Dairy Free Watermelon ‘Batido’

I love myself a watermelon batido, I grew up on watermelon batido. It’s refreshing, it’s sweet and it’s absolutely delicious. I can hear you think what is a batido? Well it’s basically a Caribbean shake. Quite simple actually, fresh fruit, some milk and some sweetener and you’ve got yourself a ‘batido’.

In Curaçao you have ‘batido’ stands all over the island and they offer a variety of fresh fruits you can pick from to have your batido made. It’s also possible to have it made just the way you want it. I have to admit in Curaçao they pour half a can of condensed milk in your batido that sometimes you can barely taste the fresh fruit anymore. When in Curaçao I order mine without any of the milk, but at home off course I can source some almond milk and coconut condensed milk that I can get the same flavors I use to love but then completely dairy free.

Batidos can be found all over Latin America and each country uses fruits that are indigenous to the region. If ever we get to travel freely again you should definitely opt for adventure and pick an unknown fruit to try out. I think it’s fun to see how all these countries offer what is in theory the same concept of batido but with completely different fruits.

Fresh watermelon usually has pits, but I don’t mind that little bit of crunch in the shake and I just add everything like that. No need to create extra work for yourself. Watermelon is 90% water and offer much needed hydration during the summer heat. I find myself drinking double the amount of water I usually drink and it definitely helps to eat fruit that helps with hydrating the body.

There are tons of other health benefits related to watermelon, such as being high in antioxidants and amino acids which help your body work better. It also contains lycopene a phytonutrient found in fruits and vegetables which also gives them their red color and can also be found in tomato, grapefruit and guavas. But the highest amount per serving has been found in watermelon and it has been linked with hearth health, bone health and prostate cancer prevention. All-in-all it’s one of those summer fruits that are deliciously good for you. So simply blend and drink up!