Cool Off with a Refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Cooler Smoothie

What’s better than watermelon on a hot day — or for me any day? I love the fresh, sweet, juicy taste of ripe watermelon.

So why not go a step further and blend this amazing fruit with a few other ingredients to create a cool, nutritious smoothie.

This quick and easy watermelon cucumber cooler smoothie takes only 3 key ingredients and is a great way to sneak in

some extra fiber and water to those who are not a fan of veggies, fruits, and getting their full 8-glasses of water daily.

The ingredients in watermelon are also great at fighting disease and keeping your body strong, fit and healthy.

More than just a sweet, juicy treat…

Watermelon is one of the lowest-calorie fruits with only 46 calories per cup (154 grams).

That’s lower than even low-sugar fruits such as berries.

One cup (154 grams) of watermelon has many other nutrients as well, including these vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin C: 21% of the (RDI)
Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
Potassium: 5% of the RDI
Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
Vitamins B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI
Watermelon is also high in carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopen and contains nutrients and beneficial plant compounds.
Plus, it has citrulline, an important amino acid.
Watermelon’s most important antioxidants include:
Vitamin C – an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage from free radicals.
Carotenoids –  a class of plant compounds that includes alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A.
Lycopene – a type of carotenoid that doesn’t change into vitamin A.
This potent antioxidant gives a red color to watermelon and is linked to many health benefits.
Cucurbitacin E – a plant compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

With all of these amazing nutrients, watermelon’s health benefits are significant:

For example, two vitamins in watermelon — A and C — are important for skin and hair health.
Plus watermelon contains compounds that may:
-help prevent cancer
-improve heart health
-lower inflammation and oxidative stress
-help prevent macular degeneration
-help relieve muscle soreness

Cucumber benefits

Cucumbers are a refreshing, nutritious and low in calories but contain many important vitamins and minerals, as well as a high water content.
One 11-ounce (300-gram) unpeeled, raw cucumber contains:

• Calories: 45
• Total fat: 0 grams
• Carbs: 11 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 62% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
• Potassium: 13% of the RDI
• Manganese: 12% of the RDI

Benefits of eating cucumbers may include weight loss, balanced hydration, digestive regularity and lower blood sugar levels.
This watermelon cucumber cooler smoothie is a great way to sneak in some veggies for kids
(as well as adults who don’t like veggies) because the watermelon completely masks the taste of the cucumber.
Now, let’s whip up a cool, sweet, refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie!

Watermelon Cucumber Cooler Smoothie

Makes 1 tall glass

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen watermelon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• 1 – 1 ½ cup organic cucumber
• ¼ cup of filtered water
• Sprig of mint for garnish

Directions

Assemble the ingredients.

Thoroughly wash the cucumber. (It’s best to use organic if you want to leave on the peel.)

You may de-seed the watermelon or let the seed remain. They will be crushed up once blended.

Making sure that you’ve frozen the watermelon before use means that you don’t have to add ice to
thicken up the smoothie, therefore the fruit flavor will be more concentrated.

Place everything in a blender and blend away. (You may need to pulse the blender a few times to ensure
the cucumber is all ground up and everything is well blended.)

Pour into a serving glass.

Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Add some watermelon slices.

Drink up and enjoy!

Have you ever made beverages with watermelon and cucumbers?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.