Cucumis melo, or known as melons, is a known fruit for its distinct taste and texture. Casaba, cantaloupe, canary melons, honeydew and Persian melon are the most popular types of melon that you can find mostly on markets and other commercial places. But there are different types of melon that you can find at every corner around the world. Let us find out what are the different types of melon and other melon varieties as you read further.
Melon varieties are determined by their flesh color, outer appearance like skin color and shape, texture and sweetness. You can find this summer fruit growing on melon plant vines that are laid on large fields during summer time. Aside from the sweet taste and water content which is very good for refreshing the summer heat, melon is good to get during the summer period as its skin provides a long shelf life and won’t wither easily.
You can find the most expensive type of melon in a small region in Japan. But melons are actually native to Southeast Asia and Africa since Egyptians have been cultivating different types of melons since 2000 B.C. Melon varieties were introduced to the United States around the 15th and 16th century by the Spanish.
Are Melons Beneficial to Our Body?
Melons are rich in different nutrients such as Vitamins and minerals. Some studies show that it contains folate, niacin, Vitamins A and B6. It also has copper, iron, phosphorus and manganese. Now that you have an idea of what benefits you can get from eating melons aside from its water content, let’s check what are the different types of melons or melon varieties that you can find around the world.
Common Melon Varieties
What you will find below are some basic different types of melons that are being produced by most parts of the world. Check out which melon varieties have you tried and which one you are planning to get in the future by checking the images and the guide details on each melon type.
Ananas
Ananas melon has been produced all over the world and is one of the most common melon varieties that you can find in supermarkets. It is a small melon fruit with an oval shape, sized at around 12 to 17 centimeters in diameter. The rind can be green to green yellow in color depending on the maturity. It’s skin is firm and covered in rough netting.
The flesh can be watery with a soft and dense consistency. The flesh color also ranges from pale yellow to ivory. Other varieties may also provide pale green, orange, to white flesh colors. It is often referred to as Pineapple melon as ananas translated to pineapple in Italian and French language and it also resembles the taste and aroma of a pineapple.
Ananas melon is an excellent source of antioxidants, like Vitamins A and C, that helps in building the immune system. It also contains other nutrients and minerals such as fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, copper and Vitamin K.
You can eat the ananas raw and fresh. But you can always incorporate this type of melon on sweet and savory dishes. You can also add this on your fruit cocktails and vegetable salads. Ananas are available and cultivated from summer to early fall.
Bailan Melon
Bailan melon belongs to the ground of honeydew. It grows in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China. This melon fruit has a white skin with a pale green flesh color. Other melon varieties of Bailan can be yellow, orange or white in color.
Bailan melon is rich in Vitamin C and protein. It is also a good source of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and fatty acids that are considered as bioactive compounds. They provide great help in aiding chronic diseases on human’s body.
Just like other melon fruits, this one can be consumed plain and raw. Or it can be incorporated with salads, purees and salsas.
Banana Melon
Banana melon is a solid melon fruit with an elongated round shape that is similar to squash. A regular banana melon fruit weighs at around 5 to 8 pounds and can grow up to 24 inches long. It has a yellow to orange (salmon-colored) flesh color and has a sweet, aromatic scent that you can find on the tropics. It’s outer skin is green when young and turns yellow when ripe.
The banana melon plant grows in an area with direct access to sunlight. Its fruits grow on the plant vines and the ripe ones have a dry stem that is brown and withered/shriveled. The ripe fruits have mild and distinctive flavor that resembles a papaya-like texture.
You can get several vitamins and minerals from eating 100g of banana melon such as Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin K, Potassium, Vitamin B3 and Iron. You can add this type of melon to desserts or eat it plain as a snack. You can also incorporate this on your salads , salsas, entrees and make it into a healthy shake.
Bitter Melon
Bitter melon or known as bitter gourd is a type of melon plants that resembles its name. The melon fruit grows from the vining of the melon plants. The fruit itself gets bitter and bitter as it ripens, unlike other melon varieties that get sweeter as they ripen. It grows and is widely consumed in parts of Asia, South America, the Carribean, and East Africa.
