Cantaloupe Facts
All About Cantaloupe Facts
• Cantaloupe is the most popular of the melons in the United States. They can usually be found year-round now, but their normal growing season is from June through September. Most cantaloupe, facts state, that is consumed in the United States is grown in California.
• The cantaloupe got its name from a village in Italy, Cantalup, where it was first produced. Its relatives include the pumpkin, squash, gourd and cucumber. Cantaloupe is called “rockmelon” in some countries in the world.
• Got vitamins? Cantaloupe offers over 100% RDA of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Cantaloupe facts confirm that they also have potassium, Vitamin B6 and dietary fiber, as well as Vitamin B3 (also known as niacin). The fruit is also a good source of antioxidants, which help you to maintain your immune and cardiovascular systems.
• Cantaloupe facts maintain that the fruit may prevent heart attacks, because it provides your body with nitric oxide. And the fruit's nutrients help you to keep your skin healthy because they encourage the growth of new skin cells. They also support the production of collagen, and that protects your skin from age spots and wrinkles that you might get from exposure to UV rays. Cantaloupe is even an all-natural antihistamine, that can help you overcome the congestion and stuffiness of a cold.
• Any cantaloupes grown outside the Mediterranean area are actually called muskmelons, dispelling the myth that they are two different fruits. Cantaloupes are only picked after they are nearly ripened on the vine. You can tell a ripe cantaloupe by the smell – it should be sweet, cantaloupe facts say – and the skin should be yellowish in color.
• To select a good ripe cantaloupe, tap the melon with your hand. It should sound hollow. Pick one that feels heavy, rather than light, and one with no soft spots or bruises. The rind should be whitish or yellowish, not green. Make sure you can smell the sweetness of the fruit, but if the smell is too strong, the melon may be over-ripe.
• Some enticing ideas for using cantaloupe in recipes:
• Add fresh squeezed juice from a cantaloupe to sparkling water, and it will make a wonderfully refreshing drink for you and your family.
• Puree cantaloupe, facts say, with soft peeled peaches to make a great cold fruit drink. You can add honey and lemon juice to make it sweeter or more tangy.
• Slice melons in half and then remove the seeds with a scoop and fill the melon half with fruit salad for a wonderfully edible bowl.
• Slice cantaloupe into medium slices and top them with yogurt. Use chopped mint as a garnish. It's refreshing and an eye-appealing treat!