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Egyptian hieroglyphics from 4500 years ago depict the fruit on the walls of funeral chambers. The Greeks got their cantaloupes from Persia. They passed on their love of the fruit to the Romans. Galen, the Greek physician, spoke warmly of its medicinal properties. Pliny, the historian, lists it as a new entry in Roman fields. Centuries later, Christopher Columbus carried the fruit to the Americas. In the early 1940s, when scientists were struggling to produce penicillin on an industrial scale, a strain of penicillin discovered on a mouldy cantaloupe was the solution.

Food Uses: Immature cantaloupe is edible fresh, in salads, cooked (stir-fry, curry, soup, stew), or pickled. Ripe cantaloupe has a mildly sweet taste, which can be intensified by adding sugar.

The fruit is ideal for making juice, syrup, jam and ice cream. Lightly roasted seeds are a popular snack in Asia.

Nutrition: A 100 gm chunk of ripe cantaloupe flesh contains just 35 Calorie. This makes it an ideal low-calorie dessert. Of course, adding sugar spoils the purpose. Using an artificial sweetener such as aspartame or sucralose to buff up the sweetness is a more healthful choice.

Cantaloupe contains lots of beta-carotene and vitamin C. It is an excellent source of potassium and a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 and folate.

It is very low in sodium and contains no cholesterol. The seeds are rich in protein and monounsaturated fats.

Cantaloupe is very susceptible to contamination with Salmonella, the cause of typhoid. Wash thoroughly the skin of the fruit before slicing it open.

Do not eat cantaloupe slices that were at room temperature for more than 4 hours. Refrigerated slices are safe for up to 6 days.

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