Serve in Colorful Cups: Present the green juice in vibrant and appealing cups or glasses to make it visually enticing.
  4. Pair with Snacks: Offer the green juice alongside their favourite healthy snacks, such as whole-grain crackers, apple slices, or carrot sticks.
  5. Make it a Routine: Establish a daily or weekly routine for enjoying the green juice together as a family. This way, it becomes a cherished tradition.

Healthy eating can indeed be fun and enjoyable for kids with this green juice recipe. Packed with essential nutrients and disguised by the natural sweetness of fruits, this kid-friendly green juice will nourish their growing bodies and put a smile on their faces. Embrace this nutritious addition to their diet and watch your little ones flourish with every sip!

Don’t have a juicer but want to try a green juice for your kids? We recommend mixing one of our green juices with either our pure orange juice or our pineapple concoction Island Breeze. Mix 2 parts of green juice with 1 part of orange juice or pineapple juice. To read on juicing for kids more we recommend visiting All About Juicing where they discuss a few more recipes your kids may like. Cheers to happy little tummies and a brighter future for your kids!

Is Cold Pressed Juice Good For you?

Cold pressed juice has gained popularity in recent years due to its health benefits. There are cold pressed juice bars popping up all over the city. Many people start off by trying a 3 day juice cleanse or 3 day juice fast, but many others just incorporate it into their daily diet as a form of extra veggies into their diet. We’re here to discuss the benefits of cold pressed juice and why you should consider adding it to your diet.

What is Cold Pressed Juice?

Cold pressed juice is made by using a hydraulic press to extract the juice from fruits and vegetables. Unlike traditional juicing methods, which use high-speed centrifugal force to extract juice, cold pressed juice is made at a much slower pace, which helps to preserve more of the nutrients in the juice. Cold pressed juices can include up to 3-5 times more the vitamins and nutrients than any other juicing method.

Benefits of Cold Pressed Juice

  1. High in Nutrients: Cold pressed juice is packed with nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. By drinking cold pressed juice, you can get all the benefits of fruits and vegetables in a single glass.
  2. Promotes Weight Loss: Many people have reported that drinking cold pressed juice has helped them to lose weight. The high nutrient content of the juice helps to keep you feeling full, so you are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods.
  3. Boosts Immunity: Cold pressed juice is rich in antioxidants, which help to strengthen the immune system. Drinking cold pressed juice regularly can help to reduce the risk of getting sick and may help to speed up recovery time.
  4. Improves Digestion: Cold pressed juice is easy to digest, and the nutrients in the juice are quickly absorbed by the body. This can help to improve digestion and may even help to reduce inflammation in the gut.
  5. Helps to Detoxify the Body: Cold pressed juice is a great way to detoxify the body. The high nutrient content of the juice helps to support the liver and kidneys, which are responsible for removing toxins from the body.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences found that cold pressed juice had significantly higher levels of vitamin C, folate, and phenolic compounds than traditional juice. Another study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that drinking cold pressed juice helped to reduce inflammation in the body and may have potential therapeutic benefits for certain health conditions.

Incorporating cold pressed juice into your diet can have numerous health benefits. From boosting immunity to promoting weight loss, there are plenty of reasons to give cold pressed juice a try. Just be sure to choose a high-quality juice that is made from fresh, organic ingredients.

An important factor that can affect the nutritional content of cold pressed juice is the process of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a heat treatment process that is used to kill harmful bacteria in the juice. However, this process can also destroy some of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes in the juice.

Many commercial brands of cold pressed juice use high-pressure processing (HPP) as an alternative to pasteurization. HPP uses high pressure to kill harmful bacteria while preserving the nutritional content of the juice. This process has been shown to be effective at reducing harmful bacteria while maintaining the nutritional value of the juice.

Not all cold pressed juices are created equal. When choosing a cold pressed juice, it’s important to look for brands that use glass bottles and high-pressure processing to preserve the nutritional content of the juice. By choosing a high-quality cold pressed juice, you can ensure that you are getting all the health benefits that cold pressed juice has to offer.

At Green Press, our juices are made with only certified ingredients and pressed daily. We press daily and get them delivered to our customers the very next day. We bottle the cold pressed juice in glass so you don’t have to worry about any chemicals leaching out into your juice from plastic bottles. You can also feel great about consuming it because you aren’t adding any junk to the current land fills! We also have a bottle recycling program that allows you to bring back your clean bottles and collect points $$ to be used for future purchases.

  1. Kamiloglu, S., et al. “Comparison of Nutrient Composition of Fresh Juice and Cold-Pressed Juice of Fruits and Vegetables.” Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, vol. 7, no. 6, 2017, doi: 10.4172/2155-9600.1000655.

Link: https://www.longdom.org/open-access/comparison-of-nutrient-composition-of-fresh-juice-and-coldpressed-juice-of-fruits-and-vegetables-2155-9600-1000655.pdf

  1. Effenberger-Neidnicht, K., et al. “Cold-pressed Juice as a Potential Source of Beneficial Effects on Human Health: A Critical Review.” Journal of Medicinal Food, vol. 23, no. 1, 2020, doi: 10.1089/jmf.2019.4521.

Link: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/jmf.2019.4521

How to Boost your Immune System

Well isn’t this the topic of the season with all the germs going around?!  Scientists are still researching on how one can actually boost or improve their immune system to avoid getting sick.  There are still things you can do to improve your chances of not getting sick, or AS sick!  According to Harvard here are a few things you can do to ensure you have a strong and healthy immune system.

  1. Sleep well! Make sure you are getting restful sleep with 7-8 hours of sleep per night.  There are many things you can do that involve actually getting restful sleep which include but are not limited to avoiding too much screen time right before bed and trying to meditate for a few minutes before bed.
  2. Exercise.  Try to get at least 30 min of exercise in everyday, even if this is only a 30 min walk. Bundle up for cold temperatures and try to get that heart rate going!
  3. Don’t smoke!  Seems like this one is a given right?
  4. Minimize stress.  We all have some sort of stress going on in our lives.  Try to find coping mechanisms so that this does not get into the way of your daily routine of life and start to negatively affect your mental health.  Coping mechanisms may include: yoga, gardening, walking, other forms of exercise, reading, painting, colouring (yea this helps! it’s actually so satisfying).
  5. Ensure you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.  These are essential for your body’s growth, maintenance and repair.  Remember your body was designed to try to heal itself.  By incorporating healthy food into your diet and staying away from processed food you are allowing it to do just that.  Heal itself.  Famous quote that says “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” is what we like to live by!

Remember, the immune system is a system.  So its not a single entity and needs balance and harmony to function properly.