The big summer cooler

As a nutritionist I could not help but watch-these past few weeks - with some sympathy and concern...

As a nutritionist I could not help but watch-these past few weeks with some sympathy and concern our political class traversing our vast and glorious nation in the summer heat and dust while campaigning.

The chief reason for the debilitating effect of the heat is its ability to dehydrate our bodies so that natural cooling through perspiration does not happen. The heat also makes us lose precious nutrients through sweat.

In this dry heat,melons should be the preferred food. Melons come in various shapes and sizes and the most familiar ones are the watermelon tarbuz and the muskmelon/cantaloupe kharbuza and abound with nutritive value. For starters,the nutritional content of a cup of diced watermelon slices 150 g is just 50 calories with no fat,zero cholesterol; low 3 mg sodium and one gram of fiber mostly pectin,a soluble fiber. Additionally,melons are a very good source of potassium. The potassium content of one cup of melon ranges between 160 mg to 405 mg depending on the variety.

The low sodium,low fat,high potassium combination makes melons a perfect food for those with high blood pressure. And finally,melons have plenty of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as Lycopene,an antioxidant that protects against some forms of cancer.

Of course,one must not ignore that greatest of nutrients water which is abundant in melons and varies between 90 per cent and 92 per cent of the weight depending on the variety. Could there be a better fruit to quench thirst and fight dehydration? Actually the nutrient story is not over yet.

Watermelons are also laden with Arginine,an amino acid. In animal studies,it is being studied as an agent that promotes skeletal muscle tissue gain and reduce body fat. If the same benefits apply to humans,Arginine may well be the next big anti-obesity nutrient.

Choosing a good melon,however,can be tricky. Avoid the soft mushy ones. Melons are usually sold a little unripe so they may need to sit for a couple of days at room temperature before they attain the perfect juiciness and flavour. One could hasten the ripening process by wrapping entire melons in paper bags that are then tied up. The usual way to consume the fruit is to refrigerate it and serve with squeezed lemon or with salt and pepper.

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To make the routine serving a little unusual here is an easy and tried recipe. To begin with the melon should be cubed and refrigerated. Prepare a spicy dip in the intervening period. Blend,in a food processor,1 cup cottage cheese low fat with 2 tablespoons of honey,a half teaspoonful of ground cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. The mixture is ready when it appears smooth. This makes an excellent dip to be served with the chilled melons.

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