Why Eating Cantaloupe is Packed with Nutritional Benefits for Your Health
Cantaloupe is not only nutritious but also delicious and versatile. With just 60 calories and no fat in a one-cup serving, it can provide valuable nutrients and a touch of sweetness to your healthy eating habits. While it may not receive the same recognition as other fruits, it truly deserves appreciation.
This tasty but odd melon is a nutritional powerhouse. If you make a habit of grabbing a cantaloupe on your visits to the produce section of your grocery store, it may be time to reassess your selection. Adding any kind of fruit to your menu has its benefits, and cantaloupe, a form of musk melon, shines as a stellar choice.
Beta-carotene: Cantaloupe surpasses all yellow-orange fruits for beta-carotene. Cantaloupe has more beta-carotene compared to apricots, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, tangerines, nectarines, and mangoes. Orange-flesh melons like cantaloupe contain a level of beta-carotene about equal to carrots, according to research.
Beta-carotene is one of the carotenoids, which are a class of pigments that color fruits and vegetables such vibrant colors. Upon ingestion, beta-carotene is an easily absorbed form of vitamin A. It is also a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radical cell damage in the body. Vitamin A is essential for preserving eyesight, making healthy red blood cells, and maintaining a strong immune system.
Vitamin C: One cup of balled cantaloupe yields more than 100% of the daily value for vitamin C. Vitamin C is required for the structure of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and bone's organic element known as collagen.
Further research should be conducted about vitamin C so that its actual effectiveness in such conditions as asthma, cancer, and diabetes would be established. However, a diet rich in vitamin C could perhaps reduce the length of the symptoms when one develops a typical cold. Evidence also shows that in adults, vitamin C has a 8 percent reduction on the duration of the common cold, while for children, the reduction is about 14 percent.
Folate: Vitamin B-9, is the term used when it occurs naturally in foods, whereas 'folic acid' refers to the synthetic form that is used in supplements and fortified products.
Folate may lower the risk of certain cancers and improve age-related memory loss, but more research is required. In terms of cancer, folate may have both positive and negative effects. Different research studies by international agencies suggest that vitamin folate might prevent the incidence of early-stage cancers especially among people suffering from folate deficiency. However, high dosages of vitamin B-9 could feed or aggravate late-stage cancers.
A pregnant woman or woman of childbearing age should consume 400-600 micrograms of folate daily. Men aged 13 years and older require 400 micrograms a day. Consumption of two cups of cubed cantaloupe provides 74 micrograms of folate, about 19 percent of your daily quota.
Water: Similar to most other fruits, cantaloupe is made up of almost 90 percent of water. Eating cantaloupe keeps you well-hydrated during the day; this is beneficial for your heart. If you are drinking enough water, your heart does not have to work as hard to keep blood flowing around your body. Hydration is good for digestion, healthy kidneys, and normal blood pressure levels. Mild dehydration can lead to dizziness, headache, less urination, dry skin, dry mouth, and constipation.
Severe cases can lead to severe problems, which include fast heart rate, confusion, decreased blood pressure, and shriveled skin, unconsciousness. In addition, dehydration also leads to an increased risk of getting kidney stones. For hydration, plain water will be your best selection. Eaten fruits that are high in water, such as cantaloupe, also help.
Fiber: The benefits of fiber go far beyond the mere prevention of constipation. Consumption of a high-fiber diet lowers blood risk for developing heart disease and diabetes, thus contributing to losing weight by increasing your feeling of fullness for a longer time.
Potassium: One wedge of a medium cantaloupe provides 4 percent of your daily potassium requirement. This essential electrolyte mineral is necessary to maintain the right balance of water between cells and body fluids. Potassium also plays a role in nerve function and muscle contraction. A potassium-rich snack, such as cantaloupe, consumed after exercise helps replenish lost electrolytes.
Other vitamins and minerals: A serving of cantaloupe, which is one cup, contains 1.5 grams of protein and small amounts of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, niacin, choline, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. Cantaloupe is a well-rounded and healthy fruit option with these nutritional benefits.
Selecting cantaloupe: Although cantaloupes are available throughout the year, they are at their best during summer when freshness and sweetness are at their peak. A ripe cantaloupe should be symmetrical and have a good weight. It should be creamy, light yellow-orange in color with very little green. A mature cantaloupe emits a sweet, faintly musky scent. For the best flavor, use the cantaloupe within three days of purchase.
Use of cantaloupe: Cantaloupes are delicious eaten fresh or in fruit salad, but they also have some other uses. Here are a few examples:
Cantaloupe smoothie. This is a healthy drink that combines cantaloupe, Greek yogurt, and a natural sweetener. It is an excellent breakfast or snack.
Cantaloupe salad. This is a refreshing combination of cantaloupe, basil, mozzarella, onions, red wine vinegar, and olives, which is savory.
Making this chilled delight is quite simple. This icy treat has only four ingredients: cantaloupe, lemon, honey, and water.
Roasted cantaloupe. Many do not think about roasting cantaloupe, but this actually develops the sweetness in the fruit.
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