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Although it’s often confused with cantaloupe — or just called “melon” so not to make a distinction — honeydew is actually a nutrient-rich, hydrating, low-calorie and deliciously sweet fruit.
It may have a reputation as the tasteless melon, and sometimes when it’s mindlessly added to a fruit salad it may be the only fruit left standing.
But when honeydew melon is picked from the vine once it’s mature and cut open when it’s ripe, the flavor is there. In fact, it’s known to be the sweetest of all melons in the grocery store.
On top of that, it’s packed with health-promoting nutrients, including vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium and magnesium — similar to cantaloupe nutrition. It’s a low-calorie food that provides fiber, water and a little sweetness that can help satisfy those afternoon sugar cravings that you’ve been fighting — and that’s not all.
What Is Honeydew Melon?Honeydew, a creamy, yellowish and oval-shaped fruit, is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes other vine-growing foods like cucumbers, squash, pumpkin and watermelon, and its scientific name is Cucumis melo.
Here are some facts about honeydew melon:
When it comes to honeydew nutrition, this melon contains carotenoids, including beta-carotene and phytoene, that are responsible for many of the fruit’s health benefits, like its ability to reduce inflammation, inhibit oxidative stress and boost cardiovascular health.
It’s also rich in vitamin C and contains other important nutrients that allow for the proper function of our immune, digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Eating honeydew melon can even help boost cognitive health and prevent mood disorders, like depression.
Related: Winter Melon for Digestion, Weight Loss & More
Nutrition FactsHoneydew is a low-calorie fruit that’s rich in fiber and vitamin C. It also contains important nutrients like potassium, B vitamins and magnesium.
A one-cup serving (roughly 177 grams) of balled honeydew contains about:
*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.
In addition, this melon provides vitamin A, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.
Health BenefitsA cup of honeydew contains over 35 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin C. This means that it provides beneficial antioxidants that help reduce the risk of inflammation and disease.
Eating vitamin C foods, like fruits and vegetables, can help improve your immunity, boost the health of your skin, promote your heart health and improve inflammatory conditions.
The vitamin C found in honeydew also plays an important role in a number of metabolic functions, like the activation of folic acid and conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. Research shows that vitamin C benefits serious conditions like diabetes, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease and cancer.
Not only is honeydew low in calories, containing only 64 in one cup, but it’s the sweetest of all melon varieties. You can fulfill that craving for something sweet by snacking on some honeydew, while still sticking to your daily calorie goals.
High-volume, low-calorie foods like this fruit serve as the perfect snacks or additions to meals when you are trying to lose or maintain weight. Plus, because honeydew offers a range of nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins, you know that you’re staying well-nourished, which can sometimes be an issue when you’re following a low-calorie diet.
The carotenoids and vitamin C found in honeydew make the fruit beneficial for your skin.
Studies indicate that vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis and assists in antioxidant protection against UV-induced skin damage. Vitamin C also plays a role in wound healing, skin elasticity and general skin repair.
Adding honeydew melon and other fruits and vegetables containing high amounts of vitamin C promotes glowing, even-toned and healthy skin.
One cup of honeydew contains 1.4 grams of fiber, which we need to help regulate digestion and cholesterol levels.
Why is a high-fiber diet so important? Studies highlight that it passes through your digestive system and, along the way, takes with it wastes, toxins, fat and cholesterol particles.
Eating fiber improves the health of your gut and aids your digestive system, keeping you regular. Honeydew contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which means that it actually makes you feel full longer and adds bulk to your stool, helping ease issues like constipation.
Approximately 90 percent of honeydew is made up of water — so eating a cup or two of this low-calorie fruit not only makes you feel full.
This is because of its fiber content and because you can eat a bigger volume without going over your calorie goals.
In addition to this, honeydew also helps you stay hydrated. That’s exactly why it’s an excellent snack on hot summer days or after a workout.
A cup of honeydew contains about 9 percent of your daily value of potassium, which is awesome considering that potassium is an essential nutrient for electrolyte balance in the body and helps decrease muscle cramps, reduce your risk of stroke and even alleviate high blood pressure.
Research suggests that eating potassium-rich foods can also help increase bone density and ward off conditions affecting your bones, like osteoporosis.
Honeydew provides both vitamin B6 and folate, two B vitamins that are important for brain development and function.
A review published in Nutrients provides evidence that low folate and vitamin B6 levels are associated with poor cognitive function and can increase your risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Plus, these B vitamins help improve your mood. Vitamin B6 benefits mood because it helps make the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine — your “happy hormones” that control your mood, ability to concentrate and energy levels.
Research shows that preventing or reversing a folate deficiency can reduce your risk of developing mood disorders like depression.
Honeydew is a great source of vitamin C, which contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions against pathogens that can make us sick.
Vitamin C also promotes oxidant scavenging activity in the skin, protecting us against environmental oxidative stress.
