Surprising Benefits of Melon (Kharbooza, Kharbooja )

 A 177-gram serving of  melon (Kharbooza, Kharbooja ) provides:

• Calories: 64
• Carbs: 16 grams
• Fiber: 1.4 grams
• Protein: 1 gram
• Fat: 0 grams
• Vitamin C: 53% of the reference daily intake (RDI)
• Vitamin B6: 8% of the RDI
• Folate: 8% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 6% of the RDI
• Potassium: 12% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 4% of the RDI

 

 Surprising Benefits of Melon

• Rich in Nutrients.
• May Help Reduce Blood Pressure. 
• Contains Nutrients Vital to Bone Health.
• May Improve Blood Sugar Control.
• Rich in Electrolytes and Water. 
• May Support Healthy Skin. 
• May Boost Your Immune System.
• May Promote Proper Digestion

 

 

1. Controls and Prevents Cancer : The immune building vitamin C plays a role to prevent and fight cancer too. It eliminates the free radicals produced in the body and prevents the onset of cancer. For those with cancer, should also try and include muskmelon in any form to fight the existing cancer cells. It is very soft and easy to chew also. So cancer patients who often have mouth sores and difficulty in chewing can surely look upon this healthy fruit. 

You should aim at including 1 to 2 vitamin C rich fruits daily to make up for days requirement of 40 mg. To your surprise, 1 cup of chopped muskmelon is enough to make up for this need. It given 39 mg of vitamin C. So don’t wait…. You  can also go ahead and whip up an antioxidant drink – Muskmelon and Pineapple Juice. 

2. Supports Heart Health : This low-fat and high antioxidant fruit holds the capacity of reducing inflammation in the body and thus protecting your arteries and in turn heart. Muskmelon further furnishes your body with a good dose of magnesium too – a nutrient which is necessary to maintain heartbeat. 

It’s packed with some amount of potassium too, which work towards maintaining blood pressure within a normal range. Combine this melon with other heart-friendly ingredients and make you own healthy bowl of salad like Muskmelon, Grapefruit and Prune Salad. This salad is filled with fiber from sunflower seeds and grapefruit which helps to remove the excess cholesterol from the body too. 

3. Boosts Digestive Health : Water-filled and fiber-rich muskmelons are one of the best friends of the gut. They help hydrate the body, detoxify  it and aid in easy movement of bowels too. In fact, muskmelon is quite often suggested for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as well. 

Concentrate on retaining the fiber of this fruit, as that’s the stomach-friendly nutrient. So try and avoid hoppers to juice muskmelon. Instead try including this fruit in the form of Chunky Muskmelon Drink. This has been whipped up in a minute in a juicer. 

4. Helps Combat Acidity Attacks : Your diet triggers or controls acidity. The pH of muskmelon is in between 6.5 to 7. So they are considered to be almost neutral and thus help in balancing the acids of the stomach. Thus muskmelon are a very healthy addition to our meals in today’s lifestyle where junk foods are seen more frequently on the table.         

      

If you are in a hurry and have no time for a snack, try and eat a bowl of chopped muskmelon. Its sure to prevent acidity attack. Alternatively try a salad in the form of Apple Chickoo Salad with Muskmelon Dressing. Read more on Best Foods for Acidity.

5. May Benefit Diabetics : Muskmelon has a glycemic index of 65 (medium glycemic index), but its glycemic load is 3.14 which is low. Thus moderate amount of muskmelon can be enjoyed by diabetics. Also the high fiber content will assist in keeping blood sugar levels under check.  

The best idea is to avoid juicing muskmelon and that would become a concentrated source of carbs, which aren’t healthy for you. Toss a salad instead… Pair it with other diabetic-friendly fruits like guava, apple, sweet lime etc. to make a Fruit Salad. Check out the list of other diabetes friendly ingredients