What is a melon?
The melon is the fruit of Cucumis melo. The most common varieties are two: reticulatus and cantalupensis. This is a species of the family Cucurbitaceae whose origin is still uncertain. Currently the main producers of melons are Turkey, Iran and Egypt.
What are the nutritional properties of the melon?
100 g of melon (edible portion) provide 33 calories broken down as follows:
- 85% carbohydrates
- 10% protein
- 5% lipids
In particular, 100 grams of melon bring:
- 90.1 g of water
- 0.8 g of protein
- 0.2 g of lipids
- 7.4 g of soluble sugars
- 0.7 g of fiber
- 0.19 g of soluble fibers
- 0.55 g of insoluble fibers
Among the vitamins and minerals , 100 g of melon provide:
- 32 mg of vitamin C
- 0.6 mg niacin
- 0.05 mg of thiamine
- 0.04 mg of riboflavin
- 189 micrograms of vitamin A (retinol equivalent)
- folate
- vitamin B6
- vitamin K
- 333 g of potassium
- 19 mg of calcium
- 13 mg of phosphorus
- 8 mg of sodium
- 0.3 mg of iron
- magnesium
The melon is rich in carotenoids (especially alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) and is a source of flavonoids (luteolin), ferulic acid, caffeic acid and cucurbitacin B and E.
When should you NOT eat melon?
The melon may interfere with the action of diuretics.
Seasonality of melons
The melon season starts in May and ends in September.
Possible benefits and drawbacks of the melon
The nutrients in the melon make it a good source of substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory attributes. Its consumption has been associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, a dangerous condition for the health characterized by a set of problems, among which may for example be included elevated levels of blood lipids, hyperglycemia, high blood pressure and being overweight.
It has also been shown that phytonutrients present in melon can improve insulin metabolism and sugar in the blood and that they may, in the case of diabetes, help reduce oxidative stress and improve insulin resistance.
