Watermelon – Sandia

AuthorSteve PageCategoryBreakfast, Desserts, Fruits & Vegetables, Gluten-free, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Price:
Kilo: ₡500 ≈ $0.83
Serving: 1 Cup  ₡76 ≈ $0.13

It is composed of approximately 92% water, and is a good source of Vitamin A, C, and B6. You can find it throughout Central America and can be bought in most stores year-round in Costa Rica. We love to buy watermelon - sandia from fruit stands and the back of local farmers’ trucks and that are on the side of the roads on our way to local beaches.

Watermelon is a great fruit to throw in the car without getting smashed between all the beach gear. It is a quick and delicious snack to enjoy on the beach after an afternoon of surfing, or a long day of snorkeling. While we usually carry a pocketknife to cut the fruit, we’ve had to get creative a few times, by using shells and rocks to break open when we forgot our knife.
You will see more local farmers with full trucks alongside the road mid-February through May, which is typically harvest time. This is the cheapest time of year to buy this healthy fruit.

Health benefits of Watermelon - Sandia include:
1. Helps You Hydrate - due to its 92% water content.
2. Assists in Preventing Cancer - by lowering the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) through the compound lycopene.
3. Improves Heart Health - Watermelon contains lycopene, citrulline (an amino acid), and Vitamins A, B6, C, magnesium, and 4. potassium.
5. Lowers Inflammation and Oxidative Stress - due to being rich in the anti-inflammatory antioxidants lycopene and vitamin C.
6. Prevents Macular Degeneration - yet another benefit of lycopene.
7. Relieves Muscle Soreness - through citrulline, an amino acid in watermelon.
8. Good for Skin and Hair - with Vitamins A and C.
9. Improves Digestion - due to its high water content and a small amount of fiber.

*Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD