How to make delicious and healthy melon juice at home

Melon – an amazing product with a bright aroma and a pleasant sweet taste. Its use improves well-being, both emotional and physical. The juicy pulp has a beneficial effect on the skin, hair and nails.

In this article we will talk about the beneficial properties of fresh melon, the use of melon in cosmetology and cooking. Let's reveal the secret of how to prepare a tasty and healthy drink yourself and make preparations for the winter.

Melon juice

Melon is used not only for cooking jam, jam, compotes, savory snacks, but also squeeze the juice out of it. Its use improves mood due to the serotonin it contains - the “happiness hormone”.

The fruits have a rich component composition that improves immunity, improves the condition of skin, hair and nails, and slows down the aging process.

Composition and properties

100 g of melon pulp contains a large set of vitamins, macro- and microelements:

• vitamin A – 67 mg;
• vitamin C – 20 mg;
• vitamin B1 – 0.4 mg;
• vitamin B2 – 0.4 mg;
• vitamin B6 – 0.06 mg;
• vitamin E – 0.1 mg;
• vitamin PP – 0.4 mg;
• potassium – 118 mg;
• calcium – 15 mg;
• silicon – 82 mg;
• magnesium – 13 mg;
• manganese – 37 mcg;
• copper 47 mcg;
• sodium – 31 mg;
• phosphorus – 11.5 mg;
• chlorine – 49 mg;
• zinc – 90 mcg.

Ripe fruits contain up to 90% water. The remaining 10% is fructose, pectin and a huge amount of fiber, fatty and organic acids.

Due to its high iron and calcium content, fresh melon is prescribed to strengthen bones, nails and teeth.Freshly squeezed juices are effective against colds and other infectious diseases. Melon perfectly quenches thirst, normalizes water-salt balance, and promotes the absorption of proteins.

The mild diuretic and laxative effect of the fetus contributes to the fact that melon often included in therapeutic diets for weight loss. It also has a calming effect and eliminates allergy symptoms.

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The calorie content of melon juice is only 35 kcal. The nutritional value:

• proteins – 0.6 g;
• fats – 0.3 g;
• carbohydrates – 7.4 g.

Benefits and contraindications

The nutritional value of melon is similar to meat, fish and other protein products.

Its juice has the following beneficial properties:

• removes excess fluid from the body;
• strengthens the cardiovascular system;
• quenches thirst;
• stimulates blood circulation and the process of hematopoiesis;
• removes toxins;
• relieves inflammation;
• normalizes kidney function;
• restores the body after courses of chemotherapy;
• replenishes the supply of vitamins;
• increases immunity;
• strengthens joints and bones;
• prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
• slows down the aging process;
• increases concentration, relieves stress.

As for contraindications, there are not so many of them. The drink is undesirable for people suffering from stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and gastritis. Due to the high sugar content, once it enters the stomach, the fermentation process begins, which causes excessive gas formation, diarrhea and heartburn.

Children under two years of age are not given melon juice. This is due to the immaturity of the digestive tract. From three years of age, pulp is introduced into the diet gradually, starting from 100 g per day.

Important! If you follow the recommendations of specialists and consume them in moderation, melon will not cause harm to the body.

Selection of variety and fruits

Any variety that is available in your region of residence is suitable for making melon juice. The most popular varieties are Torpeda and Kolkhoznitsa, which have dense, juicy and fragrant pulp.

When choosing fruits, first of all, pay attention to the color of the peel. It should be light, clean, without damage or rot, yellow in color, with thin veins on the surface, reminiscent of a cobweb. A bright aroma indicates the ripeness of the fruit.

There are green varieties on sale that are suitable for making canned juice. To check ripeness, lightly tap the fruit. A dull sound will indicate ripeness.

How to squeeze juice out of melon

To prepare delicious melon juice, preserving maximum vitamins and beneficial properties, choose fully ripened fruits without damage and use the pulp along with the peel, because it contains the largest amount of valuable elements.

The fastest way to squeeze juice out of melon is with a juicer or blender. This way you will get a wonderful fresh juice with pulp.

Using a juicer, long-term juices are prepared for the winter. A multicooker does the same job perfectly. The boiled pulp is filtered and rolled into glass jars. Add honey or sugar if desired.

Melon juice can be frozen. At the same time, it does not lose its taste and beneficial properties. To do this, the fruits are passed through a juicer and filtered into bottles. The shelf life of this product is about six months.

Cooking with and without pulp

Melon juice with pulp is the most useful, because it contains fiber, which normalizes intestinal function. After preparation, the fresh juice is not stored, but drunk within 15 minutes.To improve the appearance of the drink and its taste, the liquid is passed through cheesecloth.

Freshly squeezed melon juice has a pronounced aroma and a slight taste of honey and pears. When cooled to 15°C it acquires a pleasant sourness.

