Melon

1. General characteristics
2. Benefits and harm to the body
3. Nutritional value
4. Melon in cooking
5. Melon: the most popular species
6. How to choose the right melon
7. Interesting Facts
8. Things to know (Q&A)

In Mediterranean countries, melon can be seen in most restaurant dishes. In our region, this fruit is usually consumed only as a dessert, but adore it no less than the inhabitants of the sunny Mediterranean. So what made the melon so popular?

General characteristics

• general characteristics
• Benefits and harm to the body
• Nutritional value
• Benefits and harm to the body
• Possible dangers
• Melon in cooking
• Melon: the most popular species
• How to choose the right melon
• Interesting Facts

Melon is an oval-shaped edible fruit from the Pumpkin family. Today it is grown almost all over the world, but it comes from temperate and tropical latitudes. Melon is excellent at quenching thirst and is almost calorie-free. The edible part is the crumb from which the seeds are removed. In this way, she resembles a watermelon. But while watermelon is a huge berry, melon is biologically a vegetable [1]

Melons were already known in ancient times. Historical finds indicate that this fruit was grown by the ancient Egyptians on the banks of the Nile. In Russia, they learned about this culture in the 15th century and immediately credited it to their favorite sweets.

And already in those days, doctors used it to treat rheumatism and kidney diseases, as well as against worms and tuberculosis.

Benefits and harm to the body

Melon is light in taste and calories, sweet and refreshing. It is useful not only in the heat as a thirst-quenching product, its crumb contains many nutrients necessary for the body.

The properties of the melon have long been used in folk medicine. It is an essential vegetable for overweight people as it acts as a mild laxative and diuretic in the body. For the same reason, melon is used for diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. In addition, it is recommended for the relief of rheumatic pains and liver dysfunction.

There are reasons to consider this vegetable a medicinal food for people with heart problems, as it has a positive effect on the condition of the arteries and heart. The presence of beta-carotene and other antioxidants slows down the aging process of cells, strengthens the ability to resist free radicals. For this reason, the melon is listed as an anti-cancer food. Interestingly, in some countries it is used to treat colds, coughs and sore throats.

Like most other melons and gourds, this product contains substances that help fight stress, have a positive effect on the psyche and, therefore, the functions of the whole body. Regular consumption of this fruit can strengthen the body.

Melon is a vegetable with beneficial properties that people who struggle with hypertension and atherosclerosis will appreciate. It is known that this melon culture prevents the accumulation of dental plaque, has a beneficial effect on the health of the eyes, and also allows you to keep a beautiful tanned skin longer.

But the bitter melon is recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because it effectively lowers the level of glucose and triglycerides in the blood [2]

To summarize, the list of melon benefits would look something like this [3] [4] [5]

• the richest source of vitamins A and C;
• regulates blood pressure;
• prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
• improves vision;
• good for the skin;
• strengthens hair and nails;
• has a diuretic effect;
• promotes detoxification of the body;
• removes excess fluid;
• useful for fighting cellulite;
• reduces the risk of developing cancer;
• prevents depression;
• protects against stress;
• improves memory and concentration.

Possible dangers

Melon, being a fairly sweet fruit with a glycemic index of 65 [6] diabetes mellitus. In addition, it belongs to allergy-causing foods. Most often, people who are allergic to grass, pollen, watermelon or oranges, which are in the same group of allergens, react to this fruit.

Nutritional value

Melon is almost 90% water.

Vitamin E and beta-carotene were also found in this melon culture, which, in fact, determine its antioxidant properties. In addition, the fruit is rich in other valuable vitamins such as groups B (B1, B2, B6), A, C, D, as well as bioflavonoids. In addition, this product contains significant reserves of folic acid (vitamin B9), which is extremely important for the intrauterine development of a child. And if necessary, to saturate the body with magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus and iodine, melon is also best suited.

Melon in cooking

The juicy and aromatic pulp of this fruit is an excellent ingredient in fruit salads. But at the same time, yellow melons go well with ham, green ones with seafood, and honey melons are best used for making desserts and ice cream.

Mediterranean salad

To prepare this refreshing summer meal, you will need:

• melon;
• cucumber;
• Cherry tomatoes;
• a couple of mozzarella balls;
• Orange;
• basil leaves;
• olive oil;
• lemon juice;
• salt;
• pepper;
• sugar .

Cut balls from the melon pulp with a spoon, cut cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella into slices, peel the orange from the film. Mix all ingredients. Season the salad with olive oil, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Decorate the finished dish with basil leaves.

Melon with ham

Put spinach or green salad leaves on the bottom of the plate, on top of the greens - previously peeled and sliced ​​melon. The next layer is pieces of ham. Sprinkle everything on top with freshly ground pepper. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt in a separate bowl. Pour this mixture over the finished dish.

Melon: the most popular species

Depending on the color of the peel, taste, size and shape of the fruit, the following varieties of melon are distinguished.

"Cantaloupe"

You can recognize this variety by the spherical shape of the fruit and the orange pulp. The peel of such fruits is usually ribbed, gray-brown. Medium melons weigh about 1 kg, although some can be up to 5 kg. A 100-gram portion of pulp contains 34 kcal [8]

"Galia"

This popular sweet melon variety was bred in Israel. It is characterized by bright flesh, yellow-brown crust, as if covered with foil. The shape of the fruit is oval. This variety is an excellent source of vitamins C and A, pectin and antioxidants. A hundred-gram slice of this sweet contains approximately 38 kcal [9]

"Kassaba" ("winter melon")

The fruit of this variety can be recognized by its rounded shape and smooth yellow skin, sometimes covered with a mesh pattern. The pulp of a ripe vegetable is white and sweet, contains few calories (28 kcal per 100 g of product [10]

"Sugar"

Sweet and aromatic, creamy or pale green flesh, oval-shaped fruit with a smooth yellowish to greenish skin - this is a sugar melon. Average weight - from 1.8 to 3.6 kg. Caloric content - about 36 kcal per 100 g of pumpkin [11]

How to choose the right melon

As soon as the first melons appear on the markets, the desire to buy this juicy and sweet fruit immediately arises. But in order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is worth remembering a few rules:

Important:

Interesting Facts

Melon is a great fruit. It has excellent taste, quenches thirst, and also serves as a source of many elements important for the human body. Its taste is determined by the variety, but the beneficial properties are similar for everyone. This melon culture is equally good as a dessert and an ingredient in main dishes.

Things to know (Q&A)