Facts about Banana melon

Banana melon which looks like a cross between a papaya and a banana is actually a sister of cantaloupe and cousin of cucumber. It not only looks like a banana but also has a hint of banana taste together with cantaloupe, as well as a hint of banana aroma. It has a salmon-colored flesh, much like cantaloupe and a yellow rind. Banana melon plant prefers full sunlight location with well-drained soil for good production. Some say it gets its name from the shape and some say it has a banana like flavor. This melon is wonderful as a dessert or snack. It is also use to perk up salads, salsas, entrees and drinks.

Plant Description

Banana melon plant is a vining warm season plant that grows in full sunlight location and prefers well-drained, fertile soil amended with compost or well-rotted manure. A 2-inch layer of compost or dry manure should be worked into the soil over the planting area to about a depth of 6 inches. The plant yields tasty elongated banana shaped melons up to 16 to 24 inches long and 4 inch in diameter and average weight up to 5 to 8 pounds each. Fruit is normally green when young turning to yellow as they ripe. Banana melon has smooth yellow skin and salmon-colored flesh. Banana melons rapidly turn yellow in a short time as it ripens. You can also check the stem of each fruit for dryness. Ripe fruits have a dry stem that is brown and somewhat shriveled. Ripe fruit has mild, distinctive, evocative flavor and luscious, papaya-like texture.

Nutritional Values of Banana Melon

Apart from their mild, distinctive, evocative flavor and luscious, papaya-like texture, Banana melon is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 100 gram of Banana melon offers 8.1 mg of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), 20 µg of Vitamin B9 (Folate), 4.9 µg of Vitamin K (phylloquinone), 0.035 mg of Copper, 0.05 mg of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), 4.06 g of Carbohydrate, 140 mg of Potassium, 0.46 mg of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and 0.21 mg of Iron.

Banana Melon Quick Facts
Name:	Banana Melon
Colors	Green when young turning to yellow as they ripe
Shapes	Banana shaped melons up to 16 to 24 inches long and 4 inch in diameter
Taste	Salmon-colored flesh
Calories	21 Kcal./cup
Major nutrients	Vitamin C (9.00%) Vitamin B9 (5.00%) Vitamin K (4.08%) Copper (3.89%) Vitamin B6 (3.85%)

Proximity	Amount	% DV
Water	94.66 g	N/D
Energy	21 Kcal	N/D
Energy	90 kJ	N/D
Protein	0.84 g	1.68%
Total Fat (lipid)	0.2 g	0.57%
Ash	0.24 g	N/D
Carbohydrate	4.06 g	3.12%
Total dietary Fiber	0.3 g	0.79%
Total Sugars	3.36 g	N/D
Glucose (dextrose)	1.3 g	N/D
Fructose	2.06 g	N/D

Minerals	Amount	% DV
Calcium, Ca	13 mg	1.30%
Iron, Fe	0.21 mg	2.63%
Magnesium, Mg	10 mg	2.38%
Phosphorus, P	9 mg	1.29%
Potassium, K	140 mg	2.98%
Sodium, Na	11 mg	0.73%
Zinc, Zn	0.14 mg	1.27%
Copper, Cu	0.035 mg	3.89%
Manganese, Mn	0.036 mg	1.57%
Selenium, Se	0.4 µg	0.73%

Vitamins	Amount	% DV
Water soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	0.02 mg	1.67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.018 mg	1.38%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	0.46 mg	2.88%
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)	0.07 mg	1.40%
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	0.05 mg	3.85%
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	20 µg	5.00%
Folate, food	20 µg	N/D
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	8.1 mg	9.00%
Fat soluble Vitamins
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	4.9 µg	4.08%