The cucurbitaceae family is one of the most amazing families in existence. They include such delicacies as squash, cucumbers and the melon. Those with edible fruits are some of the earliest cultivated plants we know of and in a tomb in ancient Egypt about 2400 BC there is a picture of a melon. Upon closer inspection we find that all melons have amazing nutritional qualities and really should become part of daily diet. When I added melon to my diet I started to feel so much better, had more energy and all those aches and pains started to disappear. So now let us look at three of these wonder fruits to see what they do contain.

Honeydew

This melon is high in Vitamin C, B6 , Potassium and folate the water, soluble B vitamin. They also contain Vitamin K, some iron and some calcium. A great surprise is also that they contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. For a complete run down of the nutritional analysis please visit the Nutrition Data honeydew page. The high water content and presence of Potassium make this melon great for maintaining blood pressure levels

Cantaloupe

The cantaloupe has been used in many detox programs for its cleansing effects on the kidneys. It also contains more vitamin C than the honeydew as well as a high amount of Vitamin A and can reduce the risks of cataracts. In fact cantaloupe melons seem to be better for eye health than carrots. Please refer to the Nutrition Data cantaloupe page for a complete list of nutrition facts.

Watermelon

The water melon has been claimed as a “negative” calorie food. This means that it takes more calories to burn the food than contained within the food itself though has yet to be proved. Again good amounts of Vitamins A and C make this a great food. Once again please refer to the Nutrition Data watermelon fact sheet. Watermelons also contain lycopene, in fact more lycopene than tomatoes. Lycopene is what give the melon its red colour and as an antioxidant lycopene can prevent various forms of cancer.

Melons are like one giant, watery multivitamin and certainly taste better and when combined with papaya make for a fantastic healthy diet.

Once purchased any melon should last for 2 or 3 weeks. however, once cut they need to go in the fridge, if there is any left over to go into the fridge. When choosing melon there are a few things to watch out for. Firstly being a vine fruit there will be a side that the melon has been resting on the ground. For water melons check that this side is a pale gold colour and not white. The outer surface should be dull not shiny and there should be hollow sound when slapped. I prefer to slap the watermelon with the palm of my hand rather than use my knuckles. The cantaloupe and honeydew melon will smell sweet when they are ripe. Pick one up and breathe in that delectable scent. You will definitely know when it is ripe when you can smell that sweetness.

So go out there and start slapping and smelling those melons. You might get a few funny looks, however you will open up a fresh new world of nutrition and health