The orange melon, the “old person’s breakfast food,” the cantaloupe is a great nutritional source. We don’t advocate scooping out the seeds and replacing the hollow center with cottage cheese, though; that defeats the purpose of eating cantaloupe. Cantaloupe is rich with various vitamins and minerals, making it a nutritional powerhouse that is low in sugar, fat, and replete with dietary fiber.
A lot of people eat cantaloupe because it helps to improve digestion, regulate blood sugar, improve eyesight, and it is great for you skin and hair. Cantaloupe also helps to keep you hydrated! Here are more reasons why we love cantaloupe.
Supports Digestive Health
Cantaloupe has been proven to help support digestive health. Eating one cup of cantaloupe supplies you with 5% of your recommended daily intake of fiber. If you need help regulating bowel movements, eat cantaloupe to help remove toxic waste build-up.
Immune Booster
A lot of people go for oranges when it comes to getting vitamin C, but other fruits have better vitamin C content. One wedge of cantaloupe has 62% of your daily vitamin C requirement and in case you didn’t know, vitamin C helps to strengthen your immune system.
Reverses Aging
Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, cantaloupe helps to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Additionally, it helps to decrease chronic inflammation, which in turn promotes vitality that is essential for a longer life.
Great For Your Eyes
There’s no shortage of vitamin A, which is great for healthy eyesight, in cantaloupe. The vitamin A content, in combination with the antioxidants, works to nourish your eyes and decrease your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. You can get 67% of your daily vitamin A requirement by eating 100 grams of cantaloupe!
Helps You Hydrate
Staying properly hydrated can work wonders for your body. Give yourself a hydrating hand by eating cantaloupe! Cantaloupe is about 80% water, so eating it helps to flush toxins from your organs, while also balancing your electrolytes.
Weight Be Gone
There are foods that can help support weight loss; cantaloupe is one of those foods. Cantaloupe is very low in calories (54 calories per cup) and it is rich in dietary fiber, which can promote healthy digestion. A healthy digestive system is key for weight loss.
Reduces Blood Pressure
Cantaloupe contains high amounts of magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin C, all of which work together to lower blood pressure. These nutrients help to increase circulation, relax arteries, and reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Combats Cancer Cell Growth
Believe it or not, there are anti-cancer compounds in cantaloupe, such as lutein, zea-xanthan, cryptoxanthan, and beta-carotene. By eating cantaloupe, the body absorbs these compounds and uses them to help inhibit the population of diseased cells throughout the body.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar
Much like mango, cantaloupe can help regulate blood sugar. It is a low glycemic index fruit, which helps to keep your blood sugar levels even, preventing any dips, spikes, or changes in energy. One cup of cantaloupe only has 13 grams of sugar.
It’s A Great Detoxifier
In addition to all the benefits mentioned in this article, cantaloupe helps to detoxify the body. Because cantaloupe contains water, antioxidants, potassium, iron, and other beneficial nutrients, it can help flush toxins from your body and clean out your major systems and organs.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.