Is Cantaloupe a Fruit or Vegetable?

Cantaloupe is in the same family as squashes, pumpkins, gourds and cucumbers. It grows on a vine on the ground. The difference between a cantaloupe and a squash is in the way we use them. Squashes are eaten as vegetables, while cantaloupes are thought of as a sweet fruit.

According to Webster dictionary, a vegetable is anything made from, obtained from, or containing plants or plant products. A melon is in the family of Cucurbitaceous, which includes cucumber, squash, gourds, and pumpkins. Therefore, a cantaloupe is a vegetable.

Cantaloupes grow from seeds. They are harvested like other vegetables.

Cantaloupes have a light brown rind with a netted skin. Inside, the melon are seeds and orange flesh.

Cantaloupes are low in calories and high in potassium and vitamin C.They contain beta-carrotin which is good for your eyes.

Tap the melon with your hand and listen for a hollow sound. Look for a yellow color underneath the netting. A green color means the fruit is unripe.

It is important to wash the melon before cutting into it,since bacteria can grow on the rind.