Though the bitter melon taste isn’t as attractive when compared with other melon types, bitter melon provides a number of health benefits and one of them is curing diabetes. Though it is not officially announced as a treatment for diabetes, it helps in lowering sugar levels on the body which is beneficial to diabetic patients. It also contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Iron.
Bitter melon can be consumed as a salad, or cook it with egg. Others also incorporate this melon on purees and shake.
Canary Melon
Also known as Winter melon, canary melon is a large and shaped as bright elongated melon fruit with a flesh color of pale green to white. Its flesh is comparable to a pear but has a softer texture. The taste of a canary melon is sweet but is slightly tangier (with a hint of pineapple) than a honeydew melon. It also has a waxy feel when it is ripe.
Canary melon is a good source of Vitamins A and C for the immune system. It also provides a good amount of fiber for a healthy digestive system. Fiber can also regulate blood cholesterol, lower the risks of heart disease, control blood sugar and obesity.
Just eat this melon fruit raw to enjoy its maximum health benefits. You can also put this on your salads or turn it into a healthy shake drink.
Cantaloupe Melon
Cantaloupe melon is one of the most popular melon types found on most markets today. It is actually a muskmelon with a fragrant and distinctive sweet taste, especially when it is ripe. It has a juicy, orange summer flesh color and it belongs to the gourd family.
This type of melon is very popular in the United States, especially the semi-sweet cantaloupes. Cantaloupe melons contain beta carotene and Vitamin C, which are powerful antioxidants that the human body needs. It also contains a good amount of fiber for proper digestion and has zero fats and cholesterols. Other vitamins and minerals such as calcium, folic acid, iron, zinc, etc., are found on these melons.
To consume this type of melon, you can simply get a spoon and scoop the flesh directly. You can also add it on your salad or even create a breakfast meal with it. You can chill it for a soup or even eat the melon seeds.
Crenshaw Melon
Crenshaw melons can be large and could weigh up to 10 pounds. The fruit has a rough yet firm yellow-green to golden yellow rinds with wrinkles near the end of the stem and looks like an egg-shaped that resembles the Casaba melon. It will feel slightly waxy once the melon is ripe and its seeds are golden light brown. The flesh color is similar to peach and the flair is sweet just like the cantaloupe.
It is a natural source of Vitamin A, B6 and Vitamin C. It can be eaten raw or incorporated in some dishes. Its sturdy and full flavor can withstand cooking, so it is a great addition to your favorite meals. It can also be used as an ingredient to cold delicacies or your favorite milk drink.
Galia Melon
Galia melon is also known as Sarda in Southeast Asia. It has a yellow to orange skin, covered in netting that is light-golden tan in color. The flesh color can be pale green with a signature spicy sweet flavor, succulent texture, and tropical perfumed aroma. The ripeness of this melon fruit is determined by the color and its distinct musky aroma.
Just like the other type of melon, Galia melon is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, fiber, bioflavonoids and a lot more. It does not contain fat and cholesterol and is also low in calories. This is a good alternative snack for those weight loss enthusiasts.
If you want to taste the best of this melon type, it is better consumed raw or uncooked. It can also be used in sweet preparations like shakes or purees.
Golden Prize Melon
This is one is favorite by exporters as it sports a thick skin that allows a long shelf life. The skin of a golden prize melon can be rough and has a yellow color. It has an orange flesh and is crunchy and succulent. It has a sweet taste and the shape of the melon is elliptical.
Golden prize melon is rich in nutrients that may help reduce the blood pressure, control blood sugar level, supports healthy skin and strengthens the immune system. It can be eaten raw or mixed with other fruits to create a healthy fruit salad.
Golden Langkawi Melon
Derived from the place where it is grown, Golden Langkawi melon is cultivated in Langkawi, Malaysia. It usually has a yellow skin and a white flesh that is comparable to canaries. A variety of this melon has a higher sugar and water content. Its flesh can be watery and crunchy.
