Honeydew is a member of the melon family; it is the sweetest of all melons when ripe. Honeydew is a popular fruit not just because of its delicious delicately sweet taste but also because of its many health benefits. The edible portion is an excellent source of Vitamin C, provitamin A and potassium, zinc, and valuable digestive enzymes. They are fairly low in carbohydrates but since it is big you can usually get enough of your recommended daily requirement.

Honeydew is harvested based on maturity, not size. The maturity of this fruit is somewhat hard to determine, the simplest way to known if its mature already is its ground color ranging from greenish white (immature) to creamy yellow (mature).

Description:

• Shape: slightly oval in shape and around 8 inches long
• Weight: 1.8 to 3.6 kg
• Rind/Skin: The rind very smooth and the color is greenish white when immature and creamy yellow when ripe.
• Flesh/ Edible portion: light green in color

Health Benefits:

• Contain potassium, this mineral helps keep your muscles from cramping.
• Great source of folic acid for women of childbearing age because it is known to prevent birth defects.
• Ideal food for people who want to lose weight and for those who want to improve their health because it is low in sodium, fat-free, cholesterol free and low calories. One cup of honeydew contains 60 calories.
• Contain plenty of water which keeps us hydrated.
• It is a great source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent many diseases.

Nutrient Value: per 100 g

• Vitamin C: 18 mg
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 9 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Sodium: 18 mg
• Fat: 0.1 g

Buying Tips:

• Quality is determined by the honeydew having a nearly perfect round shape with a smooth surface free of defects.
• Honeydew should feel heavy for its size and have a waxy (not fuzzy) surface.
• The honeydew that weigh about 2.2kg, have creamy yellow stem ends that is slightly soft when pressed, are bound to be the sweetest and best tasting. Avoid melons that are as hard as bowling balls because its flesh is also hard. The hardness is maybe because it is picked too early.