Muskmelon is an important type of melon belongs to Cucurbitaceae family. It is also known as sweet melon. It is extremely nutritious and offers numerous health benefits.

Nutritional profile

• It contains lesser amount of carbohydrates
• It is significantly rich in fibre
• It also contains too some extent of proteins and fats
• It contains adequate amount of moisture
• It is packed with numerous imperative micronutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese
• It also contains various phytonutrients that exert several nutraceutical activities

Biological activity

Antioxidant activity

• It is loaded with antioxidants that play vital role in protecting the body from oxidative damages by reducing the concentration of free radicals
• Moreover it plays vital role in preventing oxidative stress thus promotes overall wellbeing

Anti-inflammatory activity

• Phytonutrients present in muskmelon exert potent anti-inflammatory activity that ultimately helps to prevent inflammation by decreasing the concentration of inflammatory markers within body
• It helps to prevent joint swelling as well thus helps in improving the symptoms of arthritis

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• Its antioxidants, micronutrients and phytonutrients components are accountable for exhibiting anti-carcinogenic activity that help in reducing the prevalence of cancers
• It has the ability to fight against cancer cells thus it should be a part of the diet especially for those individual who suffer from cancer

Detoxifying activity

It contains adequate amount of moisture, which ultimately helps to hydrate the body and also helps in flushing out toxins from body by promoting urination as a result helps to clean the body effectively

Hypotensive activity

• Individual suffer from hypertension should include muskmelon in their diet as it helps in reducing high blood pressure
• Potassium present in muskmelon acts as vasodilator, which ultimately widen the blood vessels and supports smooth blood flow that subsequently decreases high blood pressure 

Health benefits

Role on immunity

• It contains various immune boosting nutrients thus it should be included in the diet for obtaining a healthy immune system
• It plays vital role in improving the immunological responses of the body, which significantly decreases the risk of developing diseases
• Its antioxidant activity is related with protecting every immune cell from free radical induced oxidative damages that ultimately help to sustain their activity as a result strengthen body’s defense mechanism

• Vitamin C present in muskmelon plays important role in stimulating the synthesis of WBC that help to make the body able to fight against infections
• Whereas its micronutrients and phytonutrients components are accountable for keeping the gut healthy and healthy gut is positively linked with good immune system

Role on digestive health

• It contains desirable amount of fibre as well as water both of which are extremely useful for clearing the bowel
• It helps in improving bowel movement and also plays vital role in making the stool soft and bulky, which ultimately makes the defecation process easy hence prevents constipation
• It is also associated with providing a calming and cooling effect to the stomach and helps to reduce the susceptibility of heart burn or dyspepsia or acidity
• Vitamin C present in muskmelon is very helpful for healing stomach ulcers
• It helps to improve overall gut health as well
• It also helps to improve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

Role on eye health

• It is loaded with vitamin A thus its consumption is thought to be very beneficial for promoting overall eye health
• It significantly improves vision
• It is also associated with protecting the eye from free radical induced oxidative damages, which helps to reduce the risk of developing eye disorders in many folds

• Its consumption decreases the prevalence of cataract as well

Role on mental health

• It is considered as a healthy option for boosting up the overall mental health status
• It plays important role in providing calmness to the body, which ultimately helps in reducing the stress level
• Its micronutrient components also exert stress relieving activity
• It helps to improve the mood as well
• It helps in refreshing the mind and also helps to make an individual feel more relaxed as well as focused

Role on combating acidity attack

• We all know that stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and hyper secretion of acid may cause acidity or dyspepsia whereas prolong consumption of such foods, which are responsible for triggering acid secretion are also associated with increasing various health hazards
• Consumption of muskmelon is considered as an important remedial action for combating acidity attack as it helps to control acidity
• pH of muskmelon is ranging between 6.5 to 7, which is believed to be almost neutral thus its consumption is thought to be very effective for balancing the acids of the stomach
• It is very beneficial to include muskmelon in diet because junk foods are frequently seen in today’s diet, which are responsible for increasing acidity thus addition of muskmelon in diet is thought to be a healthier choice

Role on respiratory health

• Consumption of muskmelon provides a positive impact on respiratory health thus it is better to include muskmelon in diet in order to obtain a healthy respiratory system
• Vitamin A is considered as one of the most important vitamins required by the body for proper lung functioning and smoking, pollution or ingestion of pollutants are responsible for depleting Vitamin A in body that leads to impaired lung functioning
• It is thus better to restore the Vitamin A level in body in order to support lung’s activity and it can be easily achieved by simply consuming muskmelon as it contributes enough Vitamin A to the body

Role on skin

• Consumption of muskmelon is very useful for improving the overall skin health
• It contains various micronutrients that help in rejuvenating the skin thus help to make the skin supple
• It is also associated with removing impurities from skin
• Its antioxidant activity is closely related with protecting the skin from free radical induced oxidative damages, which help in reducing the risk of developing dermal disorders
• Vitamin C present in muskmelon plays vital role in synthesizing collagen, which helps in improving skin elasticity
• Its Vitamin A helps in improving skin barrier functions
• It helps to prevent premature aging as well

• It is very effective for preventing acne

Role on hair

• It plays vital role in promoting hair growth and all the credit goes to its Vitamin A content
• Muskmelon contains adequate amount of Vitamin A, which is responsible for stimulating the production of sebum that helps to keep the hair healthy
• Its consumption or the application of muskmelon pulp to the scalp is very effective for boosting up hair health and also makes the hair lustrous

Therapeutic uses

It has been extensively used for various therapeutic purposes, like –

• It acts as an imperative therapeutic substance for preventing hyperglycemia. Fibre present in muskmelon helps in decreasing blood sugar spike by delaying glucose absorption from intestinal epithelial cells
• It is also associated with preventing diabetic nephropathy
• It promotes the health and activity of heart as well
• Adenosine component of muskmelon acts as blood thinner thus helps in preventing blood clotting within cardiovascular system
• It helps in curing toothache too
• It helps in improving the health and activity of connective tissues
• It helps to promote renal functionality as well
• It also helps in preventing obesity and hypercholesterolemia

Krishnaprabha, V. and Lalitha Ramakrishnan, D.R., Development, Nutrient and Antioxidant Analysis of Probiotic Health Based Beverage Incorporating Musk Melon and Whey Water.

Manchali, S. and Murthy, K.N.C., 2020. Muskmelon. In Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Fruits and Vegetables (pp. 533-546). Academic Press.

Mehra, M., Pasricha, V. and Gupta, R.K., 2015. Estimation of nutritional, phytochemical and antioxidant activity of seeds of musk melon (Cucumis melo) and water melon (Citrullus lanatus) and nutritional analysis of their respective oils. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 3(6), pp.98-102.

Menon, S.V. and Rao, T.V., 2012. Nutritional quality of muskmelon fruit as revealed by its biochemical properties during different rates of ripening. International Food Research Journal, 19(4).

Milind, P. and Kulwant, S., 2011. Musk melon is eat-must melon. IRJP, 2(8), pp.52-57.