Today’s Amazing Fact: Honeydew ‘Golden’ Melon good for the Diabetic!

Honeydew melon is a pale yellow fruit, which belongs to the cultivar group of the muskmelon, i.e. the Cucumis melo group. It originated in France, and is the sweetest of all melons. It is a fruit which has a smooth white rind and a greenish or a whitish luck, and does not possess a musky smell. The flesh of honeydew melon is green in color, but its peel may vary, from greenish to yellow.

Honeydew melons provide many benefits that include both health and nutritional benefits. It is popular, not only because of its sweet taste, but because of the host honeydew melon benefits, as provided by this fruit.

Honeydew Melon and Diabetes

Honeydew melon is very good for a diabetic patient. Owing to the fact that this fruit is cholesterol free and contains no fat at all. Although it is sweet, yet the percentage of fat is zero. This implies that a diabetic patient can enjoy this sweet fruit, without the fear of any further increase in the body sugar level. It is totally free of cholesterol, yet it provides the essential energy to the body. It also has a low glycemic index.  Even the carbohydrate level is low. Therefore it is very good for a diabetic patient

.

Ripeness

A ripe honeydew melon has more nutritional value than one that is overripe. When purchasing a honeydew melon, look for one that is light green with a creamy white rind, has a sweet scent and does not show signs of bruising or injury, suggests Iowa State University Extension.

Health

Honeydew melons are low in calories and fat, and high in fiber, making them a highly nutritious food. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of acquiring serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and strokes.

Vitamin C

Honeydew melons are a good source of vitamin C. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, honeydew melons possess the highest vitamin C content of all the melon varieties, except for cantaloupe. Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, recommends vitamin C as an important nutrient, relating that it plays a vital role in encouraging tissue repair and regeneration, promoting a health heart, as well as aiding in the absorption of iron. Vitamin C may protect your body from the dangerous effects of free radicals, which are associated with the development of certain types of cancer, states Dr. Weil.

Zeaxanthin

The light green pigment of the honeydew melon indicates the presence of the carotenoid called zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin is considered to be a powerful antioxidant that can protect your vision by accumulating in the macula area of your eye where it absorbs harmful blue light, as revealed by research conducted by the Schepens Eye Research Institute. This research revealed a possible correlation between eating foods high in carotenoids, such as honeydew melon, and a reduced risk of acquiring age-related macular degeneration.

Potassium

The American Heart Association recommends honeydew melon as a good, low-calorie source of potassium. Potassium is a vital electrolyte used by your body to grow and maintain cells, initiate nerve response and contract muscles.

The flavour of honeydew melon is subtler. It is a nutritious fruit. Some of the important nutrients in honeydew melon are:

• Folic Acid – It is rich in Vitamin B, and is very important for fetal health.
• Potassium – This nutrient balances the electrolyte level in the body. It is a very important component of the tissues of our body.
• Vitamin B6 – honeydew contains lots of vitamin B6, which is responsible for the maintenance of a healthy immune system.

Honeydew Melon Varieties

Honeydew melons are available in many varieties. The basic and the primary fruit is the one that is available in green flesh. It assumes a yellow rind once it matures. Other than this, honeydew melons are also available in orange flesh and in golden flesh. In the orange fleshed melon, the rind is waxy and is of pink color. The golden fleshed melon has a creamy white rind, and tastes very sweet.

Honeydew Melon Allergy

Some people may develop some sort of allergy towards this fruit. Therefore it should only be consumed by those who are resistant to the allergic qualities of honeydew melon. One such allergy is the Oral Allergy Syndrome. This allergy is caused due to the consumption of certain fruits or nuts. Therefore it is very much possible that people may develop oral allergy syndrome towards the honeydew mellow. The other spectrum of allergies ranges from the common touch allergy to other allergies to specific minerals and vitamins.

Honeydew Melon is a very sweet fruit. It will surely delight your taste buds, so go and try this fruit and take advantage of its manifold benefits.

References

• Our Ohio: Mellow Out with Sweet Melons
• Dr. Weil: Facts on Vitamin C
• Dr. Weil: Lutein: Good for Your Eyes and Heart?
• Macular Degeneration Support: Study Demonstrates Essential Role of Zeaxanthin
• American Heart Association: Potassium
• Iowa State University Extension: Pick a Better Snack--Honeydew Melons
• http://healthrecipes.com/honeydews.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_%28melon%29
• http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/Honeydew.html
• http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-melons-honeydew-i9184
• http://www.ehow.com/how_9859_grow-melons.html
• http://www.southdreamz.com/health-tips/honeydew-melon-nutrition-facts
• http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/honeydewmelon.htm