Recipe: Watermelon Basil Juice - A Sweet Nutritional Powerhouse

Last year, I added a juicer to my kitchen, and I couldn't be happier with that decision. One of the first juices I made with it was a watermelon basil juice. This combination is not only flavorful, but it has a ton of nutritional benefits too. Check out this nutritional information:

1 cup of watermelon has:

20.5% DV* vitamin C 17.2% DV vitamin A 4.8% DV potassium 3.8% DV magnesium
Watermelon also has phytonutrients, amino acids, lycopene, and a host of other anti-Inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients.

2 teaspoons of basil has:

60% dv vitamin K 6.5% DV iron 5.9% DV calcium 5.2% DV vitamin A 4.5% DV fiber 4.5% DV manganese 3.1% DV tryptophan 3% DV vitamin B6 2.9% DV magnesium 2.8% DV vitamin C 2.7% DV potassium
Basil also has flavonoids, and natural oils that have anti-bacterial properties. So, next time you're looking for a drink that packs a nutritional punch, try running some watermelon and basil through your juicer. You could also use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender if you don't have a juicer. Though, I prefer a juicer so that the rind can be juiced too, since according to whfoods.org:

"the flesh's outer periphery (the white part) contained impressive concentrations of most nutrients"

Juicer Recipe :

  • 1 handful of basil stems and leaves (remove any woody stems)
  • 1 Medium watermelon
Run through juicer and enjoy!

Blender Recipe:

  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 1/2 watermelon (flesh only)
Blend leaves first until they are well chopped, then add watermelon flesh and blend until smooth Store juice in the fridge up to 4 days. Fresh, unprocessed, juice separates naturally. Simply stir and enjoy.

 Do you juice? What's your favorite recipe?

  Nutrition data from www.whfoods.org *DV = Daily Value Photo By: Kumar Jhuremalani

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