Can You Eat Cantaloupe Every Week and Why?
Cantaloupes are deliciously sweet fruits that have many benefits for your health. Also known as mush melons, Persian melons, rock melons, and muskmelons, cantaloupes are an ideal part of your daily diet because they are
extremely healthy. A cup of diced melon, which is about 156 grams, can give you the following nutrients:
- 53 calories
- 13 grams carbohydrates
- 3 grams fat
- 12 grams of sugar
- 3 grams protein
- 4 grams fiber
Cantaloupes also have vitamins A, C, B6, K, folate, and niacin. They also give you magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron.
Health Benefits
Cantaloupes are nutritious, so it is easy for them to provide the following health benefits:
- Preventing macular degeneration: Cantaloupes are rich in zeaxanthin, which is an antioxidant that can filter out dangerous light rays, therefore effective in protecting the eyes.
- Stopping asthma attacks: According to research, people who consume more nutrients, including beta-carotene can provide help in having stronger immunity. Beta-carotene is found in orange and yellow fruits, including cantaloupes. This nutrient, along with vitamin C, can easily ward off asthma attacks.
- Lowering blood pressure: cantaloupes have potassium, fiber, choline, and vitamin C. When all of these are combined, they can boost your heart health. Additionally, cantaloupes have high potassium content, which is effective in decreasing blood pressure levels. You need to eat foods that are rich in potassium, especially if you always consume foods that are high in sodium. This way, you can easily treat your hypertension or high blood pressure problems.
- Avoiding cancer: Beta-carotene has another benefit where it plays a huge role in protecting the body against prostate cancer based on the findings of a study done at the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Department. Beta-carotene can also help in reversing the development of colon cancer.
- Improving digestion: Cantaloupes are moist and are rich in fiber. Given this combination, it is no wonder that this fruit can prevent constipation and help you have a healthy digestive tract.
- Preventing inflammation: As mentioned, cantaloupes have choline, which is an essential nutrient in helping you sleep well at night. Choline also plays an important role in muscle movement, memory, and learning ability. Choline is also effective in maintaining cellular membrane structure and helps in absorbing fat. The nutrient can reduce chronic inflammation, which is key in preventing serious illnesses, including heart diseases.
Cantaloupes are not only juicy and sweet, but are also nutritious. You can eat them raw or you can blend them to your smoothies. Whichever method you prefer, consuming this fruit can give you plenty of benefits that can improve your health.