Do you know how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe? If the answer is no, then you need to read this particular article till the end. After reading the article, we assure you that you will get to know the tricks about how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe or not.
Now let’s talk about the scenario where you are on your way to pick up daily groceries, and suddenly your mind starts to race towards a cantaloupe. So you decide that you have to buy some ripe and juicy cantaloupe from the market. But the problem is whenever you buy a cantaloupe; you somehow make a mess.
Not just you, most people face the same problem while selecting cantaloupes, and most of the time, it ends up unripe or a peculiar bitter taste. That is why you may have seen that some people try to examine the cantaloupes very closely and sincerely before they buy them. So what you need is to learn some things about cantaloupes, and then you don’t have to worry about How to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe.
Cantaloupes are good at satisfying your craving, and they are excellent in taste. But not just that, if you want to get some vitamin A and vitamin C, then cantaloupes would be a good option. There are very few calories which is also a great feature.
So exactly how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe before you buy them? There are several ways to identify a ripe cantaloupe, and below, we will discuss that one by one.
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The wholesome appearance of a cantaloupe
A grown mesh-like structure Outside of a cantaloupe is considered good as the rind could be tanned, cream-like, or yellowish. Beige is the right color for a ripe and juicy cantaloupe. But whenever you see a kind of simple mesh structure, that means the cantaloupe is unripe.
It would help if you remembered not to buy those cantaloupes with any spots. Always try to select the ones without any hole, dent, or bruises. But those with some faint specks are tolerable because usually, this happens when it absorbs some sunlight or remains laid to the ground for a long time.
The exact flavor of a cantaloupe
There is an easy way to identify a ripe cantaloupe to examine the lower portion. A ripe cantaloupe contains a flowery and sweet flavor, and if the cantaloupe is unripe, then the taste is faded, and sometimes there is no flavor at all. In case the cantaloupe is exceptionally ripe, the flavor gets different.
If you sense an intense flavor by sniffing the outside of a cantaloupe, you can say that it is incredibly ripe and, therefore, somewhat fermented. It would help if you kept in mind that whenever the flavor gets like acetone or alcohol, that should indicate that the fermenting process has started there and that you should not buy that cantaloupe.
How to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?
Here are some ways to understand if a cantaloupe is ripe or not:
Touch the cantaloupe to determine its ripeness
Now how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe just by touching it? That is good news if you see that the cantaloupe has a mesh-like structure on the outer part. But a flat skin means the cantaloupe is not ripe.
A cantaloupe gets weighty when ripe, and you should lift it with your hands to check its weight. Do not roughly squeeze the cantaloupe as you might get confused. Don’t forget to check out if there are any tender areas around the skin of the cantaloupe.
Gently clatter the cantaloupe
When you clatter the cantaloupe gently, it should create an intense sound, and if it is unripe, the sound should be blank.
Shake the cantaloupe
If that particular cantaloupe you are checking is ripe, then the seeds inside it should be in an unbound position. So when you are shaking the cantaloupe, you can feel the seeds in there. When you are getting no sign that means the cantaloupe is ripe, it is what it is.
General signs to look for
Cantaloupes generally grow in the vineyards, and when they are entirely advanced, they tend to fall off, which is a natural process. There forms a hole right where the stalk was. Make sure to buy those with circular edges, which means that the stalks have been separated rightly.
How to tell if a melon is ripe
Be it a honeydew or a watermelon, or a cantaloupe, you need to know if they are ripe enough or not to harvest them from your garden. So now we will inform you about how to tell if a melon is ripe.
Watermelon
When it comes to watermelon, things might get a bit complicated. Determining the right time for harvesting a ripe watermelon is not the easiest task.
First of all, the tendrils are the most important ones to look for. Find out the tendrils which usually can be seen on the other side of a lemon. If you see that the tendril is dried, then the watermelon is considered ripe.
Another technique for checking the ripeness of watermelon is to examine the tummy. When we say tummy, we mean the exact area that remains laid on the floor. Generally, this particular area is devoid of impurities as the sunlight can’t reach this point.
So usually, this belly area is white. But this area becomes somewhat yellowish as the watermelon starts to ripen. However, there are some overgrown watermelons in the stores, and they are not easy to level.
Honeydew
Unlike a cantaloupe, a honeydew doesn’t get detached from the vineyard or produces an intense flavour by which you can tell that the honeydew is ripe. That’s where identifying a ripe honeydew becomes complicated.
Like a cantaloupe, the color of a honeydew determines its ripeness. In this case, the cortex gets yellowish, and if you touch the edge, the edge yields to pressure. So you can say that the honeydew is ripe.
