What is Cantaloupe?
Cantaloupe is a climbing and scrambling annual plant of the family ‘Cucurbitaceae.’ The texture, size, shape, rind, and flavor vary across species of the fruit. Being an annual crop, it completes its entire life span in a year. Botanically the fruit from cantaloupe has a similar appearance and taste to cucumber. Stems are tired with wavy margined, pubescent, and irregular lobed leaves which 6 inches in length across. Flowers then grow into slender fruits with light rinds. Fruits are enjoyed without peeling. It has an orange, mildly sweet, and compact flesh with soft brown and thin rinds. The meat of this fruit gets tougher and dries on maturation. The periphery of the fruit contains oval, milky seeds, which are about 0.4 inches long. Other types of Cantaloupes have red or yellow flesh, which is not very common. The colorful varieties of Cantaloupes are often less flavorful.
It is a popular melon type in the United States and is widely cultivated in California and Europe. Cantaloupes are high in niacin (vitamin B1), fiber, folate (B9), vitamin B6 and also retinol (Vitamin A). It has a rather shallow content of sodium, fat, and cholesterol. Being a good source of ascorbic acid, it defends our body against pathogens, and potassium aids in the control of blood pressure, heart rate and prevent stroke and coronary heart diseases. It has a lot of antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which prevents the risk of macular degeneration (an age-related disease). Cryptoxanthin is also a flavonoid that prevents oxidative free radicals and inhibits risks of cancer of the lung, prostate, breast, endometrium, and pancreas.
Amazing Health Benefits
A sweet, moderate slice of cantaloupe is appetizing on a hot summer day or any period of the year. Like other melons, it has a high moisture content (about 90 percent), but is filled with water doesn’t steal its nutritional value.
A cantaloupe is filled with nutrients: It is loaded with retinol (vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene) as well as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and is a great source of potassium. Another smart benefit is that cantaloupe fruit’s flesh is full of flavor but low in calories. The melon is a good bet when it comes to nutrients per calorie.
A serving of cantaloupe contains just about 55 calories (due to its high moisture content) but offers over 100 % of one’s daily requirement for retinol (vitamin A), over 50 % of the daily requirement for ascorbic acid, 1.5 g of fiber, and is also a great source of potassium.
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Highly Hydrating
When it comes to fruits with great moisture content, watermelon (surprisingly) takes top ranking, but our cantaloupe melon is not far behind. Cantaloupe has 90 percent water per gram.
Cantaloupe is an amazing fruit to treat dehydration, even on a hot day. Because it has so much water, a cup also has just 53 calories.
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Anti-inflammatory Strength
In every portion of cantaloupe you each, you are sure to get lutein, cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin. Note them down in your diary! Note that antioxidants are also well known for their anti-inflammatory strength, plus their ability to ward off harmful cancer-causing free radicals in the body. Both zeaxanthin and beta-carotene are thought to play vital roles in eye health and also reduce risks of age-linked macular degeneration.
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Prevent Cancer
Cantaloupe is high in nutrients, which aid in combating cancer and eliminating free radicals that spur harmful conditions like heart problems and cancer. It is high in beta carotene, which is vital for the body. It is associated with the reduction of various types of cancer, and some phytochemicals act to prevent tumor development. Carotenoids found in these fruits prevent and reduces the chances of cancers. High intake of foods rich in carotenoids helps to lower the risks of developing cardiovascular sickness and all manner of cancer.
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Antioxidant Power
Cantaloupe is really high in vitamins C and A. Both vitamins C and A are antioxidants that work together in keeping our bodies healthy. Antioxidants have protective effects of neutralizing free radicals, which may damage cell DNA and encourage chronic inflammation in the body.
Free radicals expose cells to degradation and disruption that may lead to diseases. These vitamins may help combat conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
5. Healthy Pregnancy
Cantaloupe is high in folate (vitamin B9). In addition to being peculiar to the production of red blood cells, folate also performs other important tasks.
Folate is much needed during the first trimester of pregnancy for the healthy formation of a fetus’s neural tube. It is recommended that all ladies of child-bearing age get 400 g of folate daily because a baby’s neural tube forms in the very early ages of pregnancy (often prior to a woman even knows she is pregnant).
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Top-Notch Immunity
Okay, yes, mangoes and oranges and have tons of ascorbic acid. But one cup of cantaloupe has 59 milligrams of the stuff (almost 79 percent of daily recommended value). That is a bit beyond what one would get from a small orange. Vitamin C plays a vital role in our body’s healing function, protection against damages from harmful free radicals, and iron absorption. A researcher says vitamin C may reduce recovery time by having a prolonged explosion to cold, thus boosting the immune system too.
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Reduce Anxiety and Stress
Cantaloupes are good sources of potassium, which act as a vasodilator to relax blood vessels and aid in reducing blood pressure. Increased blood pressure level acts as stressors and may increase stress hormones release, such as cortisol. It even enhances the flow of blood and oxygen to our brains to encourage relaxation and calming sensation. Moreover, stress hormones help to reduce anxiety symptoms. Potassium also normalizes the heartbeat and aids the supply of oxygen to the brain, which keeps one more focused and relaxed. Superoxide dismutase aids to combat stress by lowering the blood pressure and relaxing or soothing nerves. It also prevents cellular necrosis, which is spurred by oxidative stress. It calms your nervous system and controls sleeping disorders.
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Eye Health
Do you need an active eye? Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet can keep your eyes alert and may also help in warding off macular degeneration and cataracts, two most-seen age-related eye issues, according to a School of Public Health. The retinol (vitamin A) found in the fruit is a key nutrient for good sight.
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Boost Energy
Cantaloupe has an adequate amount of energy that keeps you fit during activity. It provides up to183 calories in a 552 g serving of Cantaloupe. This high amount of calories is burned in 30 min. of trekking. It does not need any pancreatic enzymes to digest it because it is loaded with a lot of live enzymes.
10. A Good Source of Potassium
If you crave more potassium, the first food that ought to come to your mind is probably bananas. And as bananas are good sources of potassium, so also is cantaloupe: a researcher says that a serving contains about 10 percent of the daily required value. Potassium is very essential for cardiac health, specifically working to keep healthy blood pressure. With reduced blood pressure also comes a reduced risk of stroke, according to Harvard Health.
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Gut-saving Fiber
A high-fiber diet, of course, provides a lot of health benefits, including reduced levels of blood sugar and bad cholesterol, improved gut function, healthy weight gain, and a lowered risk of mortality. Cantaloupe contains beyond five percent of your daily recommendation for fiber intake, so consider it lower of a fix-all and more of this new fiber-rich fruit to add to your routine.
Metabolic syndrome
Several researchers have concluded that taking cantaloupe reduces the chances of showing metabolic syndrome in women; this may be caused by the increase in blood pressure, increased blood sugar, excessive fat deposition, and abnormal cholesterol levels. This raises the chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The studies proved that women who take a high amount of fruit have remarkable healthy levels of C-reactive protein in their circulation and reduced the risks of metabolic syndrome. The high content of vitamin B9 prevents the chances of neural tube defects in babies.
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Healthy Menstrual Cycle
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) found in these fruits helps to regulate menstrual flow and give relief from menstrual cramps in ladies (young and old). The regular consumption of cantaloupe reduces the clotting and flow during menstruation.
