A cantaloupe is a melon that belongs to the cucumber family. Cantaloupes can be light yellow-orange in colour or a deeper salmon hue. Known for being low on calories and for their enticing aroma, cantaloupes are the most popular melons in India.
Cantaloupes contain concentrated amounts of beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A. Both the nutrients are essential for healthy eyesight. Consumption of a high amount of Vitamin A daily reduces the risk of cataract by as much as 40 per cent. Women who eat cantaloupes regularly are a lower risk of having to undergo surgery. On the contrary, women whose diet includes a lot of salt, butter and unhealthy fats are at a higher risk for cataract surgery.
Being a good source of vitamin C (an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in the body), eating cantaloupes regularly could help strengthen the immune system by stimulating white blood cells, responsible for killing viruses, bacteria and other foreign elements that seek to enter the human body.
Cantaloupes are rich in a compound called adenosine. This compound is administered to patients who have heart disease because of its blood-thinning properties. The folate present in cantaloupes and all types of melons is also heart healthy.
Cantaloupe might be an ideal fruit to eat when one is anxious and stressed. Being rich in potassium, it normalises the heartbeat and promotes the supply of oxygen to the brain. As a result, one feels more relaxed and focussed.
Now, for a recipe.
Cantaloupe Sorbet
Ingredients
Medium to large cantaloupe: 1
Lemon juice: 3 tbsp
Sugar: 80 gm
Water: 250 ml
Corn syrup: 2 tbsp
Method: Mix sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. Remove the seeds from the melon and remove the peel. Cut the cantaloupe into cubes. Puree it in a blender with lemon juice and corn syrup. Add the cooled sugar syrup. Chill the mixture thoroughly; then freeze it in an ice-cream freezer.
UTTAM SAJWAN,
Sr. Chef de Partie
Vivanta by Taj Fisherman's Cove