When we don’t get enough vitamin C in our diets, it can result in impaired immunity and higher susceptibility to infections, which has been shown in studies. By adding honeydew and other foods rich in vitamin C to your diet, you can naturally boost your immune system.
Honeydew is also considered a functional food that helps boost the immune system.
Studies show that higher carotenoid intake is associated with significant reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease. The carotenoids found in honeydew are beneficial for protecting our arteries against inflammation, blockages and free radical damage.
Research also displays that carotenoids (like the beta-carotene found in honeydew) may also help lower blood pressure, reduce non-HDL plasma cholesterol levels, prevent atherosclerosis, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and improve insulin sensitivity.
Honeydew melon is a source of carotenoids like beta-carotene that have anti-inflammatory and cancer-protective effects, and research shows that different solvent extracts of the fruit display anti-cancer properties.
Research evaluating the role of carotenoids has found that diets high in the compounds are beneficial for a number of reasons, including preventing UV light damage that can lead to melanoma and reducing oxidative stress, a critical factor of the pathogenic process of many chronic disorders, including cancer.
On top of this, carotenoids found in honeydew have chemoprotective properties, according to research, helping protect healthy tissue from the harmful side effects that are caused by some anticancer drugs.
Honeydew vs. CantaloupeHoneydew and cantaloupe are both melon fruits that belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. They both provide free radical scavenging antioxidants and a number of health-promoting vitamins and minerals.
Both fruits contain vitamins A, C and K and minerals like potassium, folate, niacin, thiamine and magnesium, but melon to melon, cantaloupe packs a bigger nutritious punch.
A one-cup serving of cantaloupe contains less calories (54 calories in cantaloupe vs. 64 in honeydew), more vitamins A and C, more potassium, more B vitamins, and more magnesium.
That said, both cantaloupe and honeydew boast a range of health benefits, including their ability to boost cardiovascular health, promote healthy skin, boost the immune system, aid digestion and protect cognitive health.
Plus, both melons are usually on the Environmental Working Group’s list of the “clean 15,” which is a list of the produce that’s least likely to be contaminated by pesticides, as opposed to the “dirty dozen” that are the most likely to be contaminated.
Here’s a difference between the two melons: Honeydew and cantaloupe have different peak months, with cantaloupe having a peak season between April through August and honeydew’s season beginning in August and lasting until October.
Although a ripe honeydew is known to have a sweeter taste, honeydew melons are sometimes picked before they have matured, and they won’t mature off the vine, so that leaves them tasting pretty bland. For that reason, people often believe that cantaloupe is the tastier melon.
RecipesThe most common way to consume honeydew is eating it fresh as a sweet and hydrating snack, but there are other ways to incorporate this melon into your meals.
It can be cubed and added to a yogurt parfait, cottage cheese, salad or smoothie.
Honeydew even adds a nice sweetness to salsa and chilled soups, and people commonly pair the fruit with salty meats, like prosciutto.
Try adding honeydew to my Fall Chicken Salad recipe in place of or along with the grapes.
Here are a few more honeydew recipes to try:
If you’re wondering whether or not your honeydew is ripe before cutting it open — look for melons with a pale cream or creamy white rind. If the skin, or rind, of the honeydew has any greenness, it’s not ready yet.
Also, when choosing a honeydew at the store, look for one that feels too heavy for its size. This means that it’s full of juice and mature enough to ripen naturally.
Risks and Side EffectsHoneydew nutrition is pretty impressive, but as is the case with most healthy foods, it best when consumed in moderation. Adding a cup of melon to your plate or incorporating it into a recipe comes with little risks or side effects.
When you consume too much honeydew, you may experience elevated blood sugar levels and even some digestive issues, like diarrhea.
In some cases, a honeydew allergy is possible. If you develop a rash, hives, mouth itching, cramps, troubling breathing, nausea or diarrhea after eating honeydew, avoid it completely and consult your health care professional.
Honeydew melons are the sweetest of all melons and are typically in season from July to September. The sweet summer fruit is light green and soft on the inside, and can have a white or yellow skin on the outside, although white skinned versions are generally sweeter. Honeydew is also related to squash and cucumbers.
Honeydew melon contains plenty of water as well as vitamin C, B vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and smaller amounts of other key nutrients. Eating the fruit may offer several health benefits.
Supports Hydration
One cup of diced honeydew melon provides over five ounces (oz) of water. Consuming adequate water helps you stay hydrated and prevent dehydration.
When you become dehydrated, your body overheats and you can experience unclear thinking, mood changes, constipation, and kidney stones. Drinking water also helps to lubricate and cushion your joints.
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One study found adults who stay well-hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer compared to people who may not consume enough fluids.
Supports Immune Function
Apart from water, the standout nutrient in honeydew melon is vitamin C. One cup of diced melon provides about a third of the daily requirement for this immune-supporting nutrient.
The immune system needs vitamin C to respond to pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Vitamin C’s antioxidant abilities also protect cells from damage known to increase chronic disease risk. The body can't store water-soluble vitamins for long periods, so a regular and adequate intake of vitamin C is required to support healthy immune function.
