Remember those cantaloupe seeds that I planted? Well, I ignored them and they grew and produced like crazy. It was a rocky patch and after a few days they emerged like weeds. I now have big ones and small ones. I’ve shared with the workmen, neighbours and friends, made juices and smoothies and it is still bearing. As for the corn, only a few survived, and the ones that did, were long and thin (remember, the corns were disturbed as the men mined for stones, so they were lodged in very unsuitable rocky soil).
I’m very proud of the collection. The watermelons didn’t do as well. I’m only seeing two growing; they too were planted where the men mined for rocks.
And as for the health benefits of the cantaloupe,it has been identified as one of the best fruits to eat for breakfast and it’s an important nutrient for smooth, younger-looking skin because of its high water concentration. This also helps one to stay hydrated and feeling full for longer.
I’ve learned that it is a great source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids – beta-carotene content can reach levels as high as 3,138 micrograms (per 100 grams of fresh weight)). That’s about 30 times higher than the beta-carotene content of fresh oranges but less than the beta-carotene range for fresh carrots (about 8,300 micrograms). As a source of vitamin A, 100 g provides 3382 IU or about 112% of recommended daily levels, one of the highest among cucurbita fruits. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant and is essential for healthy vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A has been known to help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. It is also:
- very low in calories (100 g fruit has just 34 calories) and fats. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in numerous health promoting poly-phenolic plant derived compounds, vitamins, and minerals that are absolute for optimum health.
- rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, zea-xanthin and cryptoxanthin. These antioxidants have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen-free radicals and hence; offer protection against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
- an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eye where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV light-filtering functions. It, thus, offers protection of eyes from “Age-related macular degeneration” (ARMD) disease in the elderly.
- a moderate source of electrolyte, potassium. 100 g fruit provides 267 mg of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids and helps control heart rate and blood pressure. It thus offers protection against stroke, and coronary heart diseases.
The fruit also contains moderate levels of B-complex vitamins, such as niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin C, and minerals like manganese. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Commercially, muskmelons are being used to extract an enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), which plays a vital role as strong first-line antioxidant defenses inside the human body.
The total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of cantaloupe melons is 315 µmol TE/100 g. The value for honeydew melon is 241 µmol TE/100 g.
According to the George Mateljan Foundation, intake of cantaloupe has been found to lower the risk of metabolic syndrome. In a study involving hundreds of women living and teaching in Tehran, Iran, the lowest risk of metabolic syndrome was found to occur in women who ate a minimum of 12 ounces of fruit per day. The five primary fruits involved were apples, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, and bananas. Women who consumed the largest amounts of these fruits were also determined to have the healthiest levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their bloodstream. CRP is an indicator very commonly used to assess levels of inflammation, and it’s very likely that the anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in cantaloupe and other fruits contributed not only to these participants’ healthy levels of CRP but also to their decreased risk of metabolic syndrome.
So maybe you should add some cantaloupe to your posh farm. I can now say, it is one of the easiest fruit to produce. Here is the full shebang according to the USDA.
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 34 Kcal | 1.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 8.6 g | 6.5% |
| Protein | 0.84 g | 1.5% |
| Total Fat | 0.19 g | <1% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.9 g | 2.25% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 21 µg | 5% |
| Niacin | 0.734 mg | 4.5% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.105 mg | 2% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.072 mg | 5.5% |
| Riboflavin | 0.026 mg | 2% |
| Thiamin | 0.017 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 3382 IU | 112% |
| Vitamin C | 36.7 mg | 61% |
| Vitamin E | 0.05 mg | 0.5% |
| Vitamin K | 2.5 mcg | 2% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 267 mg | 6% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 9 mg | 1% |
| Copper | 41 µg | 4.5% |
| Iron | 0.21 mg | 2.5% |
| Magnesium | 12 mg | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.041 mg | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.18 mg | 1.5% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-alpha | 2020 µg | — |
| Crypto-xanthin-beta | 1 µg | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 26 µg | — |
Posh Farming 