Popular with children and adults, cantaloupe can make a refreshing, healthful, and easy summer dessert, while their high water content helps prevent dehydration.
This type of fruit also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Other names for cantaloupe include muskmelon, mush melon, rockmelon, and Persian melon. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with honeydew melons, watermelons, and cucumbers.
Benefits
The water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in cantaloupe can provide a variety of health benefits.
Antioxidants, for example, can help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer and other health conditions.
During metabolism, the body produces unstable molecules called free radicals, which can collect in the body and damage cells. This damage is known as oxidative stress. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from the body and prevent oxidative stress.
Canteloupe contains a range of antioxidants, including:
selenium
beta carotene
vitamin C
lutein
zeaxanthin
choline
It is worth noting that, while the nutrients in food are essential for maintaining a healthy body, scientific investigations into the effects of these nutrients often deal with supplements, rather than dietary sources, and the results may be somewhat different.
Asthma
Studies in animals have suggested that consuming a large amount of the antioxidant beta carotene, a form of vitamin A, may help prevent asthma from developing later in a person’s life.
Beta carotene is in yellow and orange fruits, such as cantaloupe. A cup — or 177 grams (g) — of cantaloupe balls contains 3,580 micrograms (mcg) of beta carotene.
Experts recommend a daily beta carotene intake of 18,000 mcg each day for males ages 14 and older and 14,000 for females in the same age group.
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin and antioxidant that may protect against asthma. Some experts have suggested using vitamin C supplements to treat asthma.
A cup of cantaloupe balls provides 65 mg of vitamin C. Current guidelines recommend that adult females consume 65–75 mg of vitamin C a day and that adult males consume 75–90 mg.
Also, people with asthma who received choline — another antioxidant in cantaloupe — as a treatment experienced a reduction in levels of inflammation, according to a 2010 study.
Most studies focus on antioxidant supplements, however, which provide much stronger doses than dietary sources of nutrients.
Blood pressure
The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and choline in cantaloupe all support heart health.
Consuming foods rich in potassium can help decrease blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that an average adult consume 4,700 mg of potassium a day to keep the cardiovascular system healthy.
A cup of cantaloupe provides around 473 mg of potassium, or 10% of a person’s recommended daily intake.
Find out about other foods that may help lower blood pressure.
Cancer
Beta carotene, tocopherol, and other antioxidants in cantaloupe may help prevent cell damage caused by oxidative stress.
There is evidence that taking supplements containing these and other antioxidants may reduce the risk of lung, prostate, and other types of cancer.
Dietary fiber also appears to offer protection from colorectal cancer. A cup of cantaloupe contains 1.6 g of fiber.
Digestion
Cantaloupe has high water content and provides fiber. Fiber and water can help prevent constipation, promoting regularity and a healthy digestive tract.
Hydration
With its high water and electrolyte contents, cantaloupe is a good choice for boosting hydration during hot summer months or after a workout.
A 177-gram cup of cantaloupe balls contains 160 g of water.
Examples of electrolytes in cantaloupe include sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Skin and hair
Vitamin A contributes to the growth and maintenance of all tissues in the body, including those in the skin and hair.
Vitamin C enables the body to produce collagen, which provides structure to cells, skin, and hair.
A 2019 review found that a range of minerals and vitamins may play a role in promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss.
Many are present in various amounts in cantaloupe, such as:
vitamins A, C, and E
B vitamins
folate
iron
selenium
zinc
Cantaloupe also contributes to overall hydration. Studies suggest that consuming additional water may help keep the skin supple, although more evidence is necessary to confirm this.
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