A refreshing summer juice: ripe red watermelon blended into a cooling low-calorie drink, the quintessential summer beverage. Low glycaemic load despite a high GI, free of common allergens.
Watermelon juice is a beloved refreshing summer drink throughout the Arab world, the drink of heat and summer. Watermelon is the great summer fruit of the Arab world, juicy, sweet, and refreshing, eaten and juiced to quench thirst and hydrate the body in the heat.
Ripe red watermelon is blended into a generous, naturally sweet juice (no sugar needed) and served very cold with lemon and mint. Its low calories (watermelon is 92% water), its refreshing quality, and its natural sweetness have made it one of the most beloved summer beverages in the Arab world, a symbol of hot summer evenings and cool refreshment.
Choose a ripe, sweet, deep-red watermelon and cut it into cubes, removing the seeds (or most of them). A ripe, sweet, red watermelon is the foundation of the juice (it is naturally sweet and needs no sugar). Watermelon is very high in water (92%) and yields a generous amount of juice.
Place the watermelon cubes in a blender and blend briefly until smooth. Watermelon is soft and watery and turns to juice quickly. Do not over-blend (there is no need, and it may incorporate air). Watermelon needs no added water as it is naturally liquid.
Strain the juice to remove any remaining seeds and pulp if you prefer a smoother texture, or leave it as is. Watermelon is already quite smooth. Straining gives a clearer juice; leaving it retains a little fibre.
Add the lemon juice (it balances the sweetness and adds freshness and vitamin C) and mint if desired. Lemon and mint both amplify the refreshing quality of this summer watermelon juice. Taste and adjust.
Chill the juice well or add ice (or use pre-chilled watermelon). Watermelon juice is best served very cold as a summer hydration drink, and the cold temperature multiplies its refreshing power in the heat.
Pour the watermelon juice into glasses over ice with a mint leaf and serve cold immediately (drink fresh). This is a supreme summer refresher, beloved in the heat of the Arab summer. Watermelon (92% water) hydrates and cools, and its natural sweetness and low calories have made it one of the most beloved summer drinks, quenching thirst and cooling the body.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Watermelon Juice, and how to fix them:
The watermelon is not ripe. Use a ripe, sweet, deep-red watermelon (hollow sound when tapped, yellow patch on the skin). Under-ripe watermelon is pale and low in sweetness. Good watermelon is naturally sweet without sugar.
Over-blending. Blend the watermelon briefly only (it turns to juice quickly because it is watery); long blending incorporates air and creates foam. Let it settle for a moment or skim the foam off.
The seeds were not removed or the juice was not strained. Remove the seeds before blending (especially the hard black ones), or strain the juice afterward. Seedless watermelon is easiest, and the small white seeds are fine to leave.
Not cold enough. Watermelon juice is a summer hydration drink that should be served very cold, so chill it well or use pre-chilled watermelon and ice, and add lemon and mint for freshness. Cold temperature multiplies the enjoyment in the heat.
Left sitting after blending. Drink it fresh immediately, as watermelon juice loses its flavour and freshness quickly (it is watery and delicate). A squeeze of lemon slows this slightly, but it is best drunk fresh.
Watermelon juice is best drunk fresh immediately after blending (tastiest and most vibrant; watermelon is watery and delicate and loses its flavour quickly). Can be stored chilled in a sealed cup for 1 day (with a squeeze of lemon); stir before drinking as it separates.
Watermelon juice can be frozen in ice-cube trays as refreshing cubes (added to drinks), or watermelon cubes can be frozen and blended as a slush. Fresh is better, but freezing is practical in summer.
Best blended fresh (minutes). You can cube the watermelon, remove the seeds, and refrigerate it in advance, then blend it at serving time. Watermelon juice is very quick to prepare, so advance preparation is not necessary.
Wash the watermelon rind before cutting (prevents transferring bacteria to the flesh), use clean utensils, drink the juice fresh, and refrigerate any leftover. Cut watermelon should be kept refrigerated.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watermelon alone | Blended with mint, lemon, strawberry, or cucumber | To taste | Mint and lemon boost freshness, strawberry adds flavour, and cucumber makes it lighter and more hydrating (summer cocktails). |
| Juiced watermelon | Eating the watermelon in pieces | - | Eating whole watermelon is slightly healthier (fibre and satiety, slows sugar absorption) than juicing it; an alternative for those monitoring blood sugar. |
| Plain (no additions) | A pinch of salt or mint (traditional) | A pinch | Some people sprinkle a little salt on watermelon (brings out the sweetness), and mint adds freshness; these are optional touches. |
| Number of cups | Watermelon (cubed) |
|---|---|
| 2 (half recipe) | 2 1/2 cups |
| 3 (base) | 4 cups |
| 6 (family) | 8 cups |
Watermelon juice is an excellent hydrating drink with low calories: watermelon is 92% water (hydrates well in the heat), and is rich in lycopene (antioxidant for the heart), vitamin C, and citrulline (an amino acid beneficial for circulation). Important note: its glycaemic index is high (raises blood sugar quickly, 72) but its glycaemic load is low (few carbohydrates per serving because it is mainly water). So a moderate glass has a mild blood sugar effect despite the high GI, which illustrates the importance of glycaemic load, not GI alone. For people with diabetes: drink in moderation and with a meal, and it is better to eat whole watermelon (with fibre). Do not add sugar (it is sweet enough).
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