Cantaloupe is commonly known as muskmelon and kharbuja especially in India however also famous as rock melon and sweet melon all over the world. It is found in many varieties, shapes and colors and belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family.
It was originated in the India, Iran and Africa whereas first cultivated in the Europe and then spread in various regions of the world. It is greatly found during summer season especially from April to August. It is a sweetest and amazing fruit having cooling effect on the body during whole summer season. Its high water, minerals and vitamins content are great source of nutrition required to nourish the health.
Benefits of Muskmelon (Cantaloupe/Kharbuja) Fruit
It is considered as the ideal summer fruit because of its high water, minerals and vitamins content which helps in balancing the fluid and electrolytes loss during summer season. It involves in managing body heat as well as helps in combating heat related health disorders because of its cooling effects. Some of the outstanding nutritional health benefits of the muskmelon are mentioned below:
Benefits of Muskmelon for Digestive System
- Its high water and dietary fibers content help people to get relief from the constipation and other digestive disorders if consumed regularly.
- This fruit is very good for the digestion provides relief from the acidity and stomach problems.
- It properly nourishes the digestive system, stimulates its functioning and helps in treating lack of appetite.
- It makes the bowel movement very smooth and easy thus helps in keeping proper digestion.
- It provides relief from the diarrhea if it is eaten by sprinkling the mixture of kali mirch, ginger powder, sendha namak and roasted powdered jeera.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Skin
- It is naturally loaded with the high level of phytonutrients (alpha and beta-carotene), folates, folic acid, potassium, vitamins like C, E, K and A which are highly required nutrients to keep skin natural, soft, glowing, healthy and younger looking.
- Including it as a part of daily diet gives fast result for skin.
- It contains a most essential element of the skin called collagen which helps in maintaining the natural skin integrity and texture. It also fastens the wound healing process as well as maintaining the skin firmness.
- It prevents from the rough and dry skin problems, removes black spots, blemishes and other scars.
- It helps in maintaining skin hydrated and rejuvenating as it contains vitamins K, B and E.
- It helps in inducing skin regeneration process by inducing the collagen formation thus provides skin youthful glow and natural elasticity.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Women
- Its high potassium level helps in excreting extra sodium in the body and maintains blood pressure to the normal level thus helps women during menstruation by reducing the heavy blood flow and clots formation.
- Regular consumption of the musk melon during lactation helps mothers by enhancing the sufficient breast milk production to properly feed their baby.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Weight Loss
- It is a very low calorie fruit having high amount of dietary fibers, water, minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients which acts as a great snack in between the meals.
- It calms down the hunger pangs in very healthy ways so it is great to have as a snack instead of eating unhealthy items.
- It is a very good option for those greatly conscious towards their health and weight as it effectively helps in managing the weight without much effort.
Benefits of Muskmelon during Pregnancy
- It is rich in folic acid and iron which are very essential for both mother and baby. It keeps baby healthy and provides better environment for the proper growth and development by preventing baby from the birth defects.
- It provides relief from the morning sickness during first trimester of pregnancy.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Heart
- It prevents from the risk of stroke and heart diseases as it contains an anticoagulant compound called adenosine which has ability to stop the blood clot formation.
- It contain high potassium and no cholesterol thus helps in regulating the blood pressure under control and very helpful for the normal heart functioning.
- It prevents from the arteriosclerosis means hardening of the arteries and reduces the risk of heart attacks.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Cancer Prevention
- It reduces the risk of cancer as it contains antioxidant flavonoids and carotenoids which are anti-cancerous in nature and inhibits the growth of cancerous cells.
- It safeguards the body against harmful effects of free radicals thus prevents from early ageing and various cancers like colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterus cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and etc.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Diabetes
- It prevents from the diabetic nephropathy (damage of the kidney cells due to high blood sugar level) as it is a fruit of low glycemic index and contains simple sugar (fructose and glucose) thus safe for people suffering from diabetes.
Benefits of Muskmelon for Hair
- It is the richest source of vital nutrients and essential minerals which helps in maintaining the growth of hair and health of scalp.
- It prevents from the hair fall and hair loss by promoting proper hair growth if consumed regularly.
- It acts as a good hair conditioner in the hot season if hair scalp is massaged properly with muskmelon pulp and then wash.
Other Health Benefits of Muskmelon
- Its high water and minerals content provides natural cooling and soothing effects thus provides relieve from the heartburn and kidney problems.
- It is highly diuretic in nature which keeps kidneys safe by keeping it away from the kidney diseases if it is taken once in the morning regularly.
- It reduces the risk of kidney stones formation as well as prevents from the age related bone loss.