May Support Blood Pressure Regulation
Honeydews are very low in sodium and high in potassium, both of which are good for managing blood pressure. Potassium helps control blood pressure by causing your kidneys to excrete surplus sodium—a nutrient that can cause high blood pressure in excess. Potassium also eases tension in blood vessel walls, which further reduces blood pressure.
One study found melons, including honeydew, activate the production of a substance called nitric oxide (NO). NO helps smooth muscles in the body relax, including blood vessels, which results in a reduction in blood pressure.
Other research shows eating more fruits and vegetables that produce nitric oxide is part of a diet that can help prevent and treat lifestyle-related diseases, including high blood pressure.
May Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes
Research shows eating fruits like honeydew melon may be beneficial for people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.
A research review found consuming 200 grams (about seven ounces) of fruit per day is linked to diabetes prevention. In addition, consuming up to 133 grams (about five ounces) of fresh fruit per day has been shown to decreased complications and death in people with type 2 diabetes.
Data also shows while fruits with a lower glycemic load (the amount of carbohydrates in a given portion) may be helpful for blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes, the glycemic index or glycemic load of individual fruits did not affect diabetes risk.
An Australian study found fruit consumption preserved insulin sensitivity, or how well insulin works to clear sugar from the blood, and was protective against type 2 diabetes.
After adjusting for other dietary and lifestyle factors, scientists concluded that compared to people with the lowest fruit intakes, those with a moderate total fruit consumption had a 36% lower risk of having type 2 diabetes after five years.
Eating fruit also changes gut microbiota, the collection of microbes that live in the gut, in ways that reduce type 2 diabetes risk.
May Support Digestive Health
The fluid and fiber in honeydew melon are an important combo for bowel regularity and the prevention of constipation.
Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week; stools that are hard, dry, or lumpy; stools that are difficult or painful to pass; or a feeling that not all stool has passed.
Common remedies for constipation include eating more fiber and consuming plenty of water, and honeydew provides some of both.
May Support Bone Health
Honeydew melon contains several nutrients involved with bone formation and maintenance, including vitamin C and smaller amounts of vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.
Vitamin C alone, honeydew’s main nutrient, has been tied to a lower risk of hip fracture and osteoporosis (bone disease), as well as higher bone mineral density of both the neck and spine.
In addition, a study found close adherence to the Mediterranean diet—an eating pattern rich in fruits and vegetables—is protective against osteoporosis. Research shows postmenopausal women who most closely stuck with the Mediterranean diet had higher levels of bone mineral density and fewer hip fractures.
May Support Skin Health
Honeydew melon is a good source water and vitamin C and has anti-inflammatory effects, all of which contribute to healthy skin. Skin cells depend on vitamin C to make collagen and to regulate the collagen and elastin balance, which gives skin its volume and shape.
Too little vitamin C can lead to poor skin healing and skin inflammation. Several studies have shown aged or sun-damaged skin contains lower vitamin C levels, although the exact link is unknown. Research indicates excessive exposure to pollutants or sun is associated with depleted skin vitamin C levels.
In contrast, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables has been shown to decrease signs of skin aging and improve skin tightness, tone, and color.
Nutrition of Honeydew Melon
One cup of diced honeydew melon provides:
Honeydew also supplies smaller amounts of several nutrients, including some B vitamins, vitamins A and K, and magnesium.
Every food product has a nutrition label stating the amount of calories, fats, and other nutrients per serving. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) selects a value for each nutrient based on the needs of the general population.
These are referred to as Daily Values and are listed as percentages in the right column of food labels. The percentages can help shoppers determine how much of a certain nutrient one serving of a food provides compared to the suggested daily intake.
Risks of Honeydew Melon
While melon allergies aren’t common, they can occur. Melons contain substances similar to certain pollens, so if you have a pollen allergy you may also react to melon.
One study found those with grass and ragweed allergies may also react to melon.
Another potential risk of eating melon is contracting a foodborne illness from bacteria, like E coli, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can be found in the soil in which melons grow. Most fruits and vegetables have this risk.
Make sure to wash your hands before handling honeydew melons and wash the melons before cutting to prevent bacteria from being transferred from the skin to the flesh. Once cut, the melon should always be stored in the refrigerator. Leaving it out at room temperature or outdoors on a hot day can lead to bacterial growth that can cause foodborne illness.
In the refrigerator, honeydew melon can last for up to five days in an air-tight container.
Tips for Consuming Honeydew Melon
Honeydew melons don’t ripen after they’ve been harvested, so look for one with telltale signs of ripeness. A ripe melon should be:
There are many ways to enjoy honeydew melon while it’s in season. You can eat the fruit:
A Quick Review
Honeydew melon is a nutritious summer fruit that provides key nutrients, including vitamin C and water. It’s also been linked to better skin health and protection against chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. If you have a history of environmental allergies, including pollen, grass, or ragweed, talk to your healthcare provider for guidance before consuming honeydew.
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