What to add to melon juice

Fresh melon is good on its own, as well as with various additives in the form of lemon, orange, pear, cucumber, watermelon, kiwi, pineapple, honey, ginger, mint and alcoholic beverages.

The recipes are simple and require minimal time. Take foods in any quantity, add various ingredients to enhance the taste and beneficial properties.

Try making a melon drink with ginger. To do this you will need the following components:

• melon – 200-300 g;
• orange – 1 pc.;
• grated ginger – 1 tsp.

Squeeze the juice from the fruit, add ginger and crushed ice.

The melon and kiwi smoothie has a pleasant taste and is very filling. Take:

• melon – 200 g;
• kiwi – 1 pc.;
• mint – 10 leaves;
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp. l.;
• honey - 1 tbsp. l.

To prepare the drink, use a blender. Beat the ingredients together with ice until smooth.

Preparing juice for the winter

Melon juice is preserved for the winter with the help of preservation. Try making a drink according to a classic recipe with a minimum of ingredients. To do this you will need:

• melon pulp – 2 kg;
• granulated sugar – 180 g;
• water – 1.5 l;
• lemon – 3 pcs.

Wash the lemons, peel the skin, remove the seeds, cut into slices. Peel the melon and chop the pulp as desired. Using a blender, puree the fruit and strain through a sieve. Add sugar and water and pour into jars. Place the preparations in a large saucepan and sterilize for 10 minutes.

Take out the cans and roll them up.Turn it upside down and wrap it in a blanket for a day. Next, store the blanks in a dark place.

In a slow cooker

To prepare canned melon juice in a slow cooker, stock up on the following products:

• melon – 2 kg;
• oranges – 3 pcs.;
• citric acid – 2 g;
• sugar – 0.2 kg;
• water – 1.5 l.

Make puree from melon and oranges using a blender or meat grinder. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth. Pour the liquid into the bowl of the device and add the remaining ingredients. Select the “soup” mode and cook after boiling for 10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

In a juicer

All variants of drinks in a juicer are prepared using the same technology. Water is poured into the lower container, and fruit is placed in the upper container. The device is placed on low heat. During the boiling process, the water evaporates, the steam heats the fruit, and they gradually release juice.

The juicer comes with a tube through which the juice flows into a prepared deep container. The advantage of the device is that it produces much more juice than a juicer.

Recipe for melon juice for a juicer:

• melon – 2 kg;
• lemon – 3 pcs.;
• sugar – 180 g;
• water – 1.5 l.

Cut the lemons and melon together with the peel, put them in the upper bowl, and pour water into the lower one. Mix water and sugar in a separate container, and the juice will drain into it. Move the container to the stove, cook for 2-3 minutes after boiling, stirring the liquid constantly. Pour into jars and roll up.

Terms and conditions of storage

The shelf life of canned melon juice depends on the method of preparation, temperature and humidity of the room. Juice without sterilization will last no more than 4-6 months in a cool place. Sterilized jars are stored until the next season, even at room temperature.Frozen juice is stored in glass containers for six months.

Application in cosmetology, folk medicine and cooking

The diuretic and laxative properties of melon juice have a positive effect on the condition of the body. Drink a glass of fresh juice on an empty stomach.

Those who have already tried homemade cosmetics based on melon pulp tend to do the procedures regularly. Melon juice helps:

• eliminate acne, rosacea, pigmentation;
• increase skin tone;
• stop hair loss.

To get rid of inflammation and rashes on the face of various origins, wipe your skin with freshly squeezed juice. Steam your face before doing this, so the substances will penetrate the pores faster.

For acne, apply wipes soaked in juice to the skin for 10-15 minutes. This will help eliminate stubborn spots and relieve inflammation. The same method has worked well for rosacea.

To improve the tone of aging skin, make a mask based on melon juice 2-3 times a week. To do this, mix 2 tbsp. l. juice with egg yolk, 1 tsp. honey and 100 g of warm semolina porridge. Leave the mask on for half an hour, then rinse with water.

Potassium in the fruit improves the condition of dry, damaged, brittle hair that is prone to hair loss. After washing your hair, rub freshly squeezed juice into your roots. Exposure time – 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Freshly squeezed melon juice is used to treat allergic rashes. Fill the bath with warm water and add a glass of juice. The course of treatment is seven days.

For arthritis, joint pain, radiculitis, it is recommended to drink 1/3 cup of fresh melon twice a day until the condition improves.

In cooking, melon fruits are widely used.The pulp is added to desserts, salads, eaten with meat, snacks, jams and compotes are prepared. The juice makes excellent fruit ice cream, sorbet, smoothies, and alcoholic cocktails.

Conclusion

Melon juice is the best way to quench thirst, replenish vitamin and mineral deficiencies and normalize water-salt balance. In summer, try to enjoy the fragrant fruits to the maximum.

Prepare fresh juices, smoothies, lemonades from the pulp, and combine with other products. This will help prepare for the autumn-winter period and strengthen the immune system. You can prepare drinks by canning and freezing.