CANTALOUP

What's New and Beneficial About Cantaloupe
  Because the flesh of the cantaloupe is often pastel-like in color (compared to
  the more vibrant color of fruits like oranges), we sometimes forget how
  important cantaloupe can be as a fruit source of vitamin A (in the form of
  carotenoids). Researchers have recently measured the carotenoid contents of
  six different California-grown cantaloupe hybrids and discovered that their
  beta-carotene content can reach levels as high as 3,138 micrograms (per 100
  grams of fresh weight). That's about 30 times higher than the beta- carotene
  content of fresh oranges. Although this nutrient richness of cantaloupe still
  does not place it in the beta-carotene range for fresh carrots here (about
  8,300 micrograms), it's still an aspect of this delicious fruit that is
  all-too-frequently overlooked.
  At first, we were disappointed in the outcome of a recent French study that
  put cantaloupe at the very bottom of the fruits list in terms of its
  polyphenol content. In this French study, fruits like strawberries, lychees,
  and grapes came out far better in their concentration of antioxidant
  polyphenols than cantaloupe, and no fruit scored lower in its concentration of
  polyphenols. But then we read about the total amount of polyphenols that
  cantaloupe contributed to the average daily diet. When looked at in this
  practical context, cantaloupe ranked higher than many other commonly eaten
  fruits, including kiwi, grapefruit, and clementines. It also ranked higher
  than watermelon and pineapple. Obviously, the higher volume of cantaloupe
  consumed helped to offset its lower polyphenol concentration. This practical
  principle is important to remember. A health-supportive, whole food like fresh
  cantaloupe may show up as being lower in its concentration of certain
  nutrients (including total polyphenols), but because we often eat it in
  serving sizes that are relatively large, we often get substantial nutrient
  benefits, even in the case of nutrients found in lower concentrations.
  Intake of cantaloupe has recently been found to lower risk of metabolic
  syndrome. In a study involving hundreds of women living and teaching in
  Tehran, Iran, the lowest risk of metabolic syndrome was found to occur in
  women who ate the greatest amount of fruit. (In this study, the "greatest
  amount" meant a minimum of 12 ounces per day.) Five fruits contributed most to
  total fruit intake: apples, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, and bananas. Women
  who consumed the largest amounts of these fruits were also determined to have
  the healthiest levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their bloodstream. CRP is
  an indicator very commonly used to assess levels of inflammation, and it's
  very likely that the anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in cantaloupe and other
  fruits contributed not only to these participants' healthy levels of CRP but
  also to their decreased risk of metabolic syndrome.

 

Source:  WhFood