Its sweet taste and refreshing we regale in summer!
More than food that pleasure, the melon is a genuine health reflex.
Details of its virtues with Dr. Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist.
Its taste is very sweet, but as it is composed to
almost 90% of water the melon is in reality a fruit the least caloric", indicates the Dr
Arnaud Cocaul, doctor nutritionist. It only displays 30 to 50
kcal per 100 g (depending on the variety) and a rate of sugar by
approximately 10 to 12 %.
What comprises the melon?
Antioxidants: :
The melons contain various antioxidants, mostly of caroténoïdes and somecomposés phénoliques4. Carotenoids are pigments which
give a color red-orange to aliments7. As well, the melons to pulp orange
contain more carotenoids that melons to flesh more pale. The
beta-carotene, précurseur important to vitamin
A in the body, account for 85 per cent of total carotenoids of cantaloup5.
According to the Canadian nutrient file, it is 60 times more that the honeydew
melon. The melons also contain other carotenoids, including lutein and
zeaxanthin, but in quantities rather negligible.
Superoxide dismutase:
The superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a enzyme recognized for its
antioxidant properties. It is present in some extracts of melons, mainly
in those of the cantaloup9. However, ellemanifeste little its antioxidant
properties when it comes from food. In effect, it is usually inactivated
and digested throughout the gastrointestinal intestinal10. Thus, up to now, the
studies do not allow to conclude that the consumption of cantaloupe provides
the benefits for the health attributable to SOD. Researchers are studying some
compounds that have the capacity to protect the process of digestive
degradation to allow its absorption.
Precautions:
The over ripe melon:
When they become too walls,
the fruit produce and accumulate ethanol (alcohol) which corrupts their taste.
The ethanol of a fruit is not dangerous in itself, but it could present a risk
in persons allergic to this substance. The few cases of reactions to anaphylactiques ethanol reported in the scientific literature
are in link with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. However, a reported
case fact state that the consumption of a over ripe melon causing among an
individual non-allergic to melon an anaphylactic reaction, caused by the
ethanol13. Of course, this particular situation remains rare, but it still
requires a caveat with respect to the consumption of overripe fruit among
people with allergies to the ethanol.
The contamination:
Melons can be contaminated by bacteria, for example salmonella, at different
stages between their collection and their consumption. Over the past few years,
a not inconsiderable number of infections associated with the consumption of
cantaloupe has been reported in the United States 12. Even if some factors of
contamination may not be prevented by the consumer, the consumer may all the
same be sure to minimize its risks of infection by taking a few precautions.
The introduction of bacteria to the inside of the fruit may occur when cutting,
if the outside of the melon is previously contaminated. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the US agency responsible for the control of food, has
thought fit to issue the following recommendations:
§ Avoid
melons with bruises.
§
Wash your hands with soap before handling the melon.
§
Rub the melon with a brush under cold tap water before consumption.
§
The fruit intact can be stored at the temperature of the room if it is not
yet ripe. The cut melons must be refrigerated within 2 hours after preparation.
Oral allergy syndrome
The melons are part of foods that can be incriminated in the oral allergy
syndrome. This syndrome is an allergic reaction to certain proteins of a range
of fruit, vegetables and nuts. It affects some people with pollen allergies of
the environment and is almost always preceded by the rhume des foins. Thus, when some people with allergies to ragweed
consume the melon honey raw or that those with allergies to pollen of grasses
and sagebrush consume the melon thought (cooking usually degraded the
allergenic proteins), an immunological reaction can occur. These people feel
itching and burning sensations in the mouth, the lips and at the throat. The
symptoms may appear, and then disappear, usually a few minutes after having
consumed or touching the food concerned. In the absence of other symptoms, this
reaction is not serious and the consumption of melon has not to be avoided in a
systematic way. However, it is recommended to consult an allergist to determine
the cause of reactions to plant foods. The latter will be able to assess if
special precautions must be taken.