Enjoy the sweet and juicy flavour of this perfect fruit snack

Melons are low in sodium, and very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They are a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin K, potassium, and copper, and a very good source of vitamin C and vitamin B6.

We take a look at why melons are so good for you and the best time to eat them.

Watermelon

This famous guy has recently moved to the front of the line in recent studies on high-lycopene foods.

Lycopene is especially important for our cardiovascular and bone health, and is also helpful in reducing the risk of prostate, breast, and endometrial cancers, as well as lung and colon cancer.

Cantaloupe

The benefits of the cantaloupe are huge.

Just one slice is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, and potassium, as well as a very good source of dietary fibre, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, and thiamine.

These nutrients are beneficial for improving endurance, healthy kidney and spleen function, and for lowering blood pressure. 

Honeydew

Packed full of Vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid, as well as Vitamin B6, these melons can help beat high blood pressure levels, skin conditions and various other difficulties of the circulatory system.

They also taste great and make a wonderfully easy starter or daytime snack.

Before or after a meal?

A common mistake when consuming melons is to eat them as a dessert, or after a main meal.

Melons, along with many other fruits, are some of the easiest and fastest foods to digest. This means eating them after foods that digest much slower can often result in bloating and tummy ache.

How long do foods take to digest?

1. Fruit and veg: 15-30 mins
2. Carbohydrates: 2 hours
3. Protein: 3-5 hours
4. Fats: 4-6 hours

When you eat fast digesting foods, such as melons, on an empty stomach, you allow the nutrients to move through the digestive system with ease.

Eating fruit (specifically melon) before other foods is a safer bet due to the speed at which it take to digest.

How to pick a melon

Finding the right melon can often prove a difficult task.

The longer a melon ripens on the vine, the sweeter it will be, but how can you know the answer to that when standing in the supermarket? You can't.

Using your hand, gently tap the side of the melon several times with your ears close by.

1. A high-pitched, dry tone indicates an under-ripe melon.
2. A monotone dead thud indicates an over-ripe melon.
3. A deep-pitched tone indicates a melon that is ripe.

You can also smell the stem or other end of the melon and see if you get a slightly sweet aroma.