Today we celebrate National Watermelon Day. That’s pretty good timing, right? After all watermelons are mostly water, around ninety-two percent water, in fact. Eating watermelon (or drinking watermelons in the form of juice or smoothies) can be a refreshing way to get your fluids during what can be an extremely hot and humid time of the year.

Of course, eating fruits and vegetables are a good idea during any time of the year. They provide all sorts of nutrients that can help build our bodies, keep them strong, and ward off disease. Because of those benefits, healthy meals and nutritional counseling are often important components of treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

Fruits and vegetables also provide other benefits. For one, they add a lot of bulk to our diets without adding a lot of fat or calories. Unless you eat them with generous amounts of substances such as cheeses, sauces, dressings, and starches, which I’ve been guilty of doing. (But hey, the nutrients are still there, right?) Seriously, though, although these sauces and other add-ons can be tasty, more plainly prepared versions of fruits and vegetables are better nutritional options.

Eating vegetables and fruits can help us satisfy our appetites for longer periods of time. If we’re fuller, we’re less likely to be hungry. We’re less likely to turn to eating larger portions or choosing high-fat, nutrient-poor foods. We might even be less inclined to use drugs or alcohol because we confuse hunger pangs with drug cravings. Whether people can have an addiction to sugar is still a matter of debate. What isn’t up for debate, however, are the benefits of fruits such as watermelon.

I’m not a food dictator or even much a cook, so I can’t give you pointers on how you should enjoy watermelon. The best watermelon recipe I’ve ever had was also one of the simplest: a mixture of watermelon and strawberry juice. If you want to experience the refreshing sweetness of watermelon, do what you think will taste good. If it is good, share the recipe with someone.