Your Dietitian: Colorful cantaloupe is summer's refreshment

Among melons, cantaloupe is a nutrient gem. Don't miss out on this sweet fruit before it's short summer season is gone. Now is when cantaloupe are at their peak for flavor and value. Potassium rich One cup of cubed cantaloupe contains as much potassium as a medium banana (427 milligrams per cup). Medical experts recommend consuming twice as much potassium as sodium (salt) to prevent fluid retention and high blood pressure. The more potassium-rich foods eaten, the more sodium (salt) and water our kidneys excrete. It's an exchange system. People with the highest potassium intake have been shown to have the lowest blood pressure. Preventing high blood pressure lowers the risk for heart disease and, of course, strokes. So, add cantaloupe to your list of fruits to enjoy frequently. Vitamin C Want a strong immune system? Enjoy some cantaloupe. While oranges and citrus fruits are not in season during the summer, nature provides another rich source of vitamin C — cantaloupe. New research has discovered that high intakes of vitamin C reduces the risk of gout. Plus, high intakes of vitamin C seems to reduce the progression of arthritis, another inflammatory condition. Vitamin C is needed to produce cartilage, the soft covering at the end of bones between joints. It is the loss of cartilage which results in bone-on-bone painful inflammation. Vitamin A Summer sun's UVA rays can damage our skin. Cantaloupe's beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, helps repair damaged sunburned skin. It's also essential for wound-healing — such as healing cuts and incisions after surgery. Vitamin A promotes cell turnover, helping to slough off old or damaged skin cells and replacing them with healthy new ones. This helps keep our skin looking younger. So, for beautiful skin, load up on beta-carotene-rich fruits and vegetables. Besides cantaloupe, other great sources of beta-carotene include: pumpkin, cooked carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Low-calorie If you're looking for a sweet, low-calorie snack or dessert which won't add to your waistline, choose cantaloupe. One cup of cubed cantaloupe contains only 54 calories. Since it's 90 percent water, cantaloupe also can help keep you hydrated during the summer. Diabetic friendly Although ripe cantaloupe is sweet, it is one of the lowest in fructose compared to other fruits. Only lemons, limes and cranberries (which are sour or tart) are lower in fructose. Therefore, eating cantaloupe doesn't cause large increases in blood sugar. This makes it a wise choice for people with diabetes. It's also a good choice for people with arthritis, since high sugar intakes have been shown to increase inflammation. Selection The best way to pick a cantaloupe is by smell. It should have a sweet, slightly musky scent. A good cantaloupe is heavy for its size and te rind has raised netting and a stem end that yields slightly when pressed with your thumb. Scrub well It is important to scrub the outside of a cantaloupe before cutting it. Cantaloupe grow on the ground and have pebbly skin which can be embedded with unseen dirt. Soil contains E. coli bacteria which can cause serious and sometimes deadly food poisoning when eaten. So, always scrub your cantaloupe well before slicing. Phyllis J. Molnar is a registered and licensed dietitian who writes about food and health for The Chronicle-Telegram and The Gazette. Email her at pjmolnar56@gmail.com. Rainbow fruit salad ½ cup cubed cantaloupe 1 or 2 kiwifruits, peeled and diced ½ cup hulled, halved strawberries ½ cup fresh blueberries 1 small banana, peeled and sliced or ½ cup diced fresh pineapple 2 tablespoon orange juice Wash and dice all fruits. Place into a large serving bowl. Add orange juice and toss gently. The vitamin C in the orange juice helps prevent the browning of the banana. Or, add sliced banana just before serving. If not serving immediately, refrigerate. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent loss of vitamin C. Delicious as is or served topped with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or lemon yogurt. If desired, add a tablespoon of orange juice to ½ cup lemon yogurt to thin sauce. This will keep, without the banana, for many days in the refrigerator. Great for a fast and easy snack, side dish or summer dessert. Makes: 4 to 6 servings SOURCE: Phyllis Molnar Cantaloupe smoothie 1 cup cold, cubed cantaloupe 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon honey ½ cup ice Place all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Makes: 1 smoothie SOURCE: sparkleofsunshine.com