Take Leftover Watermelon Rinds And Make A Refreshing Iced Tea

Watermelon is a favorite summer treat for many people, but most of the time, large amounts of these enormous fruits go straight to the landfill. But they don't have to! As with many of the fruits and vegetables we normally only eat part of, a watermelon can be consumed in its entirety — skin and all — if you know how to enjoy it.

So after you chop up that watermelon, don't throw out the greenish-white rind or the striped dark green skin. There are plenty of ways to eat watermelon rind: You can pickle the rind, add it to a curry, incorporate it into a spicy kimchi, or even blitz it in a smoothie. But the best way to use the rind is to make tea, which can be cooled in the fridge and then enjoyed as a refreshing beverage any time you're really feeling the heat on a blistering day, or just looking to hydrate deliciously.

To make watermelon tea, chop up the watermelon rind (skin intact), and boil it for five to 10 minutes. Separate the liquid from the solid rind pieces (you can strain it out if you like), and drink your tea hot or allow it to cool. You can sweeten it with sugar, honey, or agave, and add other spices and flavors like ginger, mint, lemon juice, or even lavender. This is one of the easiest herbal infusions you can make, and it takes almost no time. 

@queencyfittness

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Watermelon rind tea has a taste similar to cucumber, so any flavors that would work well with cucumber water would go perfectly well in this tea. That's why this tasty beverage would also make a great mixer for a cooling summer cocktail. Spike it with tequila and lime juice for a margarita-like spritz, or add light rum and muddled mint for something similar to a juiced-up mojito.

Every part of the watermelon is highly nutritious, including the rind. Watermelon flesh contains vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, as well as amino acids and antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, reduce heart disease, and fight inflammation (per Healthline).

The watermelon rind, on the other hand, contains all of these nutrients and more. It is high in chlorophyll, vitamin B6, and zinc. It also has higher concentrations of the same vitamins found in the flesh of the fruit and has far less sugar. Watermelon rind is high in fiber and has diuretic properties. Everything from good skin thanks to antioxidants (per Heliyon) to low blood pressure thanks to potassium (via CDC) can be associated with the nutritional benefits of watermelon rinds.

Plus, after you've made your watermelon rind tea, you can still compost the boiled rinds and contribute to another season of sustainable agriculture. It's an all-around win, so hold onto those rinds the next time you slice into a luscious watermelon.