A lot of vitamins and minerals can be found in this type of melon. The golden langkawi melon is also good to be eaten fresh and raw for maximum health benefits. But you can’t also go wrong if you will incorporate this with other sweet and savory delicacies.
Honeydew Melon
The honeydew melon is one of the most common type of the melon groups. Its outer appearance can be a smooth rind without the musky odor, unlike the casaba melon. As characterized by a honeydew flavor, honeydew melon has a soft, true tasting sweet taste. Its flesh is normally pale green in color, unlike other melons which have orange flesh.
Aside from its delicious taste, honeydew melons also provide excellent nutrition as it contains several vitamins and minerals. They help in reducing blood pressure, promote healthy bones and skin, and blood sugar control. Since it has a great water content, it also provides electrolytes to avoid dehydration.
Honeydew melons are available to most markets around the world. It is eaten raw, used in salads and desserts, or processed as an additional flavor to sweet delicacies.
Horned Melon
One of the most odd looking melons that you can find out there, horned melon is like a combination of cucumber and spikes. The flesh of a horned melon looks like a cucumber but it tastes slightly sweet and mild when compared to honeydew melon. When it is very ripe, you might taste a hint of banana.
Horned melon is also called Kiwano and provides a variety of essential nutrients like proteins, fats, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and a lot more. They are essential for the human body’s overall health, just like the honeydew melon.
It is best to eat a horned melon raw by scooping it using a spoon. You can also incorporate this on your salads and other dishes if you want.
Gac Melon
Gac melon, often referred to as baby jackfruit or spiny bitter gourd or sweet gourd, is native in the regions of Southern China and Northeastern Australia. Based on its nicknames, the appearance of a Gac melon is like a small jackfruit covered with spines that can be orange to dark orange in skin color.
The taste of a gac melon is mild and is comparable to a cucumber. Its orange flesh is pulpy with soft and spongy texture. The seeds are very useful as it can be used to cook with rice to give it a pleasantly red color with a mild nutty flavor.
Other countries often eat this melon varieties as it is believed to promote longer life and better vital health. That could be right as it contains several vitamins and minerals that are also found on other melon types.
Hami Melon
A type of muskmelon, the hami melon originates from Hami, Xinjiang, China. Its outer skin color can be white and the flesh can be yellow that has a sweet taste and crisp. Hami melon is often compared to the european cantaloupe.
The hami melon provides an excellent source of vitamins and minerals that is good for the human body. Consumption can be raw or it can be added to some delicious snacks and desserts.
Jade Dew Melon
A melon that hails from the honeydew melon family, jade dew melon has a round shape and smooth appearance. It has a greenish white skin and its flesh is milky yellow in color. Jade dew melon has a sweet taste and crunchy texture similar to honeydew.
You can also find the common vitamins and minerals found on most melons like vitamins A and C. You can still eat the jade dew melon fresh and raw or add it to your favorite desserts and make it into a cold snack.
Watermelon
Originally domesticated in Africa, watermelon is a type of melon that has a high water content. Its outer skin appearance is green and the flesh is red with black seeds, though other melon varieties can be seedless. Its sweet taste is refreshing and has a crisp texture.
Since it is watery, watermelon is good for hydration. It is low in calorie content and contains essential vitamins and minerals for the body. It could be a great snack during the hot days of summer. You can turn it into a watermelon shake or serve in fruit salads.
Other Melon Varieties
If you are not satisfied with the selections above, there are still a lot of melon varieties or types of melon in the market. Charentais melon, crane melon, sugar melon, korean melon, camouflage melon, armenian cucumber, winter melons, sprite melon, honey globe and a lot more are your options.
They vary in skin or rind color as some can have yellow skin while others are bright yellow and green skin. They can also be oblong, square, and round shape. Melons are delicious fruits that are worth exploring and trying, so check those now.