Current:Home > Contact-usIs honeydew good for you? A nutrition breakdown-LoTradeCoin
Is honeydew good for you? A nutrition breakdown
View Date:2024-12-23 15:35:54
Honeydew melon is often relegated to be filler in a fruit salad. But from a nutrition standpoint, experts say it holds its own as a fruit worth adding to your diet.
"Eat more fruit, period," registered dietitian Miranda Galati tells USA TODAY. The pale green fruit falls under that category of nutritious foods that experts recommend consuming more of.
When you're shopping for a whole honeydew, look for one with a white or creamy exterior — if it's green on the outside, it's still underripe — along with a dull or matte exterior and no cracks or bumps.
Here's what nutrition experts want you to know about honeydew melon.
Is honeydew good for you?
"Good for you" is a loaded term — it can mean different things depending on different people's situations, but Galati says eating honeydew melon is "good for your heart, digestive tract and weight."
From a heart health standpoint, honeydew is low in sodium and high in potassium, both of which can help with blood pressure, she says. Its combination of fiber and fluid support digestive health, and the fact that honeydew is high in volume and low in calories (60 per cup) means it can be particularly helpful for those aiming to eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Research has also shown nutrients in honeydew melon can improve skin and eye health, strengthen bone health and protect against some diseases.
More:You may want to eat more cantaloupe this summer. Here's why.
Who should not eat honeydew?
There are "few risks" to eating honeydew melon, Galati says.
"While honeydew contains naturally occurring sugars, most emerging research suggests its fiber and fluid content might lower the risk of type 2 diabetes," she says. "If handled or stored poorly, honeydew melon may carry risk for food borne illnesses. Unless you’re allergic or don’t enjoy the taste, it’s a great fruit to eat more of."
What is the healthiest fruit?
First thing's first: Galati notes that peaches, blueberries, strawberries and other fruits are "certainly nutritious."
But overall, Galati wants to remind consumers that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to eating healthy.
“The healthiest food in any category will depend on you, your budget, your culture, your health goals, and so much more,” Galati says. “It’s amazing to make more nutrient-dense choices when possible, but choosing the more processed or convenient option isn’t always a bad thing either. As a registered dietitian who wants you to build a healthy lifestyle that lasts, I’d recommend ditching the idea that there’s a healthiest version of anything.”
Is orange juice good for you?Why one woman's 'fruitarianism' diet is causing controversy.
veryGood! (438)
Related
- Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
- Sickle cell patient's journey leads to landmark approval of gene-editing treatment
- Man killed in shooting in Florida mall, police say
- When and where to see the Cold Moon, the longest and last full moon of 2023
- 'Joker 2' actor pans DC sequel as the 'worst film' ever: 'It has no plot'
- Turkey steps up airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after 12 soldiers were killed
- 2024 NFL draft first-round order: Patriots' dramatic win vs. Broncos alters order
- Beyoncé's childhood home in Houston burns on Christmas morning
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul VIP fight package costs a whopping $2M. Here's who bought it.
- Taylor Swift Spends Christmas With Travis Kelce at NFL Game
Ranking
- Jelly Roll goes to jail (for the best reason) ahead of Indianapolis concert
- Taylor Swift's Dad Bonds With Travis Kelce's Father at Kansas City Chiefs Christmas Game
- Why Giants benched QB Tommy DeVito at halftime of loss to Eagles
- The 39 Best Things You Can Buy With That Amazon Gift Card You Got for Christmas
- Patricia Heaton criticizes media, 'extremists' she says 'fear-mongered' in 2024 election
- ‘Major’ Problem in Texas: How Big Polluters Evade Federal Law and Get Away With It
- Israeli man whose parents were killed on Oct. 7 calls for peace: We must break this pattern of violence
- 'Jane Roe' is anonymous no more. The very public fight against abortion bans in 2023
Recommendation
-
Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
-
A boulder blocking a Mexican cave was moved. Hidden inside were human skeletons and the remains of sharks and blood-sucking bats.
-
Tokyo court only holds utility responsible to compensate Fukushima evacuees and reduces damages
-
Cowboys' Micah Parsons rails against NFL officiating after loss to Dolphins: 'It's mind-blowing'
-
As US Catholic bishops meet, Trump looms over their work on abortion and immigration
-
Lose a limb or risk death? Growing numbers among Gaza’s thousands of war-wounded face hard decisions
-
Morocoin Trading Exchange: Tokens and Tokenized Economy
-
Is anything open on Christmas Day? Store and restaurant chains whose doors are open today.