Muskmelon is a summer fruit. Everyone loves to eat it as it is very juicy and sweet. It is very beneficial for our health. Adding this fruit to your diet can prevent you from various harmful diseases. It has high nutrient content and also has many benefits. Irrespective of the refreshing taste, it will also enhance your beauty and also hydrate your body with the high water content present in it.
About Muskmelon
Muskmelon’s botanical name is Cucumis melo and its available in various varieties. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is also known as sweet melon because of its sweet taste. Its origin is usually been said from India to Africa. Musk is a Persian word that means kind of perfume and melon is a french word meaning apple-shaped. It is native to Persia but some believe that its origin is Africa. And today also, we can find muskmelons in many African countries. It is one of the most famous among other fruits.
Cultivation of Muskmelon
Muskmelon is a very popular fruit. It is a climbing vine that can reach up to a height of three to five feet. It is popular in the northern regions of India. it is available in different sizes, shapes, and colors.
The temperature needed for these types of plants should be between 18 degrees celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. They need a good amount of heat and sunlight if you want good sugar content.
It can be grown in all types of soils but sandy loam is the best soil for production. The soil ph has a range of six to seven ph values. This crop requires an irrigation facility once every week. Also keep in mind that just water the roots of the plant, not the fruit.
Nutrients available in Muskmelon
Information regarding nutrients present in the fruit is important to know as they have individual significance as per their potential benefits to our body.
- Dietary fibre
- Fat
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Sugar
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
Also read: Mosambi: Everything you need to know
Benefits of Muskmelon
Muskmelons during summers are refreshing and also taste very sweet. Irrespective of its taste, it also has health benefits that are mentioned below:
1. Boosts Immunity
Muskmelon is an antioxidant that helps in boosting immunity. It contains phytochemicals, beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and vitamin A that keep your stomach healthy. If your stomach is healthy, it will automatically boost your immunity and also helps improper functioning of the body.
It also helps in the production of white blood cells that help in fighting microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, and other toxins that can spread serious diseases such as cancer.
2. Great for the skin
Muskmelon contains various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that keep your skin healthy and bright. It also contains a protein known as collagen that keeps your skin tissues tight and makes them wrinkle-free.
You can also apply it in the paste form on your face and you will definitely get the desired results.
3. Improves hair growth
Vitamin A present in muskmelon secretes oil known as sebum by sebaceous glands which helps in improving your hair growth.
If you immediately apply it to your scalp, it will give a good result and it also contains a mineral called, inositol, which also stop excessive hair loss.
4. Better vision
VitaminA and C present in muskmelon helps in improving the vision of the eyes. It also prevents the eye from cataracts and night blindness. It also contains many antioxidants that help in improving eyesight problems and also improve age-related vision problems.
5. Regulates blood pressure
People with high blood pressure problems should eat muskmelon as it contains sodium which helps in smoothing the flow of blood in the body. It also contains potassium that controls your blood pressure and relaxes your nerves and lowers your blood pressure levels.
6. Improves digestion
Muskmelon is rich in fiber content and acts as a natural healer and prevents them from problems like indigestion, constipation, and many more.
It also helps in regulating bowel movements. Moreover, it is rich in vitamin C which helps in treating stomach ulcers.
7. Cure toothache problems
Muskmelon is very beneficial in healing dental pain. If you eat muskmelon or any drink related to muskmelon, it is really effective in curing your toothache problems. Rinse your mouth with it at least once a day to cure these types of problems.
8. Helps in body hydration
Muskmelon has a lot of water content. Dehydration can be prevented by drinking enough water and consuming more fruits and vegetables with high water content. Add fruits like muskmelon to your diet to improve hydration in the body.
9. Improves heart health
Potassium present in muskmelon controls blood pressure problems. It is rich in a content known as adenosine which has blood thinning properties that keep your heart healthy. It also prevents blood clotting in the heart.
10. Helps in reducing weight
It is very beneficial for weight loss as it has low fat and calories and is very good for your stomach. It stays for a long time in the intestine and gives you the feeling of a full stomach. You can also eat it at the times fast so that it will help you control your appetite problem.
11. Stress-relieving fruit
Due to modern lifestyles, we all suffer from stress issues. Muskmelon is one of the fruits that contain potassium which is a stress-relieving fruit and helps people to remain focused and relaxed while doing their work. It also promotes the oxygen supply to the brain and also normalizes the heartbeat.
