Can’t Get Enough Cantaloupe!

A slice of fresh, juicy cantaloupe is a tasty summertime treat.  Nothing beats an ice-cold wedge of it for instant refreshment after a long, hot run, walk, or your daily workout. But the sweet flesh of this melon is a lot more than just good eating—it’s surprisingly low in calories and high in health benefits.  At just 48 fat-free calories per cup, and packed with beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and potassium, it is one of nature’s best body-bolstering and cancer-battling foods around.

So how do you select the sweetest and juiciest of these mouthwatering melons? Here’s what to do:

• Look for an evenly shaped melon, without dents, bruises, cuts, or discoloration.
•  Check out the color of the skin under the netting—it should be glowing golden.
•  Look for a melon that’s smooth and well-rounded at the stem end. Unlike other ripe melons, which have a bit of vine attached, ripe cantaloupes are free of the stem attachment.
• Choose a melon that’s heavy for its size—the sign of juiciness.
• Give it the sniff test—it should smell sweet, fresh, and fragrantly musky.