One of my favorite drinks to sip on all-year round, especially in the summer, is a margarita. My love for margaritas is so strong that I created my own recipe and have perfected it over the years!
My homemade margarita recipe is not only 120 calories but, it involves five amazing nutritious ingredients that are beneficial to the body: watermelons, jalapenos, limes, agave nectar and tequila. Below, I break down each ingredient benefits the body.
Benefits of my Spicy Watermelon Margarita
First up we have watermelon. Watermelon is a fruit rich in lycopene (aka a carotenoid), which gives fruits and vegetables its red color. Lycopene has three incredibly powerful benefits: decreases enlarged prostates, improves heart health, and increases hydration status. In other words, watermelon can technically count as water intake!
Next is jalapenos. Jalapenos are not only rich in A, B, C, and K vitamins and potassium but, it contains carotene. Carotene is an antioxidant that may help fight damage to our body’s cells.
Many of us know that a margarita isn’t a margarita without tequila. But do we know if tequila has any benefits to our health when drinking responsibly? Well, Harvard Medical School released a study back in 2016 stating that tequila may help maintain bone health and could possibly be used as a treatment for menopause down the line- how cool is that!
Limes are incredibly beneficial for our health. Every ounce of a lime is rich in vitamin C and has been proven to help fight inflammation and could possibly prevent certain chronic diseases.
Have you ever had a margarita that is almost sticky-sweet? It’s most likely because a sugar alcohol was used and not agave nectar. Agave nectar is a natural sweetener coming from agave plants. When we use agave nectar as a natural sweetener, we can avoid sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners.
Okay, now that I’ve broken down the ingredients, let’s drive into the recipe.
Spicy Watermelon Margarita Recipe:
Yields 4 servings
120 calories per serving
Ingredients:
¼ cup tequila
2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 lime
¼ cup fresh watermelon
2-4 jalapeno slices
1 tsp agave nectar
Ice
Ground sea salt
Instructions
1. Place watermelon in a blender and blend until it has turned into a smooth juice
2. Run the wedge of a lime around each cocktail glass and dip the top into the salt
3. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, agave nectar and jalapeno slices. Secure shaker and shake well.
4. Strain liquid into prepared glasses with ice. Enjoy!
Next time you make your margarita add a little spice to it; it might become your new summer drink!