right – Popular with children and adults, melon which delightful It is packed with nutrients that can benefit your health. Being a refreshing snack in the summer, the benefits of melon are numerous because it contains a variety of them vitamin, minerals and antioxidants. As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, fruit it is also known as cantaloupe, melon pulp and cantaloupe.
Vitamins and minerals found in fruit include vitamins A, B, C, folic acid, iron, selenium and zinc. Cantaloupe’s most potent vitamins A and C are essential for maintaining strong, healthy hair and youthful skin. Vitamin A, known as retinol, is needed for sebum production. Keeps the scalp and hair hydrated and healthy looking.
Vitamin A repairs sun-damaged skin and repairs and stabilizes the skin’s collagen production. Participates in the growth and maintenance of all body tissues, including those that build skin and hair.
It is also important for maintaining proper eye health, building red blood cells, and operating an overall healthy immune system. Vitamin C helps build and maintain collagen, which provides structure to cells, skin and hair and aids in iron absorption because iron deficiency is directly linked to hair loss. Vitamin C is also one of the main requirements for the proper functioning of the immune system.
Among the many benefits of cantaloupe, a cup of fresh cantaloupe provides 65 mg of vitamin C which meets the recommended dose of 65-75 mg of the vitamin that adults should take per day. Vitamin C is also useful in the treatment of asthma. Also, the high potassium content (about 473 mg) in cantaloupe helps lower blood pressure. The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and antioxidant choline in fruit all support heart health.
Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their bright color. It is mainly present in yellow and orange fruits such as ripe melon. Once it enters the body after consumption, it is converted into vitamin A or acts as a powerful antioxidant to help prevent free radical attack on the body’s cells.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this fruit has more beta-carotene than apricots, oranges, peaches, or mangoes. Enjoy the benefits of cantaloupe as it contains nearly the same amount of beta-carotene as carrots. Tocopherol is another antioxidant found in melons that prevents cell damage caused by oxidative stress.
Eating this fruit is not only refreshing, but its high water content helps you stay hydrated. It works especially well during the hot summer months, when people lose a lot of water by sweating. Another important benefit of cantaloupe is that it is rich in potassium, an electrolyte that is lost due to excessive sweating, and contains many electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium and calcium.
This fruit is an excellent choice for increasing hydration. You can consume it as a post-workout snack that will help you recover and reduce muscle cramps or any type of fatigue or pain.
Along with their very high water content, fruit serves as food for gut bacteria and provides soluble and insoluble fiber that work together for gut health and help avoid constipation, promoting a healthy digestive tract.
Although available all year round, this melon shines during the summer when it’s really sweet and fresh on hand. To harvest a ripe cantaloupe when buying, make sure it is a rather heavy, sweet smelling cantaloupe with a slight yellow-orange hue. Remember to use it within the first 2-3 days for the best taste.
Various ways to enjoy the benefits of melon:
Enjoy it as a standalone snack or make a mixed fruit salad with pieces of fresh melon, pineapple and mango. You can add thin slices of ripe cantaloupe to your lemonade or iced tea. Make a melon smoothie with Greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, and a natural sweetener, or you can make a fruit sorbet with some lemon, honey, and water.
You can also enjoy the many benefits of melons by making fresh salsa, salads or fruit skewers with melon and strawberries and a yogurt sauce on the side. Another delicious way to consume it is to roast the fruit. Roasting may seem like an odd suggestion, but it brings out the natural sweetness of the melon. Here is the same recipe if you want to try it and enjoy the benefits of melon!
