Super Summer Breakfast, Pineapple & Watermelon

One of our Shabbat guests brought us a perfectly ripe pineapple. I served most of it at the meal, and it was enjoyed by all.  This morning I cut off a bit to have as part of my breakfast.

As proof of its ripeness it was very easy to cut, and I enjoyed eating the "inside" of the peel. I added some watermelon and then sesame paste for protein. 

To be honest, I was very curious about the relative calorie counts and nutritional benefits of those two summer fruits. I knew already that watermelon is surprisingly low in calories, but I knew nothing about pineapples. 

Pineapple, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	209 kJ (50 kcal)
Carbohydrates	13.12 g
Sugars	9.85 g
Dietary fiber	1.4 g
Fat	0.12 g
Protein	0.54 g
Vitamins	Quantity%DV†
Thiamine (B1)	7% 0.079 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	3% 0.032 mg
Niacin (B3)	3% 0.5 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	4% 0.213 mg
Vitamin B6	9% 0.112 mg
Folate (B9)	5% 18 μg
Choline	1% 5.5 mg
Vitamin C	58% 47.8 mg
Minerals	Quantity%DV†
Calcium	1% 13 mg
Iron	2% 0.29 mg
Magnesium	3% 12 mg
Manganese	44% 0.927 mg
Phosphorus	1% 8 mg
Potassium	2% 109 mg
Sodium	0% 1 mg
Zinc	1% 0.12 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	86.00 g

Watermelon flesh, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	127 kJ (30 kcal)
Carbohydrates	7.55 g
Sugars	6.2 g
Dietary fiber	0.4 g
Fat	0.15 g
Protein	0.61 g
Vitamins	Quantity%DV†
Vitamin A equiv. beta-Carotene	4% 28 μg 3% 303 μg
Thiamine (B1)	3% 0.033 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	2% 0.021 mg
Niacin (B3)	1% 0.178 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	4% 0.221 mg
Vitamin B6	3% 0.045 mg
Choline	1% 4.1 mg
Vitamin C	10% 8.1 mg
Minerals	Quantity%DV†
Calcium	1% 7 mg
Iron	2% 0.24 mg
Magnesium	3% 10 mg
Manganese	2% 0.038 mg
Phosphorus	2% 11 mg
Potassium	2% 112 mg
Sodium	0% 1 mg
Zinc	1% 0.1 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	91.45 g
Lycopene	4532 μg

While I'm at it I'll add the nutritional information about sesame paste:

Sesame Paste (Sesame Butter Made From Whole Seeds)

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 tbsp Amount Per Serving Calories 95   % Daily Values* Total Fat 8.6g 11% Saturated Fat 1.205g 6% Trans Fat - Polyunsaturated Fat 3.77g Monounsaturated Fat 3.248g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 18mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 3.39g 1% Dietary Fiber 1.5g 5% Sugars 0.08g Protein 2.72g Vitamin D - Calcium 68mg 5% Iron 1.43mg 8% Potassium 66mg 1% Vitamin A 0mcg 0% Vitamin C 0mg 0% * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

All You Need is Watermelon

This past Sunday was the Shavuot holiday here in Israel. Out of Israel aka Chu"L, it's a two day holiday, so was Sunday and Monday. On Shavuot we celebrate that Gd gave us the Torah, and we spend time learning Torah subjects.

Some people even learn all night. There were years when I learned a good part of the night, but didn't this year. For over twenty years, on Shavuot afternoon we've been hosting a class in English by my neighbor, Rabbi Dov Berkovits.

I serve watermelon. I used to also serve pretzels, but since the pretzels were mostly eaten by me, I eliminated them from the menu. This year a neighbor brought some cheesecake, too.  It was just too delicious, as was the watermelon. Of course the watermelon I bought was much too big, but it's a perfect juicy one.

When watermelons are this good, it's criminal not to eat them. I don't want to know about the calories and sugar in them.

Delicious Watery Watermelon!

We may not have true summer weather yet, but we do have watermelon. I've already bought two this year. One was for a party, and the other was for dessert on Shabbat, since we had invited friends over. Of course there is plenty left over, so I eat it, lots of it.

Schlepping home a watermelon isn't easy when you don't have a car, but I have managed to find them rides.

Many health experts say that watermelon is healthy and good even for dieters. That's good enough for me.

What's your favorite summer fruit?