One of many people’s least favorite fruits, the cantaloupe is believed to date back to approximately 2400 BCE, although its exact origin remains largely unknown. Some food historians believe it originated in Persia, while others say that cantaloupe was first cultivated in Italy with seeds brought by travelers and merchants from Armenia.
The fruit is depicted in Egyptian paintings dating back to thousands of years ago and other references in various writings of the era indicate that fruits identified as melons were familiar with the Hebrews, the Babylonians, and the Assyrians.
The popularity of melons in ancient times
In times as old as from the days of Moses melons such as the cantaloupe and the honeydew were widely consumed and preferred by people of all social classes. The fruits were craved by the common citizens, eaten by the Babylonian kings and grown in the gardens of the Assyrians.
The Assyrian herbal lists melons as one of the vegetable drugs used by Assyrian physicians in those times in medicine. The monograph refers to approximately 250 drugs altogether.
In the Middle Eastern melons were identified as a blessing and melon seeds were extremely popular with the rulers of ancient China.
Many other references exist that indicate how popular melons were in ancient times and that the fruit, although not exactly the variety we know today, was recognized for the medical benefits as well as for being tasty and refreshing.
There is health in melons – “He who fills his stomach with melons is like he who fills it with light – there is Baraka in them.”
Baraka in Islam refers to a blessing or a spiritual power that some people attain with certain practices. This Middle Eastern proverb indicates that melons were of importance to the people back in the day when so many fruits were used more for medicinal purposes than as food on its own.
One of the most important health benefits related to cantaloupes is eye health. The fruit is rich in vitamin A known to play a critical role in maintaining good vision and proper eye health in addition to supporting neurological functions and longevity.
One cup of cantaloupe contains 100 percent amount vitamin A of the daily recommended intake. The same serving size contains only 56 calories, which means the cantaloupe supports weight loss and is a good snack food.
Cantaloupe full nutritional profile for 1-cup serving
Vitamins
Vitamin A 5987 IU
Vitamin C 65.0 mg
Vitamin E 0.1 mg
Vitamin K 4.4 mcg
Thiamin 0.1 mg
Niacin 1.3 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Folate 37.2 mcg
Pantothenic acid 0.2 mg
Choline 13.5 mg
Betaine 0.2 mg
Minerals
Calcium 15.9 mg
Iron 0.4 mg
Magnesium 21.2 mg
Phosphorus 26.5 mg
Potassium 473 mg
Sodium 28.3 mg
Zinc 0.3 mg
Copper 0.1 mg
Manganese 0.1 mg
Selenium 0.7 mcg
Fluoride 1.8 mcg
Cantaloupe contains zero cholesterol, 0.3 grams fat and 15.6 carbohydrates, of which 1.6 is dietary fiber, 13.9 represents sugars, and 0.1 grams is starch. The fruit also provides 1.5 grams protein per the same amount of serving.
Overall the cantaloupe is one of the most-nutrient fruits that provide a large variety of nutrients. An excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C, cantaloupes provide relevant amounts of potassium and B-vitamins, magnesium, vitamin K, and fiber. They have excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, containing many anti-inflammatory phytonutrients among which alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin.
Cantaloupes are available year-round but peak season is at the height of summer through early autumn.
It is important that cantaloupes are picked fully ripen because once picked, they will not ripen any further, so while the fruit may continue to soften, it will only remain as sweet as at harvest time. It will not produce any more sugars after and the flavor will depend a lot on how ripen is.