Fresh cantaloupe slices are delicious on a hot summer day, or at any time of year for that matter. Cantaloupe, like other melons, has a high water content (about 90%), yet this popular fruit's high water content does not imply that it is low in nutritional value.
The truth is that a cantaloupe is bursting at the seams with nutrients: it's high in vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin C, and it's a rich source of potassium. Another advantage is that the deep-orange flesh of the fruit is packed with taste while being low in calories.
This melon is a fantastic pick when it comes to nutrients per calorie.
Despite the fact that one cup of cantaloupe contains only about 55 calories (due to its high water content), it provides more than 100 percent of your daily requirements for vitamin A, more than half of your daily requirements for vitamin C, 1.5 grammes of fibre, and is a good source of potassium.
A 2006 research published in HortScience discovered that cantaloupes have even greater levels of beta-carotene, which are plant pigments present in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, and which the body converts to vitamin A, than oranges despite the fact that oranges are brighter in colour. In terms of vitamin A content, cantaloupe is among the best sources among fruits and one of the finest sources among melons.
Jump to:
- 1. Dietary Supplements
- 2. About melons
- 3. Choosing a ripe fruit
- 4. Advantages in terms of health
- 5. The ability to fight off free radicals
- 6. Heart health is important
- 7. Eye health is very important
- 8. Digestion
- 9. Cantaloupe has a number of risks associated with it
- 10. Instructions on how to chop a cantaloupe
1. Dietary Supplements
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, the following are the nutritional data for one cup of cantaloupe:
Approximately 1 cup of diced cantaloupe per person (160 g) Calories: 54 (Calories from Fat: 3) *Percent Daily Values (percent DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and are rounded to the nearest whole number.
2. About melons
According to World's Healthiest Foods, it is believed that the fruit was called "cantaloupe" after Cantalupo, an Italian village near Vatican City, where melon seeds transported from Armenia were grown in the papal gardens during the Renaissance.
Watermelons, honeydew melons, casaba melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers are all members of the Cucurbitaceae, or gourd family, which also contains other plants that grow on vines such as watermelon, honeydew, and casaba melons, as well as pumpkins, squash, and cucumber.
According to the University of Illinois Extension, the cantaloupe is a kind of muskmelon that grows in the United States. Cantaloupes (Cucumis melo reticulatus) grown in North America are distinguished by a uniform "netting" covering the rind; European cantaloupes (Cucumis melo cantalupensis) have greener skin, less netting, deeper grooves, and would surprise most Americans by being referred to as cantaloupes in North America.
3. Choosing a ripe fruit
The selection of a fresh cantaloupe might be difficult due to the fact that you cannot see inside the melon. However, according to Mangieri, the freshness of the fruit is essential to preserving its sweet taste. Selecting the ripeness of a cantaloupe is easy: just pick up the fruit and feel how heavy it is compared to your expectations. When you position your nose near a ripe melon, it should smell delicious, and you should be able to push a little amount of flesh out of the skin with your thumb.
If the melon is not quite ripe when you purchase it, you may leave it out on the kitchen counter for a few days until it becomes ripe. However, do not wash the fruit at this time; instead, wait until you are ready to chop the melon before washing its exterior surface to decrease the possibility of bacterial development.
While a cantaloupe will grow softer and juicier with time, the sugar content [and sweetness] of the fruit will not rise much after it is picked.
4. Advantages in terms of health
Cantaloupe is a fruit that has not been extensively researched on its own. For the most part, research on the health benefits of melon has concentrated on the total dietary intake of fruits and vegetables in general, or on diets high in specific nutrients or plant compounds found in these fruits, such as carotenoids, potassium, or vitamin C. Other studies have looked at diets high in specific nutrients or plant compounds found in these fruits, such as lycopene or vitamin C. Consequently, it is difficult to get definitive conclusions on the particular health advantages of cantaloupe.
