Sometimes the best foods need no recipe at all. I'm a big believer that fruit is at its best when it is ripe and left to shine on its own. Granted, there are some amazing recipes out there that you can use with fresh fruit. However, I still believe that there is nothing better than freshly picked fruit, washed, and cut up, then eaten as is. It's like Nature's Candy! Luckily for fruit lovers like me, there's an abundance of tasty fruit available in the summer months. Cantaloupe, for example, has just come into season, and I was able to pick up a fresh melon at a local farm the other day. You know you've picked a great melon when you slice it open and you can immediately smell its sweet aroma. |
Anyway, here are the
Top 10 Reasons to Enjoy Cantaloupe!
- Cantaloupe has a high water content, so they are naturally cooling in the hot summer months.
- They also contain a very high content of vitamins A and C. In fact, just one cup of this fruit can give you 100% of your daily dose of both vitamins. (Of course we’re talking true Vitamins A and C, and not the synthetic stuff that a lot of store-bought foods are “fortified” with.)
- It beats many of the foods we typically associate with important nutrients. For example, it is the number one fruit for beta carotene content and actually has more lycopene than tomatoes! It also has more potassium than bananas!
- It’s been nicknamed by some as the “beauty fruit” because the beta carotene and Vitamin A help to produce clear skin and reduce the formation of wrinkles.
- Since they are filled with B Vitamins, folate, magnesium, copper and vitamin K, in addition to the nutrients listed above, cantaloupe is considered to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cleansing properties all in one.
- Like all fruit, cantaloupe has a lot of insoluble and soluble fibre, natural sugars, carbohydrates and is not a significant source of fat.
- Regular consumption of cantaloupe (among other healthy foods and lifestyle factors of course) can have a positive effect on degenerative diseases because of its remedial properties and can help to improve cardiovascular or kidney diseases.
- And before you throw away those seeds, did you know that cantaloupe seeds contain an extraordinary amount of protein compared to any other food that is not meat or dairy based?
But of course, the number one reason to enjoy cantaloupe is because of its soft, fleshy texture and amazing taste!!