Know2eat

Cantaloupe

Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis

What cantaloupe has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About cantaloupe

An orange-fleshed netted melon, the most carotenoid-rich of the common melons. Sold whole and, increasingly, pre-cut, which changes its food-safety profile considerably.

Also known as Rockmelon, Muskmelon, Sweet melon

Skin Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Skin photoprotection

Skin Health
Insufficient evidence

Dietary carotenoids as a group have been studied for modest effects on skin response to ultraviolet light. Cantaloupe itself has not been tested, and read-across from mixed-carotenoid supplement trials is not evidence about this melon.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Cantaloupe

Ask about Cantaloupe

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories34 kcal2%
Protein0.84 g2%
Total fat0.19 g0%
Carbohydrate8.16 g3%
Fibre0.9 g3%
Total sugars7.86 g—
Water90.2 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.051 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.0030 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.081 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.035 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A169 µg19%
Vitamin C36.7 mg41%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.05 mg0%
Vitamin K2.5 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.041 mg3%
Riboflavin (B2)0.019 mg1%
Niacin (B3)0.734 mg5%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.105 mg2%
Vitamin B60.072 mg4%
Folate21 µg5%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline7.6 mg1%
Minerals
Calcium9 mg1%
Iron0.21 mg1%
Magnesium12 mg3%
Phosphorus15 mg1%
Potassium267 mg6%
Sodium16 mg1%
Zinc0.18 mg2%
Copper0.041 mg5%
Manganese0.041 mg2%
Selenium0.4 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene2020 µg—
Alpha-carotene16 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin26 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.65 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Melons, cantaloupe, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169092).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Listeria and Salmonella risk from the rind

    Cantaloupe has been responsible for some of the deadliest foodborne outbreaks on record, because its netted rind harbours bacteria that the knife carries into the flesh. Whole melons should be scrubbed before cutting, cut melon refrigerated promptly, and pre-cut melon avoided by people who are pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised unless it has been kept properly chilled.

  • Allergy

    Ragweed-melon oral allergy syndrome

    Melon is the classic cross-reactive food for ragweed pollen allergy, producing mouth and throat itching within minutes. Cross-reactions with banana and cucumber are also common in the same people.

  • Worth knowing

    Potassium in advanced kidney disease

    Melons are watery but their potassium adds up over a large portion, and they are commonly limited in stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease.