Watermelon and Feta cheese:
An unlikely combination, but a very likely food on the menu
at majority of cafes, bars and eateries in an Israeli summer.
A few weeks ago I went to an art festival in Musrara (a
neighbourhood in Jerusalem). The organisation that ran the event aimed to
create a meeting point between different cultures through setting up a
watermelon stand (or Basta). Not-ironically they called it the “meeting point –
between green and red”. They selected this fruit specifically because it is something
that you have to share with people. It’s messy, delicious and vibrant in
colour. Also, there is a commonality between a slice of watermelon and a smile.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/between-green-red-a-cultural-meeting-point-based-on-art-watermelon
This watermelon stand was offering mass amounts of
watermelon and feta cheese. Families, friends and people from all different
backgrounds were sitting in the park, enjoying the music and feasting on this
delicacy.
Until I came to Israel I had never heard of eating the two
foods together. Pears and cheese? Yes. Apples and cheddar? Definitely. But
watermelon and cheese? Other than the fact it combines salty and sweet, not so
much. By the way, I’ll be honest – I
still have yet to taste the combination. But that being said, it doesn't mean I
can’t write about it.
So is watermelon healthy? Is feta cheese healthy? And as two
foods eaten together – are there any benefits?
Despite some claims against it, watermelon gets my tick of
approval. Firstly, it’s about 92% water – which means it is a great hydrator. Sometimes
it can seem like an overwhelming task to chop open one of those huge watermelons,
but these days you can purchase smaller (and seedless) ones that make it less
difficult, or you can just make sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind
getting watermelon juice all over. It contains something called lycopene (which
is also found in tomatoes) that is helpful when it comes to bone and
cardiovascular health. Citrulline, an amino acid, is also found in watermelon.
Our bodies convert citruline into arginine and it has be shown to help reduce
blood pressure. As with many other fruits, it has high amounts of Vitamin C. Surprisingly,
the watermelon rind, although unappealing also contains many hidden nutrients.
Ok, so that’s a little on the fruit side of things. What
about feta?
On the downside it is high in salt and fat. That being said,
it does have about a third less fat than a lot of other cheeses. Like many
other dairy products, it is high in calcium (30g of cheese contains 140mg of
calcium). There are studies that claim calcium can aid with weight loss, while
feta cheese specifically contains a certain type of fatty acid that might aid
in abdominal fat loss.
Undoubtedly both these foods offer us health benefits. As a
combination? The Vitamin C in the watermelon can support the absorption of
calcium from the cheese. So maybe there is something more to this delicacy other than the complimenting flavours.
On that note, it might be time for me to taste test this watermelon-feta-delight
for once and for all.
