Watermelon juice

Remove the rind and any seeds, cut the flesh into chunks and blend until smooth. For a clearer drink, strain it through a fine sieve; serve straight away or chill first.

Keep freshly made juice in a clean, sealed container in the fridge and drink it within 24 hours. It separates as it stands, so shake or stir it before pouring.

Yes. Freeze it in small portions, leaving space for expansion, and use within a few months for the best flavour. Thaw it in the fridge and stir well; it also works frozen in ice-lolly moulds.

A squeeze of lime and a few mint leaves sharpen its sweetness. It also works with cucumber, sparkling water or crushed ice, and can be used in a watermelon-and-feta salad dressing.

Juicing or blending breaks up the flesh, and straining removes much of its pulp, so the drink usually has less fibre than a piece of watermelon. The juice has 0.1 g of fibre per 100 g, while watermelon has 0.6 g.

By carbohydrate, watermelon juice is slightly higher: it has 9.7 g per 100 g, compared with 8.26 g in orange juice. Carbohydrate includes sugars but is not the same as a sugar measurement.

Yes: mix it with lime juice and sparkling water for a simple mocktail, or combine it with gin or white rum for a cocktail. Strain it first if you want a smooth drink without pulp.

Fresh juice should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours; refrigerate it promptly in a clean, covered container. Discard it if it has been warm for longer or smells fermented.