With its great taste, nutritional value and low calories, cantaloupe is one of the healthiest foods known, and it is the most popular type of melon in the United States.
• The cantaloupe is known to have originated in an Italian village called Cantaloupe, in around 1700 A.D. But it is also claimed to have originated in Persia, India or Africa.
• Muskmelon is another common name for cantaloupe, for the musky aroma it gives out when ripe. It is known as rockmelon in Australia and spanspek in South Africa.
• The United States, Turkey and Iran are the biggest producers of cantaloupe.
• It was introduced into North America by Christopher Colombus .
• Cucumis melo reticulatus is the scientific name for cantaloupe.
• Cantaloupe is the most popular variety of melon of the cucumber family, along with squash and pumpkins.
Cantaloupe Nutrition and Health Benefits:
• Cantaloupe is fat and cholesterol free and low in calories. A serving of cantaloupe has only 56 calories . It’s one of the sweetest indulgences with the lowest calories you can find.
• It is a great fruit to have if you are not sleeping well. It may decrease your heart rate, help you relax and reduce stress .
• It has been known to calm your nerves and help decrease anxiety with its calming effects .
• Cantaloupe contains the adenosine compound, which provides relief from angina and is used as a blood-thinning agent in patients with heart disease.
• The folate content helps with the production and maintenance of new cells, especially during pregnancy and infancy.
• It may even help you stop smoking as it is found to help reduce nicotine withdrawal .
• Vitamin C in cantaloupe helps stimulate the white blood cells in order for it to fight infection. It keeps your immune system healthy and helps fight off viruses and bacteria.
• Vitamin C is also essential for skin and joint health by its effect on collagen synthesis. Along with vitamin A and E – it helps to protect cells against oxidative damage.
• Fiber and the combination of B complex vitamins are great for supporting energy production through blood glucose stability and good carbohydrate metabolism.
• Cantaloupes are found to be more beneficial than carrots for your eyes thanks to its high in beta-carotene content, which your body converts into Vitamin A that may protect your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts.
• Vitamin A is mostly found in dairy products, but cantaloupe provides a way to get this important vitamin without the fat found in most dairy foods.
• Beta-carotene has also been the subject of extensive research in relationship to cancer prevention and prevention of oxygen-based damage to cells.
• Consumption of cantaloupes may reduce the risk of lung cancer in passive smokers, according to a research at Kansas University.
• Cantaloupe is a good source of potassium and this mineral helps lower blood pressure. It is also for contraction of the heart and other smooth muscle tissue and is needed by every cell in the body.
Cantaloupe Selection, Storage and Serving:
• Look for a ripe cantaloupe that is heavy for its size or listen for a hollow sound by knocking.
• Avoid cantaloupe with a cracked, bruised or softened rind.
• You can leave cantaloupe in room temperature until it is ripe then place in the fridge once cut open. It will be fine in the fridge for a few days and maintain its nutrients.
• Wash the cantaloupe’s rind before slicing it in half. This will prevent dirt transferring into the fruit.
• Try it with a scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream or low fat yogurt.
• Melon is perfect in breakfast cereals, fruit salads, yogurt, smoothies and salads.
• It is one of the most cooling foods in summer. Have it with cottage cheese and nuts.
• Cantaloupe does not hold up well to cooking but it can be pureed and used in a cold soup.