The cantaloupe is what I like to call a 'peripheral fruit', and by this I mean it is one that is there and available, but not many people actually use it as much as they could, for various reasons. The majority of the time it is because this melon-like fruit is just not as popular as other household fruits such as the banana or the apple.
The aim of this article is to provide you with a bit of extra information on the cantaloupe, or 'rockmelon', as it is known in some areas. Not only am I going to highlight some amazing nutrition facts about the cantaloupe, but also show you that even as far as fruits go, this delicious example is low in calories.
What is a cantaloupe?
If you are one of the many people out there who doesn't know what a cantaloupe is, and believe me you are not alone, then it is a type of melon that is greeny orange on the outside, with a texture that looks a bit like a net. They come in all different sizes and weights, from as small as just a pound, to as heavy as over ten pounds. Inside the hard outer rind is a bright orange color edible flesh, and the very middle is where you will see the seeds, much like other melons such as the watermelon.
How many calories in a cantaloupe?
I am going to start off by explaining how many calories are in a cantaloupe. Fruits have a positive stigma about them in that they are healthy and good for you, well of course it is not different when it comes to the cantaloupe. A huge positive about fruits are that they are generally low in calories, hugely so in comparison to fatty and processed foods that many of us are responsible for eating every day.
When you find a fruit that in comparison to the rest is low in calories, then you know you are onto something good.
This is the case when it comes to the cantaloupe, as for every ounce of cantaloupe that you eat, you are only consuming 10 calories, which is nothing when it comes to the total number of calories that you should be eating each day.
If you were to eat a 1/8 wedge of cantaloupe from a large fruit weighing around 6 oz including the rind, you are still only consuming around 35 cantaloupe calories.
Putting it into perspective there are some 100 calories in a medium sized banana, and 65 calories in a medium sized orange.
As if the fact that there are so few calories inside a cantaloupe is not reason enough to eat it, there are loads of cantaloupe nutrition facts that are also going to act as strong encouragement to include this in your diet. These are covered below.
Amazing cantaloupe nutrition facts
In order for your body to carry on working as it should, it is vital that you keep it well nourished. The best way to do this is ensure that you are eating a balanced diet, and including lot's of fresh foods in it such as fruits and vegetables. Each fruit and vegetable, along with everything you eat, have various nutritional properties that can help to keep the levels of necessary vitamins and minerals in your body topped up to a safe level. When it comes to cantaloupe nutrition this is no different.
One amazing nutritional benefit of the cantaloupe is that in just one 3.5 oz serving it provides you with almost half of the vitamin C that you need for the entire day, and a fifth of the total vitamin A that your body requires. On top of that you are also gaining the following nutrients, that can strongly contribute to your body's levels of them:
Beta Carotene
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B9
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Calcium
Iron
Magnesium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Zinc
Protein
Fat
Dietary Fiber
Sugars
Carbohydrates
Water
Each of the above nutrients plays a role, or in most cases various roles, in keeping your body fit and healthy, and making sure all of the processes that take place in order for you to stay alive, tick along nicely.
Eating fruits like the cantaloupe are a brilliant way to keep your calorie count down, and your nutritional levels up.
I hope that this article has provided some inspiration to check out the cantaloupe next time you head to your local supermarket, store or market. If you keep your eyes peeled for it you cannot miss it's uique appearance.
You will find that the above cantaloupe nutrition facts are similar to an array of other fresh fruits and vegetables, so the more of them you include in your diet, the better.
Steve Wright is an internet writer and nutritional expert. With various websites to his name including the popular http://www.calories-in-foods.com/, he strives to share his work with as many people as possible online. Residing and working in the UK he is an avid follower of the ATP world tennis tour and Liverpool FC.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_D_Wright
No comments:
Post a Comment