You need to keep in mind that to detach the honeydews from the vineyard, you have to use a knife or a scissor.
Unripe cantaloupe
There are several ways to use an unripe cantaloupe. In case you are wondering, we are telling you that an unripe cantaloupe actually can get soft after being cut into two pieces. You can make different recipes like smoothies, soup or jam and also you can preserve it.
How do you preserve unripe cantaloupes?
If someone by mistake plucks an unripe cantaloupe, there is no way it could ripen after that. The same thing can happen to you when you are the one to make a mistake and buy some unripe cantaloupe. There are some things you can do about it besides regret.
Keep the unripe cantaloupes in the normal temperature for 3- 4 days, or you can cover them with a paper bag. There is no way it will be ripe anymore, but it will get soft.
Ripe and unripe cantaloupe is a lot more different than you can imagine. The smell and the amount of dampness of an unripe cantaloupe are different. You can easily understand the difference by its faded orange color, and you will have some difficulty taking a bite.
The riper ones are delicious to eat, and they are full of juice as well as soft. Unlike the raw ones, they are bright orange. So that’s a more likely way of how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe or not.
Can we consume unripe cantaloupe?
There are generally no harmful effects if you want to eat an unripe cantaloupe. Instead, it can be helpful for your overall health as an unripe cantaloupe has enzyme papain which accelerates the digestion process.
The raw cantaloupes are usually not that sweet, so if you want to add extra sugar to them, that is perfectly fine. Mix some sugar with the unripe cantaloupes and stir them slowly so that the sugar gets appropriately coated. After that, check a piece of cantaloupe to make sure it is sweet enough.
Add some more sugar if required and stir them.
Usage of cantaloupe
As we said earlier that cantaloupes are suitable for your overall health even if consumed as unripe. Before we start discussing ripe cantaloupe vs. unripe cantaloupe, it’s time to know about what they can do to improve your health.
Vitamin A
As we already told you that cantaloupes contain plenty of vitamin A. We need a daily amount of vitamin A as it is necessary for building body tissues, including hair and skin. There is more than one hundred percent of vitamin A in cantaloupe.
Vitamin C
Like vitamin A, vitamin C is also necessary to our bodies. Collagen plays a vital role in keeping our hair and skin healthy enough. Cantaloupe has some amount of it, which is helpful to make the much-needed collagen production.
There are also a few minerals in it which, along with vitamins, work hard to lessen hair fall. It also helps to support new hair growth.
Digestive system
A necessary amount of fiber and water is needed to maintain a proper digestive system. Therefore you won’t have to worry about constipation or irregular bowel problems. Cantaloupes have both water and fiber, which can get the job done.
One cup of cantaloupe has two grams of fiber in it. According to the doctors, a man needs 38 grams of dietary fiber. When it comes to women, they need 25 grams of fiber daily.
Hydration
Cantaloupes have high water content. That is why they eat it in the summertime to avoid dehydration. There are high amounts of electrolytes like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium. One cup of cantaloupe has 160 grams of water in it.
Cantaloupes are also a natural remedy to regain strength after a gym session.
Blood pressure
Cantaloupes are enriched with high amounts of potassium and a small amount of sodium. So naturally, it maintains a balanced blood pressure level. A grown person requires 4700 milligrams of potassium daily for the cardiovascular system.
Cantaloupes are also known to help calm the blood vessels.
Comparison between ripe cantaloupe and unripe cantaloupe
Most of the time, it happens that you think that cantaloupes are not really on your favorite list. Maybe that’s because you haven’t had the privilege of eating the ripper ones this whole time. So now, all you need to do is to choose wisely.
Unripe cantaloupes should weigh much less than a ripe one. If you feel it is so easy to lift, then you do not want to buy it.
If you are looking for the easiest way of how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe just by looking at it, look for the color. Pale yellow or beige is the color you should look for when searching for a perfect and ripe cantaloupe. The inside of the melon should be coral orange.
If you notice that the stem of the cantaloupe is not detached towards the very edge, then the melon didn’t get a chance to prosper fully. But if the stem is fully detached and the place is clean, the cantaloupe is perfect. That’s how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe.
Final thoughts
Now it’s time to end the article, which was all about how to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe. If you are a gardener growing cantaloupes in your garden, this article will help you know the right time to harvest them. Or maybe you are just a cantaloupe lover and want to fulfill your appetite; this will help you too.
Various kinds of recipes can be prepared with ripe cantaloupes. Use a blender to make a beverage or make an excellent puree that is nutritious too. No matter how you consume cantaloupes, if it is ripe, it will taste good.
