Why cantaloupe is good in summer?

While most people gorge on mangoes during summer, another fruit that should be a part of your summer diet is cantaloupe, also known as muskmelon.

Its high water content helps you stay hydrated during the hot season. Having this yellow-orange coloured succulent fruit early in the morning is also good for your digestive system. A great source of beta-carotene, folic acid, potassium, vitamins C and A, muskmelon not only helps you stay healthy, but is also great for your skin and hair. Here's why you should include this fruit in your diet.

Strengthens immune system: A rich source of Vitamin C, muskmelon helps boost your immunity by stimulating the White Blood Cells in the body.

How To Make a Cantaloupe and Muskmelon Cake?

A cake with musk melon puree. Musk melon have a orange coloured flesh and its high in dietary fiber. It is a perfect summer drink. Here I have used its puree to bake a cake. This cake is very moist and flavorful with melon taste.

Cantaloupe / Muskmelon cake with frosting

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour / Maida – 1 ½ cup
• Baking powder – 2 tsp
• Powdered sugar – 1 cup
• Salt – a pinch
• Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
• Muskmelon puree – 1 cup
• Egg – 2 nos
• Butter – 1 cup

Preparation:

• Take ¼ of the muskmelon and blend without water, for puree and keep aside.
• Sieve flour along with the baking powder. Keep aside. Sieve powdered sugar and keep aside.
• Beat butter and sugar, till fluffy. Pour in the vanilla essence, muskmelon puree and salt, beat well.
• Add the eggs one by one and beat well till they are fluffy.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
• Add the flour little by little and stir in gently. Don’t over beat.
• Grease the baking tray and pour in the batter.
• Bake it for about 10 mins at 180 degree C.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool.

For frosting

Ingredients:

• Butter – 1 cup
• Powdered sugar – 3 cup
• Vanilla essence – 2 tsp
• Cantaloupe / Muskmelon puree – 3 tbsp
• Cantaloupe slices – for topping

Preparation:

• Bring the butter to room temperature, put the butter, sugar in a bowl and beat them well in high speed for 5 mins.
• Put the vanilla essence and cantaloupe puree and stir in with the butter.
• Keep in refrigerator for few mins.
• When the cake is cooled, spread the frosting on the cake.
• Cut the cake into slices and top it with cantaloupe slices and serve them.

From:

http:// madraasi.com/2014/09/08/cantaloupe-muskmelon-cake/

For Health and Benefits: What is the difference between Muskmelon and Cantaloupe?

Health Benefits of Muskmelon, Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe offers a decent dose of fiber, which helps fill you up. As a snack for dieters, melons can't be beat. Muskmelon's juicy sweetness is a satisfying substitute for high-calorie snacks and desserts. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that most people eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day. Cantaloupe is a great-tasting way to fulfill that recommendation.

Cantaloupe are rich in potassium, a nutrient that may help control blood pressure, regulate heart beat, and possibly prevent strokes. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines state that a potassium-rich diet helps keep salt from raising blood pressure and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and possibly age-related bone loss. The guidelines encourage adults to consume 4,700 milligrams per day (while keeping sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day, which is one teaspoon of salt). 

Muskmelons are also abundant in vitamin C, one arm of the now-famous disease-fighting antioxidant trio. Another arm that's well represented is beta-carotene. Researchers believe that beta-carotene and vitamin C are capable of preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. No matter which way you slice them, when it comes to nutrition, melons are a cut above.

Cantaloupe is loaded with beneficial nutrients and high in fiber.

Nutrition Values of Muskmelon, CantaloupeServing Size: 1 cup

Calories	53
Fat	0 g
Saturated Fat	n/a
Cholesterol	0 mg
Carbohydrate	12 g
Protein	1 g
Dietary Fiber	1 g
Sodium	23 mg
Vitamin A	5,276 IU
Folic Acid	33 micrograms
Niacin	1 mg
Vitamin B6	<1 mg
Vitamin C	57 mg
Calcium	14 mg
Magnesium	19 mg
Potassium	417 mg
Carotenoids	3,219 micrograms

Want more information about muskmelon, cantaloupe? Try:

• Vegetable Recipes: Find delicious recipes that feature muskmelon, cantaloupe.
• Vegetable Gardens: Grow a full harvest of great vegetables this year.
• Gardening: We answer your questions about all things that come from the garden.
• Nutrition: Find out if cantaloupes fit in with your nutrition goals.
• Cantaloupe Stain Help: Learn how to get melon stains out of fabric.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Source:

http://home.howstuffworks.com

For Selecting: What is the difference between Muskmelon and Cantaloupe?

Selecting Muskmelon, Cantaloupe

In general, look for melons that are evenly shaped with no bruises, cracks, or soft spots. Select melons that are heavy for their size; they tend to be juicier. 

Cantaloupes should have a prominent light brown netting that stands out from the underlying smooth skin. If the stem is still attached, the melon was picked too early. Ripe cantaloupes have a mildly sweet fragrance. If the cantaloupe smells sickeningly sweet, or if there is mold where the stem used to be, it is probably overripe and quite possibly rotten. Cantaloupes continue to ripen off the vine, so if you buy it ripe, eat it as soon as possible. 

Recognize a fully ripe cantaloupe by its slightly sweet smell.

Preparation and Serving TipsSome people like melons only slightly chilled or even room temperature, but some choose to serve cantaloupe icy cold. A multicolored melon-ball salad topped with fresh, chopped mint makes a prettydessert. Chilled melon soup is a refreshing change of pace in hot weather. And the natural cavity left in a cantaloupe after removing the seeds is a perfect place for yogurt or fruit salad. Squeeze a little lemon or lime juice onto cut melon for extra flavor.
In the next section, we'll explain the health benefits of muskmelon, cantaloupe.

Source:

http://home.howstuffworks.com

For Growing: What is the difference between Muskmelon and Cantaloupe?

Growing Muskmelon, Cantaloupe

Muskmelon is a warm-weather plant that will not tolerate even the slightest frost. It also has a long growing season, which means you must select a variety suited to your region's climate. In cool areas, grow muskmelons from transplants; use individual, plantable containers so the root system is not disturbed when you transplant. Set the plant in the garden when the ground is warm: two to three weeks after the danger of frost.

Muskmelon, cantaloupe can be grown from seeds or by transplants.

Muskmelons must have full sun and need a well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. Grow muskmelons in inverted hills spaced 4 to 6 feet apart. If you're planting from seed, plant six to eight seeds per hill and then thin to the strongest two or three seedlings. If you're using transplants, put two or three in each hill. Muskmelons need a lot of water while the vines are growing, but stop watering when the fruit ripens.

Harvesting Muskmelon, Cantaloupe 

The time from planting to harvest is 60 to 110 days, depending on the variety. Leave the melons on the vine until they're ripe; mature melons will easily slip off the stem.

Types of Muskmelon, Cantaloupe

• Ambrosia Hybrid, 86 days, produces thick, firm fruit about 61/2 inches in size. 
• Sweet 'n' Early Hybrid, 75 days, is an early variety that is good for short seasons. 
• Burpee Hybrid, 82 days, produces deep orange, firm fruit.

In the next section, we'll show you how to select muskmelon, cantaloupe.

Source:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/muskmelon-cantaloupe1.htm