Melons contain a number of substances that are very good for your health. And because melons are low in calories and fat, they’re the perfect food for waist-watchers. Cantaloupe is one of the best melons simply because of its high vitamin C and beta-carotene content. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A and it fights heart disease and cancer. Half a cantaloupe provides 5 milligrams of beta-carotene- about half of the daily amount recommended by most experts. Cantaloupe is also rich in potassium, a mineral that can lower blood pressure. Did you know that 1/2 a cantaloupe contains more potassium than a whole banana?

Maria recommends buying melons when they are ripe. The riper the cantaloupe, the more beta-carotene it contains. The check for ripeness in the store, make sure the melon feels heavy and then smell it to make sure that it exudes a sweet, musky perfume. If there’s no smell, put it down and try another. Maria’s tip: Eat them quickly. Vitamin C degrades quickly when exposed to air, so it’s important to eat cantaloupe fairly soon after cutting. Enjoy your melons now while they are in season and remember that a cup of melon is the equivalent of about five good bites.

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