5. The ability to fight off free radicals
The antioxidant vitamins A and C, according to Mangieri, help to maintain the health of your body's cells. Antioxidants may have protective benefits by neutralising free radicals, which can damage DNA in cells and cause chronic inflammation in the body. Free radicals are responsible for DNA damage in cells and the promotion of chronic inflammation in the body.
Free radicals induce cell damage and disruption, which may result in the development of illnesses. The addition of [antioxidants such as vitamins A and C] may aid in the prevention of illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis, according to Mangieri.
6. Heart health is important
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there is good evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as the ability to lower blood pressure.
7. Eye health is very important
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, including more fruits and vegetables in your diet will help keep your eyes healthy and may even help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, two major age-related visual issues.
According to Mangieri, the vitamin A present in cantaloupe is a critical ingredient for maintaining strong eyesight.
8. Digestion
The fibre and water in cantaloupe may promote digestion and help avoid constipation when consumed as part of a high-fiber diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as other fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
9. Cantaloupe has a number of risks associated with it
In general, eating cantaloupe presents no danger to the majority of individuals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cantaloupes have been related to more than ten foodborne disease outbreaks in the previous 10 to 15 years, with the majority occurring in the United States (CDC). The bulk of these cases included bacterial infections caused by salmonella, but individuals have also been affected by E.coli, and there have been a few fatalities recorded as a result of a multistate listeria epidemic.
One study, published in Epidemiology and Infection in 2006, discovered that the intake of cantaloupe was connected to 25 outbreaks that were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 1973 and 2003. More than 1,600 individuals were infected as a result of these outbreaks, but the researchers believe that the true number of persons afflicted by contaminated cantaloupe was likely significantly higher since some instances of cantaloupe-related sickness may not have been reported to health authorities.
According to Colorado State University, cantaloupe may be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of foodborne illness because the fruit is grown in close contact with the ground, where it may become contaminated with bacteria from the soil, water, or animals before it is harvested, making it more susceptible to outbreaks. Aside from that, the melons have an exterior surface that is rough and textured, which might trap germs. Bacteria may also be spread during the processing of pre-cut melon, when a knife is used to cut through infected rinds, and this is known as cross contamination. If the same infected knife is used repeatedly, it has the potential to spread germs to the flesh within. If you're chopping cantaloupe at home, be sure you follow these safety guidelines:
The consumption of cantaloupe does not always pose a danger of bacterial infection. Some persons who are allergic to ragweed pollen may also have symptoms of oral allergy syndrome after consuming melons such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It is possible that some individuals who have ragweed allergies may have an itching sensation in their throats and lips, as well as swelling in their mouths, tongue, and throat, if they consume cantaloupe for the first time. As a result of the resemblance between the allergy-causing proteins in ragweed pollen and the proteins found in food, the body's immune system triggers the response. (In addition to melons, ragweed patients may be sensitive to other fruits and vegetables such as kiwi, banana, cucumber, and zucchini.)
10. Instructions on how to chop a cantaloupe
- Ensure that the melons you purchase do not have any noticeable bruises, cracks, or soft places on the skin.
- Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and water before handling cantaloupes.
- Before eating the melon, scrub the outside of the fruit with a vegetable brush while it is still wet with cold tap water. To remove extra water from the fruit, pat it dry using paper towels.
- Remove the cantaloupe's stem end (where the fruit was linked to the vine) and discard it by cutting it off with a clean knife and cutting board and throwing it away. It has been shown that this location is the most likely to contain bacterial contamination, according to recent studies.
- Remove the seeds and threads from the melon by cutting it in half and scooping them out. Cut the orange flesh into little pieces using a knife or a melon baller.
- After chopping up the melon, wash any tools or cutting boards that were used in hot, soapy water before putting the sliced melon in the refrigerator.
Surprising facts
Cantaloupe seeds may be roasted and enjoyed as a healthy snack in between meals.
California is the state with the highest cantaloupe production in the United States. It is where more than half of all cantaloupes cultivated in the United States are produced. Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, and Texas are the next six states on the list.
Cantaloupes are also imported into the United States on a yearly basis, particularly from Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
