The Healthy and Tasty Honeydew
By Paul Rothbart
Related to the cantaloupe, the honeydew melon is a larger fruit with a thick, smooth rind and sweet green flesh. It is typically cut into slices or cubes. It can also be made into melon balls. Honeydew is delicious on its own and makes a great addition to a fruit salad. Like most fruits, honeydews contain plenty of nutrition and also have some nice health benefits. Here are some of the ways that honeydews are good for you.
Nutrition Dense
Honeydew melons are loaded with nutrients. A single cup contains 53 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C. That same cup has just 64 calories with 1.4 grams of fiber and no fat. A serving of honeydew also contains Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, and folate. These are all essential nutrients to good health. Clearly, honeydews are a good addition to anyone's diet.
Good for Bone Health
The magnesium, folate, and Vitamin K content of honeydews is very good for healthy bones. Folate breaks down homocysteine, a chemical that has been linked to reducing bone density. Healthy bones also require a protein called osteocalcin. Vitamin K helps the body produce this protein. Magnesium is essential for the cells that build bone tissue to function properly. There are also smaller amounts of calcium and zinc in honeydews, both of which are helpful to bone density.
Blood Sugar Levels
Research has found that honeydew may be helpful in controlling blood sugar levels. A study involving a half million subjects conducted over a seven-year period discovered that daily consumption of fresh fruit, including honeydew, reduced the risk of diabetes by 12 percent. For the people who already had diabetes, eating fruit three times a week lessened their risk of diabetic complications by as much as 28 percent while lowering the risk of death by 17 percent.
Blood Pressure
Eating fruits and vegetables in general is a key to maintaining a healthy blood pressure. The electrolytes sodium and potassium are also important for lowering blood pressure. Their balance affects the amount of water that enters cells. Honeydews are low in sodium and contain a significant amount of potassium. Adding honeydew to the diet can be very helpful in keeping blood pressure at healthy levels. This will help prevent heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
Fresh fruit is one of the healthiest types of food you can eat. Honeydews are no exception. Try eating some honeydew melon a few times a week. It's a tasty treat that can improve your health in multiple ways.
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