The name is a giveaway that honeydew has a sweet and refreshing taste. A member of the melon family and related to squash and cucumbers, honeydew has been around for thousands of years now — it’s even a part of the Egyptian hieroglyphics! By the way, it is also known as fragrant melon, oriental sweet melon and winter melon.
Honeydew can be peeled and eaten as it is, but it may also be added to fruit salads. Although it is in season during summer months, it is possible for you to come across honeydew at select supermarkets because of the fact that it ripens very slowly. In other words, you can bask in its lovely taste and fragrance all year round!
So why should you include honeydew in your regular diet? The following are some of reasons why:
It Keeps Your Body Well-Hydrated
Just like other melons on the planet, honeydew is loaded with water. In fact, up to 90 percent of the fruit is made up of water. That’s why slices of honeydew are the perfect snacks during the hottest days of the year, which is when honeydews come aplenty. The fruit may also be turned into summer-perfect refreshing shakes and smoothies.
It Helps You Lose Weight
Because honeydew is mostly water and it’s loaded with fiber, it’s inclusion in your diet can help promote weight loss by making you feel satiated for long periods of time — the fuller your tummy feels, the less hunger pangs. What’s more, the succulent fruit contains a very negligible amount of fat and has absolutely no cholesterol!
It Keeps High Blood Pressure at Bay
Do you suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure? Then get your hands on some slices of honeydew. Because of the good amounts of potassium in it, consuming honeydew helps to dilate the blood vessels, which leads to lowered blood pressure. Also, honeydew is very low in sodium and high in fiber, making it good for your heart.
It Promotes Sharp Vision and Healthy Eyes
The lovely color of honeydew is a clear sign that it packs lots of vitamin A, an antioxidant that’s good for your eyes. Vitamin A helps protect the delicate components of your eyes from being damaged by excess free radicals. With your peepers well-protected, you can lower your risk of eye problems that may lead loss of vision.
It Makes Your Skin Look Lovely
Other than vitamin A, honeydew also boasts of a lot of vitamin C, which is also an antioxidant. Furthermore, vitamin C helps prevent or even reverse skin aging signs as it’s important in the synthesis of collagen. A lot of anti-aging products contain collagen in them because it’s a kind of protein that makes your skin supple, soft and wrinkle-free.
It Strengthens Your Immune System
Everybody knows that the regular consumption of vitamin C-rich foods such as honeydew is vital for a bolstered immune system. If you’re immune system is on the weak side, it’s not unlikely for you to be constantly suffering from various allergies and infections like cough, flu and the common cold.
It Also Strengthens the Teeth and Bones
There is a decent amount of calcium in honeydew, and that’s why consuming the sweet-tasting fruit on a regular basis helps keep your teeth strong, thus making your smile look dazzling. Further, calcium helps make your bones strong, therefore lowering your risk of suffering from osteoporosis in the future.
It May Help Control Diabetes
Traditional healers recommend honeydew to people with diabetes because it is said to be very good at stimulating the production of insulin by the pancreas. Insulin is a type of hormone that facilitates the movement of glucose from the blood to the cells to be used as energy.