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Melons and summer seem to naturally go hand-in-hand.  Delicious and juicy, melons make a perfect treat for hot sunny days.  Despite their sweetness, melons are a low-calorie food full of water and nutrients. ½ cup serving has a mere 30-35 calories!

Melons can be classified into two groups:  watermelons have a smooth thicker skin while muskmelons have a rough netted skin.  Both are members of the gourd family and grow on vines.  You may be familiar with certain varieties of these melons such as cantaloupe and honeydew.   However, you may not recognize other types such as crenshaw, casaba, or Persian. Other more entertaining types include Santa Claus melon (it ripens in December) and Snap melon (it snaps open when ripe).

Nutrition

The nutritional content of melons varies.  For example, yellow or orange melons such as cantaloupe are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects against cancer.  Watermelon on the other hand is rich in lycopene, a carotenoid that may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.  Because melons are mostly water, eating them on a hot sunny day is a good way to stay hydrated.  Melons are a good source of vitamin C, important for wound healing and collagen formation, potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and they contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol.

Buying Melons

Choosing a melon can be a bit of a challenge unless you know what to look for.  Cantaloupes and other muskmelons should yield to gentle pressure and smell fragrant at the stem and blossom ends.  Hard skin varieties such as watermelon should sound hollow when tapped and have a yellow patch on their belly to show that they ripened long enough on the vine. All melons should be heavy for their size. Avoid netted melons such as cantaloupe that have pieces of their stems remaining as this is an indication that the melon was harvested too early.  Keep in mind that melons do not ripen after they are picked, so what you bring home from the grocery store is what you get.

Storing Melons

Store whole melons in a cool dark place. Once cut, melons should be refrigerated. It is important to always wash the melon before cutting it. If this is not done, surface dirt containing bacteria may contaminate the fruit. Do not leave cut melons out at room temperature too long (such as day long picnics). Unlike most other fruit, melons do not have a high acid content, and are therefore more susceptible to spoilage. Throw out cut melon that has sat at room temperature for longer than four hours.

Eating Melons
Melons are delicious eaten on their own but they also add colour and texture to many dishes. Add cantaloupe to a raspberry smoothie. Top melons with Greek yogurt or serve them with a spinach salad and fresh mint. Melons can also be used to make a fruit salsa to serve with toasted cinnamon pita chips. Cantaloupe is delicious as a first course wrapped with prosciutto.