Variety of Vitamin-Rich Melons Is Slice of Summertime Life

When it gets hot, our thoughts turn to cool, light foods.

And as luck would have it, some of the best summertime foods are also among the healthiest. Of course, we’re talking about fresh fruit that is not only the most abundant and cheapest during the summer, but also tastes the best on a sweltering hot day.

Melons would get our vote to head that list. They are in the same botanical family as squashes. Nutritionally, they rank somewhere between summer squashes (which have a high water content) and winter squashes (which are loaded with nutrients). Melons do have a high water content, but they also are rich in potassium and vitamin C. The orange-fleshed melons are also usually quite high in beta carotene. Most of the melons we see in the market are grown in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida and Georgia.

There are many varieties beyond the ones with which we are most familiar, including some regional varieties that almost never get shipped around the country.

* Cantaloupe: This is the most popular melon in the United States. It actually is a muskmelon, similar to the ones that have been popular in Europe since Roman times. The American cantaloupe has a khaki-colored skin with green or yellow undertones. It has more beta carotene than other melons and is at its peak from June through August. Reject any melon with slick spots and major breaks in the netting. If picked at the right time, the stem end will be slightly indented.

* Casaba: When ripe, this large melon is a pale yellow, with deep wrinkles starting at the stem. It has no aroma, and its flesh is white. If the skin is green, it is not yet ripe. The peak season runs from July through December, but the best casabas are picked in the fall.

* Crenshaw: This is a hybrid between a casaba and a Persian melon. It can weigh up to 10 pounds and has a buttercup-yellow rind and salmon-colored flesh. Its flavor is sweet, almost spicy. It is most plentiful from July through October. The yellow skin indicates ripeness, but later in the fall (November and December) even a ripe one may be somewhat green. The blossom end should be a little springy, and the ribbing should not be too coarse.

* Honeydew: This melon is typically between 5 and 6 pounds and has a velvet, white or yellow-green rind that ripens to a creamy yellow. It should not be a harsh, greenish white. The little freckles on the skin are a sign of sweetness. The flesh of most honeydews is a pale green, but one variety has an orange flesh and a salmon-colored rind. It is the sweetest of all the melons and is best between June and October. Pick a melon that is fragrant and on which the blossom end is slightly soft.

* Juan Canary: Not surprisingly, this oblong melon is canary yellow when ripe. The flesh is mostly white with a little pink around the seed cavity, and it is in season between July and November.

* Persian: This looks a lot like a cantaloupe, but is usually larger, with a greener rind. The netting also is finer. It is at its best in August and September but is available from June through November. It’s easily bruised, so be careful not to buy any that have soft, dark patches, sunken spots or a rind that is discolored.

* Santa Claus: Could you have guessed that this peaks in December? This melon looks like a small watermelon with green and gold stripes. It’s about a foot long and has a very crisp flesh but is not as sweet as other melons. It comes to market starting in September.

* Sharlyn: This is a very sweet melon that has a greenish-orange rind and white flesh. It tastes like a cross between cantaloupe and honeydew. The season is variable.

* Watermelon: This is the melon that truly defines summer. There are more than 50 varieties, some of which have orange or yellow flesh. They all taste about the same, although some have seeds and some don’t. They are probably the least nutritious of the melons (92% water).

Despite what your mother may have told you, eating watermelon seeds will not make a watermelon grow in your stomach. In fact, the Chinese roast them, salt them and eat them like popcorn. The downside is that like most nuts and seeds, they are high in fat calories. Three and a half ounces contain 536 calories, 67% of which come from fat. By contrast, 3 1/2 ounces of raw watermelon have only 32 calories and no fat.

Selecting a ripe watermelon is the subject of great debate. Everybody has an opinion.

When you buy watermelon, look for rind that is neither very shiny nor very dull. It should have a waxy “bloom.” The underside should be yellowish instead of greenish white. If the stem is still attached, it should be dry and brown. If it is green, the melon was picked too soon and if it has fallen off completely, the fruit may be too ripe.

Cut melon should be perfect for eating right away. The flesh should be dense and firm with dark seeds. White seeds are a sign of immaturity.

When storing any melon that is ripe or cut, it should be refrigerated and used within a couple of days. If you are storing melons with other fruit, be sure to put the melons in plastic bags so the other fruit will not be over-ripened by the ethylene gas the melons give off.

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Dr. Sheldon Margen is a professor of public health at UC Berkeley; Dale A. Ogar is managing editor of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter. Send questions to Dale Ogar, School of Public Health, UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720-7360, or by e-mail to daogar@uclink4.berkeley.edu. Eating Smart runs every Monday.