12. Prevents Arthritis
Arthritis can be painful as it can cause swelling in your knee joints. Exercises are a must for prevention but muskmelon has inflammatory properties that can give you some relief from the pain. It also prevents bone-related issues like osteoporosis in the body.
Also read: Gokshura: Everything you need to know
How to consume
Muskmelon is a fruit that has a cold potency and it is consumed in summers. Because it is rich in water content and prevents the body from fluid losses.
Muskmelon recipes
You can simply add this as a diet in the raw form. But you can also make delicious recipes at your home with simple ingredients and directions that are mentioned below.
1. Musk melon Poha
Poha, palm sugar, and coconut milk make the perfect breakfast food because they are light on the stomach and extremely cool in the hot summer months.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of slices of chopped musk melon
- 2 cups of almond or coconut milk or any other dairy milk can also be used.
- 3/4 cup of poha
- Chopped mixed nuts
- 1/4 cup of powdered palm candy sugar. It can be replaced with other sweeteners such as honey, dates syrup, jaggery powder, etc.
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom/Cinnamon Powder
Directions:
- Wash the poha properly and drain it.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl as per the instructions.
- For one hour, refrigerate it.
- Serve it chilled.
2. Muskmelon crush
Ingredients:
- A muskmelon
- 2 tablespoons of sugar (according to taste)
- few mint leaves (optional)
Directions:
- The muskmelon should be washed in water, dried, and chopped in half.
- The seeds in the center should be taken out with a spoon, discarded, and then cut into long pieces. Remove the peel while cutting the main eatable part.
- Chop them into small pieces. Put the pieces of muskmelon in a bowl with the sugar, and mix them to combine.
- Serve after garnishing it with mint leaves.
- Immediately serve the muskmelon crush. Avoid chilling in the fridge since the flavor may change quickly. So eat it right away.
3. Muskmelon kheer
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of rice
- Blanched almonds
- 3 cup milk
- ¼ cup thick blended muskmelon
- sugar(according to taste preference)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Chopped cashew nuts
Directions:
- Rice should be cooked properly after you wash it two times with enough water.
- Blanch the almonds and blend them into a paste using a mixer.
- Put the almond paste in a hot pan. Stir it over a medium flame until its raw form disappears.
- Put the milk to a boil. Stir continuously as it begins to boil. Add the blended melon, almonds, sugar, and cooked rice once the milk has thickened and reduced.
- Keep stirring until it has a thick, creamy pudding-like consistency. Add the chopped cashews with a spoonful of ghee.
- Cool it down. Keep it in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Serve it cold.
Also Read:- All You Need to Know About Butter Fruit
4. Muskmelon cake
Ingredients :
- ¼ cup of flour/maida
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- A pinch of Salt
- ½ tsp of vanilla essence
- ¾ cup of Musk melon puree
- 2 eggs
- 100 grams of unsalted butter
Directions:
- Blend 1/4 of a musk melon without any water. Next, measure 3/4 cup of purée and keep it aside.
- Take 1/4th cup of the flour and 2 tsp baking powder. Also, mix one cup of powdered sugar.
- Use an electric mixer, and whisk the butter and sugar until it becomes creamy.
- Add salt and vanilla extract and whisk it again.
- Put one egg at a time. After each addition, beat it quickly.
- Blend in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the cake batter with the musk melon puree
- Grease the pan with oil and put the cake batter inside. Bake it at 180 degrees. You can also use the pressure cooker for baking.
- Take it out of the oven, then cool the cake.
- Cut the cake into pieces once it has totally cooled.
- Add grated chocolate for decoration.
5. Muskmelon coconut lassi
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of coconut water
- ½ cup of light canned coconut milk
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 cups frozen muskmelon cubes
- 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- A pinch of salt
- Grated coconut for garnish
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients together (except for grated coconut) in a blender
- Blend it until it becomes smooth.
- Garnish it with grated coconut.
- Drink and enjoy.
Summary
Now you know how muskmelon is benefitting us in different ways. Muskmelon is a healthy and juicy fruit that has many health benefits like reducing stress, improving digestion, being great for skin problems, and many more. It is also very rich in nutrient content.
Also, try the above-mentioned recipes that you can easily make at home. If you add this to your diet, it will add value to your diet, and eat it on a regular basis to get the results faster.
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