Springtime is finally here and we’d like to celebrate it. Just in, fresh cantaloupe! This delicious, and all-too-frequently overlooked, fruit is an excellent source of essentials we all need. Tasty in fruit salad, blended in smoothies, on top of cottage cheese; the possibilities are endless. Cantaloupe is rich in vitamins A and C, packed with antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber. Usually, in the food group of fruit, berries get the first mention in nutrient shout outs; cantaloupe is a fruit that should get us thinking differently.
The edible seeds of the cantaloupe provide a measurable amount of antioxidant and anti inflammatory benefits as well as omega-3, which is healthy for your heart. The seeds, surprisingly, are a great source of protein, which is not derived from meat or dairy, so it’s totally vegan. You can consume them raw, separated from the ‘netting’ and roasted, or toss in the blender with your favorite smoothie mixings for hassle-free protein, plus no seeds in your teeth!
Now that you know how beneficial this melon is, you wanna make sure that you pick the perfect one. The first thing you want to do is pick one up and feel the weight. You want to be pleasantly surprised with how full and heavy it is. Then, you tap and listen. You want to hear a dull, deep sound. That means it’s ripe. If you hear a sound that’s higher and shallow, then your melon is probably not ripe. Next, press gently on the top, where the fruit was connected to the stem. It should give way but still not feel squishy. Last, the smell test. You turn the melon over, to the blossom end, and take in a breath. The riper the cantaloupe is, the more of a spectacular aroma you will take in.
I bet your mouth is watering already!
