The Rosé of Marrakech

Watermelon through an extractor is magical. You put big red chunks on one side, and out comes an intense pink juice, flowing like water, naturally sweet. I prepare liters of it in the summer. When my nephews come to the house, it’s the first thing they ask for. Mint transforms this simple juice into a drink worthy of a cocktail bar. One of my athletic patients drinks 500 ml of watermelon juice after each training session: the citrulline it contains speeds up his muscle recovery spectacularly.

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The bioactive molecules

Watermelon is the most concentrated food source of citrulline, an amino acid that converts to arginine and then to vasodilatory nitric oxide¹. Citrulline reaches 250 mg/100 g in the red flesh and up to 1,000 mg/100 g in the white part under the skin, which should absolutely not be thrown away². The lycopene in watermelon (4,532 mcg/100 g) is an exceptionally effective free radical scavenger³. Pure hydration juice, ideal during heat waves, after sports or in a carafe for children⁴.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is the most concentrated food source of citrulline, a non-proteinogenic amino acid with a concentration reaching 250 mg/100 g in the red flesh and up to 1,000 mg/100 g in the white part of the rind. Citrulline is converted to arginine in the kidneys, then to nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial NO synthase. NO dilates blood vessels, improves muscle perfusion and reduces post-exercise soreness. Rimando and Perkins-Veazie (Journal of Chromatography, 2005) quantified these concentrations. Watermelon’s lycopene (4,532 µg/100 g, higher than tomato) is a fat-soluble carotenoid that neutralizes singlet oxygen 100 times more effectively than vitamin E. Watermelon also contains endogenous glutathione, the liver’s primary intracellular antioxidant. Vitamin B6 (0.045 mg/100 g) is a cofactor in serotonin and dopamine synthesis. Mint amplifies the cooling effect through menthol, which activates TRPM8 thermoreceptors.

Watermelon-mint juice is the king of summer juices. Ultra-hydrating, rich in citrulline for sports recovery and in lycopene for cellular protection, it’s the juice that transforms a heat wave into pleasure. Five hundred milliliters after sports or mid-afternoon, and summer becomes bearable.

Key micronutrient table

Micronutrient	Main role
Citrulline	Nitric oxide precursor, muscle recovery
Lycopene	Antioxidant superior to tomato (4,532 µg/100 g)
Glutathione	Hepatic intracellular antioxidant
Vitamin B6	Serotonin and dopamine synthesis
Menthol (mint)	Thermoreceptor activation, cooling
Potassium (watermelon)	Hydration, electrolyte balance

Extractor preparation

Ingredients:

• 2 pomegranates (arils)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 lemon, peeled
• A few rose petals (optional)

Cut the watermelon into large chunks, removing the largest seeds (the small ones go through). The white part near the skin is richest in citrulline: don’t hesitate to pass that through too. Add a squeeze of lime juice for a more tropical taste.

What I personally think

I discovered this juice in Marrakech, in a small restaurant during a layover. The server brought me a large glass of fresh watermelon juice with a few mint leaves. The pale pink color, the sweet and refreshing taste, the mint that elevates it all. I knew immediately this would be in my book.

My recommended extractor

For this recipe, I use the Hurom H80-ST. Cold pressing preserves all the enzymes, vitamins and phytonutrients that the heat from a centrifuge would destroy.

Promo code: francoisbenavente20 for -20% off everything on Hurom.

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To go further

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