Recently, my joy has been brought by watermelons.
There's a Haidilao restaurant near my place, and since they can't operate recently, they've been selling their watermelons on the street downstairs. Every time I pass by, I can't resist bringing one home.
I don't crave any sweets; all I want is a few slices of juicy watermelon after a meal!
Regarding the calories in watermelon, I've explained it before, but every time, I get asked in the comments, "What about cantaloupe? Honeydew melon?"
So today, let's cover all the summer melons in one go!
Cantaloupe, Honeydew Melon, and Watermelon
Which Has the Least Calories?
Let's start with the calories. I usually use 100 grams to indicate calories, but it might not be very intuitive.
So today, I'll use '1 small bowl' as the unit of measurement.
The fruit slices in the picture above, both watermelon and cantaloupe, are about the size of one small bowl.
1 small bowl of diced cantaloupe contains about 60 calories, 1.6 grams of dietary fiber, and 14 grams of sugar.
At the same time, one bowl can provide 106% of your daily vitamin A and 95% of your vitamin C, and it's also rich in potassium and folic acid.
1 small bowl of diced honeydew melon contains about 64 calories, 1.4 grams of dietary fiber, and 14 grams of sugar.
Honeydew melon has slightly less vitamin C than cantaloupe, but it's still excellent! One serving can provide 51% of your daily vitamin C, and it also has a considerable amount of potassium.
1 small bowl of diced watermelon contains about 46 calories, 0.6 grams of dietary fiber, and 9.3 grams of sugar.
Comparing the three, watermelon has the lowest calories and the lowest fructose content among the summer melons, but it's a bit lacking in dietary fiber.
Cantaloupe and honeydew melon have similar calories and sugar content.
Is the sugar content very high?
The sugar content of these summer melons is moderately high among fruits.
Strawberries are considered to have a lower sugar content, about 70% of that in watermelon. And many fruits that people think are very healthy actually have a higher sugar content than watermelon.
For example, bananas, pineapples, and mangoes all have a higher sugar content than watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. And the sugar content of apples is even higher than that of watermelon.
As for why watermelon tastes much sweeter than apples,
one is because watermelon has low acidity; secondly, half of the sugar in watermelon is fructose, a quarter is glucose, and less than a quarter is sucrose.
Fructose has a higher taste sweetness, so it's naturally sweet and delicious. However, a high proportion of fructose can be uncomfortable for those with sensitive stomachs if they eat too much watermelon.
Eating watermelon in summer is healthy and can help with weight loss!
All these melons are really healthy summer fruits!
(As long as you don't eat half a melon every day)
- Melons are very hydrating.
91% of watermelon is water, and the water content of white melon and cantaloupe is also as high as 90%.
We don't have to rely solely on drinking water to stay hydrated; eating foods high in water content can help too! So if you don't like drinking water, having a few slices of watermelon in the summer is a great way to hydrate.
- They're very satisfying!
Due to their high water content, they also provide a significant feeling of fullness.
For me, using watermelon as an afternoon snack in summer is both satisfying and joyful. Eating a box of fruit slices probably contains less than 200 calories, which is much healthier than milk tea.
- Watermelon can also be antioxidant.
Watermelon is also rich in lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is very beneficial to brain and heart health.
- Watermelon may also help with weight loss.
Eating watermelon can increase the level of arginine in the body. Some studies suggest that arginine can help with metabolism and may even have a positive impact on weight loss.
However, the content is limited, so don't rely on eating watermelon to lose weight.
How to Control Melon Consumption
The most effective method for me is to scoop it out and cut it into small pieces.
It's really hard to control yourself when holding half a melon!
If you buy a whole watermelon and are worried about it spoiling before you can finish it, you can scoop out the watermelon and put it into a lunch box to freeze.
When you want to eat, take it out and blend it into a watermelon smoothie with a blender/juicer, which is even more refreshing! Or add some milk to blend, and it's like a watermelon milkshake, much better than milk tea.
Lastly, on an unrelated note, I want to mention the recent Tangshan assault incident. I hope everyone can speak up for the victims. Only by continuing to speak out can we change the situation for women.
I wish you all a joyful summer of melon eating!
Goodnight, and remember, today, I love you too!