- It is the rich source of vitamin C which acts as a powerful antioxidant agent and provides body a disease fighting ability by enhancing the immunity level.
- It prevents from the urinary tract infections, ulcers and etc problems.
- It is a very good energy booster because of the B group vitamins availability.
- It has mild laxative property which provides relief from the tiredness by promoting proper sleep.
- Vitamin A found in it nourishes the nerve tissues of the eyes thus prevents from the age related macular degeneration, loss of vision, cataracts and etc.
- It helps in maintaining the proper nervous system functioning by regulating proper electrolyte balance in the extracellular fluid. It helps in reducing water retention in the body thus prevents from being edematous.
- It is a mild anti depressant thus provides relief from stress by stimulating the proper brain functioning.
- It makes defense mechanism of the body stronger to check the foreign bodies attack thus prevents from various infections.
- It reduces the bad cholesterol level in the blood, stimulates weight loss, cures infections, ulcer, constipation, skin disorders, acidity, and nervous system disorders.
- It makes body strong and healthy by preventing from the sciatica, arthritis, bone diseases, urinary diseases and various skin diseases.
- It helps in removing internal problems by purifying the blood and making the joints healthy and strong.
- It helps in keeping the brain healthy and strong by improving brain power and preventing from the stress, depression, sleeping disorders, summer heat and other brain problems.
- It prevents from the heat stroke during whole summer season by keeping the body cool and rehydrated.
- It keeps liver healthy by regularizing its functioning and removing swelling problems if it is consumed regularly.
Benefits of Muskmelon Juice
- It is a natural diuretic and laxative in nature thus prevents from many problems like lack of appetite, infections, acidity, constipation, ulcer, weakness and etc.
- It is a natural aphrodisiac which enhances sexual desire among men and cures erectile dysfunction.
- Drinking musk melon juice by mixing with powdered mishri and lemon juice prevents from the stone formation, constipation, urinary tract infections and various digestive system disorders.
Benefits of Muskmelon Seeds
- Eating muskmelon seeds provides help to get rid of intestinal worms and regulates proper digestion. It also helps in curing cough, indigestion, fever and etc.
- It helps in relieving from the mind tension if paste of the musk melon seeds is applied to the forehead for some time.
- Drinking juice (sarbat) of the musk melon seeds by mixing it properly also keeps mind stress free and cool.
Nutritional Value of Muskmelon per 100 g
(Source: USDA Nutrient database)
Energy: 34 Kcal
Carbohydrate: 8.6 g
Protein: 0.84 g
Fat: 0.19 g
Dietary Fibers: 0.9 g
Sugar: 7.86 g
Vitamins
Thiamin (B1): 0.017 mg
Riboflavin (B2): 0.026 mg
Niacin (B3): 0.734 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5): 0.105 mg
Pyridoxine (B6): 0.072 mg
Folates: 21 µg
Choline: 7.6 mg
Vitamin A: 3382 IU
Vitamin E: 0.05 mg
Vitamin C: 36.7 mg
Vitamin K: 2.5 mcg
Electrolytes
Sodium: 1 mg
Potassium: 267 mg
Minerals
Calcium: 9 mg
Copper: 41 µg
Iron: 0.21 mg
Phosphorus: 15 mg
Magnesium: 12 mg
Manganese: 0.041 mg
Zinc: 0.18 mg
Phyto-nutrients
Alpha-carotene: 2020 µg
Beta-cryptoxanthin: 1 µg
Lutein-zeaxanthin: 26 µg
How to Enjoy
It can be enjoyed in variety of ways such as simple slicing, decorated slicing, fruit salad, juice, seeds, jam, sorbet, ice-cream, cold soup, mix musk melon slices with yogurt, lemon and mint.
How to Select and Store
It is widely available in the market during summer season. Try to buy only organically grown muskmelons as they contain more nutrients and no harmful chemicals. It should be with intact, smooth, soft skin, well shaped and mature, bright color and fresh. Avoid buying bruised, wrinkled skin, deformed, dull color and unripe muskmelon.
Disadvantages, Side Effects and Precautions
Muskmelon does not have any disadvantage, side effect or allergic fruit however eating inorganically grown muskmelons should be avoided to get prevented from pesticide residues. Eating more muskmelons should be avoided during pregnancy, breast feeding or any serious condition of the health. Whole muskmelon should be washed properly under running water as it may cause some infections and digestive problems.
How Much Muskmelon to Eat a Day
Eating muskmelon during summer season is very good and healthy for the body nourishment however its high dose should be avoided. 300-400 gm of the muskmelon can be eaten by any normal person during the summer season but should be immediately consulted by the physician if any problem occurs.
