Cantaloupe is a famous crop and also known as melon or muskmelon in United States. Cantaloupe is a member of guord ( Cucurbitacea ) family, same with other melon types such as honey dew, watermelon, cucumber and etc. This melon has orange flesh with yellow skin background and musky aroma. Cantaloupe or Cucumis melo var. Cantaloupensis is mostly grown in Europe but later become a famous crop in United State.
It is believed that cantaloupe is originated from Africa then brought to America during sixteenth century.Nowadays cantaloupe is mostly grown in Asia and United States. China is the country who produce the most number of melon including cantaloupe, even it reaches 25 millions production each year.
Nutrition Facts
Cantaloupe provides several nutrients that important to your body. Below are the nutrition facts of cantaloupe :
Amount Per 1 melon, medium (about 5″ dia) (552 g)
Calories 186
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1 g 1%
Saturated fat 0.3 g 1%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.4 g
Monounsaturated fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 88 mg 3%
Potassium 1,474 mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 15%
Dietary fiber 5 g 20%
Sugar 43 g
Protein 4.6 g 9%
Vitamin A 373%
Vitamin C 337%
Calcium 5%
Iron 6%
Vitamin D 0%
Vitamin B-6 20%
Vitamin B-12 0%
Magnesium 16%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Health benefits of cantaloupe to eat regularly is very recommended. Even cantaloupe is not really familiar to be served during breakfast, you will wonder that this fruit has lots of benefits. Cantaloupe nutrition is not much more than other fruit but it still give us benefits since we eat it in large portion , unlike other fruit which consumed in small amount. These are the health benefits to eat cantaloupe in breakfast :
1. Provide energy for your activity
2. Keep you from hunger before lunch
Benefits of Eating Cantaloupe for Breakfast is preventing hugh hunger. Cantaloupe not only contain calories which provides your energy, it also contains fiber which slowly digest inside the body. The fiber contained in cantaloupe remain satiety for some hours before next meal.
3. Clean digestion
Rather than having heavy meal such as bread, sausage or meat in the morning, it is better to consume cantaloupe. The fiber in cantaloupe can help your digestion system doing its function and it also serve benefits in cleaning the digestion tract. Healthy digestion is one of the key of healthy body.
4. Prevent constipation
Usually constipation occur because some problem which arise in digestive system. Unhealthy bowel movement can cause stomach pain and constipation. It is suggested to eat cantaloupe in the morning to prevent constipation and make your tummy feel better.
5. Improve vision
Cantaloupe is very high in Vitamin A which is important to keep healthy vision. Just by eating small amount of cantaloupe you can fulfill your daily need of Vitamin A. Vitamin A which acts as antioxidant in cantaloupe is reported can decrease the risk of age macular degeneration.
6. Maintain healthy metabolism
Metabolism is important to keep energy level and control our activities such as movement. Cantaloupe contains group of Vitamin B such as vitamin B6, and B12 which are co-factor of several metabolism enzyme.
7. Prevent from asthma attack
For people who suffer from asthma, it is suggested to start your day by consuming healthy food which can prevent you from having attack. Study reported that vitamin C and beta-caroten contained in cantaloupe can reduce the risk of developing asthma.
8. Keep normal blood pressure
Cantaloupe is high in fiber and other nutrients which affect to the cardiovascular health. The fiber in cantaloupe can bind the cholesterol and get it out from the body. Cholesterol is culprit among cardiovascular system and it can cause several problem such as atherosclerosis and heart disease
9. Reduce the risk of heart disease
By keeping normal blood pressure and remain a healthy blood vessel, cantaloupe also has benefits to keep the heart from certain disease. People who consume cantaloupe during breakfast is tend to have lower risk of developing heart disease.
10. Strengthen the bones
If you don’t have enough milk to fulfill the amount of your calcium intake? Don’t worry. Cantaloupe provides some amount of calcium which protect your bone mass. Despite calcium, cantaloupe also contain amount of magnesium which play important role in calcium absorption.
11. Prevent cancer
Breakfast is not only the key of proving energy and keep your activities well, it has further benefits that protect you from cancer. Many toxic and carcinogenic substances which we found everyday,. The high level of antioxidant in cantaloupe can help your body to fight free radicals which can cause cancer.
12. Hydrate your body
After sleeping whole night your body lost some amount of liquid. By consuming cantaloupe in breakfast, you don’t only get the benefits of nutrient but also gain the water which stored inside the flesh. Same as other type of melon, cantaloupe also contains high amount of water which can help to hydrate your body even in hot summer.
13. Faster healing wound
Cantaloupe has many nutrients which can help the body to heal wound. High level of vitamin C in cantaloupe can promote the body to regenerate new cells and heal wound. It is also reported that cantaloupe can reduce inflammation which occur in the body.
14. Beautify hair and skin
If you want to have rosy and bright cheek or skin face, it is recommended to consume cantaloupe regularly everyday. The vitamin A and C in cantaloupe are important to keep healthy skin and it also promote hair growth. Vitamin C is also known can trigger the production of collagen, a substance which keep firm and supple skin. Sometime people not only eat it to gain this benefit, they also use cantaloupe as face mask.
15. Prevent you from influenza
The high dose of Vitamin C in cantaloupe can prevent your body from viral infection. Vitamin c in cantaloupe acts as immune booster which can be a shield of your body in fighting viral infection such as influenza.
Health risk of cantaloupe
Just like other melon, cantaloupe grow in the ground which may lead bacteria to stick on its surface. Make sure to wash it clean to remove bacteria and pesticide recidu. Avoid to eat leftlover cantaloupe which has been exposed to room temperature in more than two hours. Several health case are reported after eating cantaloupe that has been cut, people may experience diarhoea or constipation which is caused by Salmonela bacteria infection.
How to purchase and store cantaloupe
How to prepare and enjoy cantaloupe
Those are the benefits of eating cantaloupe as your breakfast. Cantaloupe is not only fresh and juicy, it is also healthy and give you many benefits to pass your day. So why not try to start your day by consuming fruit such as cantaloupe?