Cantaloupe

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Cantaloupe is a delicious treat for anytime, especially eating a cool one on a hot summer day. You may wish to eat them as their own meal, as they are extremely delicious, healthy, and will digest fast. When purchasing cantaloupes, check the tops and bottoms and feel for firmness. If they depress easily, it may be a sign of over ripeness, be careful when purchasing these. If you buy them quite hard, they will take several days to ripen.

"It is no wonder that the cantaloupe with its refreshingly rich flavor and aroma and minimal number of calories is the most popular variety of melon in the United States. Although they have become increasingly available throughout the year, their season runs from June through August when they are at their best." whfoods.com

"The cantaloupe derives its name from the ltalian papal village of Cantalup, where it was first cultivated around 1700 A.D. It belongs to the same family as the cucumber, squash, pumpkin and gourd, and like many of its relatives, grows on the ground on a trailing vine. Cantaloupe are also referred to as a netted melon because it has a ribless rind with a distinctive netted skin. Inside of the melon there is a hollow cavity that contains seeds encased in a web of netting." Ibid.

When purchasing your cantaloupes, buy organic if possible, this will ensure that they have not been sprayed with unhealthy chemicals and pesticides.