While cantaloupe’s rough, scaly skin isn’t exactly pretty on the outside, it’s the inside that counts with these melons. The fruit’s soft, juicy pulp and sweet flavor also make it the perfect substitute for high-calorie sugary snacks and desserts. One cup (diced) has just 50 calories!
The Beauty Fruit - Why They’re Super
One cup of cantaloupe delivers 100 percent of the daily recommended values of vitamins A and C, which is precisely why this melon qualifies as a “beauty fruit.” (Fun fact: No other fruit supplies more beta-carotene than cantaloupe!) Studies also show vitamin A may help protect skin against damaging UV rays and ozone. Cantaloupe may even help prevent wrinkles, since studies suggest low doses of beta-carotene can improve elasticity and premature aging of the skin
A cup of cantaloupe (one serving) is approximately one quarter of a medium melon (about 5 inches in diameter). Ripe cantaloupes should have a prominent golden brown netting on the rind that stands out from the underlying smooth skin, and should have a mildly sweet fragrance. Make sure to get all those beauty-boosting vitamins and enjoy cantaloupe with foods high in zinc, which helps the body utilize 100 percent of the vitamin A.
Tip: Try dipping cantaloupe slices in yogurt, which is naturally high in zinc!) And cantaloupe isn’t just for eating - it doubles as the perfect hair conditioner during the summer months.
Pregnant women, women of childbearing age, alcoholics, patients taking anti-convulsant medications and those having nutritional anemia are advised to increase their folate intake to prevent health complications associated with folate deficiency.
Boost your vitamin A intake with fresh cantaloupe.
Melons, such as watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe, all contribute to this daily fruit intake. Besides being part of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, which reduces the risk of digestive issues, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, cantaloupe also offers specific health benefits thanks to its nutrient content.
Vitamin A
Fresh cantaloupe's orange color provides a hint as to its nutrient content. Vitamin A in your system helps maintain healthy tissues, contributing to bone maintenance, functional retinas, skin cell growth and a strong immune system. Eating cantaloupe on a regular basis helps to avoid the symptoms associated with vitamin A deficiency, including loss of vision and a weak immune system.
Vitamin C
Cantaloupe serves as a rich source of vitamin C, an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the growth and repair of tissues within the body.
Eating fresh cantaloupe also boosts your intake of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. As an antioxidant nutrient, vitamin C protects your cells from oxidative damage -- damage to your DNA, proteins and cell membranes as a side effect of your metabolism. Preventing this damage proves helpful in fighting disease, and individuals who consume a diet rich in vitamin C have a decreased risk of several types of cancer, including esophageal and colorectal cancer, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Potassium
Cantaloupe also offers heath benefits because of its potassium content. Potassium helps support your metabolism, activating enzymes responsible for breaking down carbohydrates into usable fuel for your cells.
Potassium is an electrolyte, a mineral that conducts electricity within the body together with sodium, calcium and magnesium. Potassium plays a very important role in muscle and heart contraction and blood pressure control.
Carotenoids
Cantaloupes contain carotenoids, the yellow, orange and sometimes reddish pigment synthesized by plants. According to Linus Pauling Institute, the increased intake of carotenoids from fruits, such as cantaloupes, can decrease a patient’s risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.
Get More Cantaloupe
Spice up your white fish or chicken breasts with cantaloupe and jalapeno salsa or blend cantaloupe with onion, jalapeno, cucumber and red bell peper for a refreshing and nutrient-packed gazpacho.
sources:greatist.com
livestrong.com
healthyeating.sfgate.com
The Beauty Fruit - Why They’re Super
A cup of cantaloupe (one serving) is approximately one quarter of a medium melon (about 5 inches in diameter). Ripe cantaloupes should have a prominent golden brown netting on the rind that stands out from the underlying smooth skin, and should have a mildly sweet fragrance. Make sure to get all those beauty-boosting vitamins and enjoy cantaloupe with foods high in zinc, which helps the body utilize 100 percent of the vitamin A.
Tip: Try dipping cantaloupe slices in yogurt, which is naturally high in zinc!) And cantaloupe isn’t just for eating - it doubles as the perfect hair conditioner during the summer months.
Pregnant women, women of childbearing age, alcoholics, patients taking anti-convulsant medications and those having nutritional anemia are advised to increase their folate intake to prevent health complications associated with folate deficiency.
Boost your vitamin A intake with fresh cantaloupe.
Melons, such as watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe, all contribute to this daily fruit intake. Besides being part of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, which reduces the risk of digestive issues, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, cantaloupe also offers specific health benefits thanks to its nutrient content.
Vitamin A
Fresh cantaloupe's orange color provides a hint as to its nutrient content. Vitamin A in your system helps maintain healthy tissues, contributing to bone maintenance, functional retinas, skin cell growth and a strong immune system. Eating cantaloupe on a regular basis helps to avoid the symptoms associated with vitamin A deficiency, including loss of vision and a weak immune system.
Vitamin C
Cantaloupe serves as a rich source of vitamin C, an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the growth and repair of tissues within the body.
Eating fresh cantaloupe also boosts your intake of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. As an antioxidant nutrient, vitamin C protects your cells from oxidative damage -- damage to your DNA, proteins and cell membranes as a side effect of your metabolism. Preventing this damage proves helpful in fighting disease, and individuals who consume a diet rich in vitamin C have a decreased risk of several types of cancer, including esophageal and colorectal cancer, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Potassium
Cantaloupe also offers heath benefits because of its potassium content. Potassium helps support your metabolism, activating enzymes responsible for breaking down carbohydrates into usable fuel for your cells.
Potassium is an electrolyte, a mineral that conducts electricity within the body together with sodium, calcium and magnesium. Potassium plays a very important role in muscle and heart contraction and blood pressure control.
Carotenoids
Cantaloupes contain carotenoids, the yellow, orange and sometimes reddish pigment synthesized by plants. According to Linus Pauling Institute, the increased intake of carotenoids from fruits, such as cantaloupes, can decrease a patient’s risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.
Get More Cantaloupe
Spice up your white fish or chicken breasts with cantaloupe and jalapeno salsa or blend cantaloupe with onion, jalapeno, cucumber and red bell peper for a refreshing and nutrient-packed gazpacho.
sources:greatist.com
livestrong.com
healthyeating.sfgate.com
Health Benefits of Cantaloupe
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