As the summer of 2023 comes to an end, many of the fruits and vegetables
you’ve enjoyed these past few months will be going up in price.

One of those fruits: Melons.
All three-watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew will be a little more pricier
as it gets colder and if you plan on buying them in the next few months,
then you may want to know how they can benefit your (fall & winter) health.

Benefit No. 1-
Halt the Hunger Pangs-
It’s no secret as the temperature drops, appetites go up
and if this describes you, then you should have a slice (or two)
of your favorite melon a few times a week.
Melons are made up of over 90% water and that means eating some
before a meal can help stave off hunger. People who eat more water-rich
foods before a meal eat about 450 fewer calories than those who had a
calorie-equivalent snack without water.

Benefit No. 2-
Better Vision-
As it gets darker earlier, you want to make sure your vision stays sharp
during the fall and winter months and adding melon to your diet is a
great (and natural) way to do that. Melon contains two essential eye
nutrients, (lutein and zeaxanthin). Researchers say these two nutrients
can reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration
by 45%.

Benefit No. 3-
Better Moods-
Another thing many people suffer with as the days get shorter, darker
and colder: Dark and blue moods. So, eat more melons to combat the
depressive disorders. Fresh melons get their bright colors from their
carotenoids, plant pigments that are also known to ease stress and
brighten up moods. Plus, the pigments reduce levels of inflammatory
proteins linked to depression, so you’re 40% less likely to experience
symptoms like blue moods and irritability.
Some more helpful suggestions:
In addition to adding more melon to your daily menus, you
can also eat more fatty fish, (sardines and salmon), exercise
(preferably outdoors under the sun) for 20 to 30 mins. a day,
engage in a hobby, scrapbooking or crossword puzzles and
cutting down on or eliminating processed foods. Try and make
more meals from scratch using natural ingredients.
Doing these things will help you get through the fall and winter
months much more easily.

Recipe For Melon Lovers-
If you’re a fan of cool drinks aka Slushies, then give that slice of
watermelon or honeydew melon a break and make this instead.
The Drink:
Watermelon Limeade!
Ingredients:
4 cups of cubed watermelon, (place in the freezer for 20 to 30 mins.)
before adding to the blender.
1/2 can of frozen limeade concentrate
2 Tbs. of dark honey
Lime wedges (for garnishment)
To make:
Place the first 3 ingredients in a blender along with 1 cup of Ice
and blend until smooth. Divide among 3 or 4 glasses and place a slice
of lime on the edge of each glass.
That’s it, and feel to experiment. Place some cantaloupe in the blender
with coconut milk, lime juice and honey.
Or use some honeydew melon and add some lemonade and honey
for a different take on a melon slushie.


Sources:
* Journal of Affective Disorders
* British Research Team
* Penn State University, Research Dept.

Please make sure to pass this information on to family and friends
who suffer physically and/or psychologically during the dark, cold
months of the fall and winter.
Share it over at Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram (stories), Pinterest,
Reddit, Tik-Tok and Twitter (X).

Thank-You!