What could be better than the anticipation of cutting into a juicy, sweet, deep orange melon?

Relatives of squash, cantaloupe were named after the Italian town of Cantalupa, meaning “wolf howl”.

In addition to a powerful punch of beta-carotene and vitamin C, cantaloupes also offer a good source of potassium.

Estimated Glycemic Load=5
Antioxidant Score* (ORAC)=315

Choose cantaloupes that are heavy for their size, have a sweet, fruity fragrance, a thick, well-raised netting and yield slightly to pressure at the blossom end. Avoid melons with soft spots or an overly strong odor. Store unripe cantaloupes at room temperature, ripe melons in the refrigerator. Cantaloupes easily absorb other food odors so if refrigerating for more than a day or two, wrap the melon in plastic wrap.