Goodness in every colour, with Melons Video

Hear from the team at Nutrition Research Australia on how Australian melons are a family of fruit which can provide a range of colour-associated nutrients and bioactives required to achieve optimal health and wellbeing 

Have you ever heard the health advice to fill your plate with a rainbow of colour, or to “eat a rainbow?”

Fruits and vegetables come in many different colours, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. These colours are the result of the special bioactive pigments found in fruits and vegetables. The colours are like the colours of a rainbow. “Eat a rainbow” simply means to eat a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables.

Why “eat a rainbow?” of colours?

A world-first study shows that eating a variety of colours (from bioactive pigments) has health benefits. The research showed that 6 of the 8 colours had unique health benefits associated with them, and that having a variety of colours provides extra health benefits compared to eating same-coloured fruits and vegetables every day.

Research also shows that around 8 in 10 people are not getting enough colour variety from fruits and vegetables, and therefore, are not getting their associated health benefits, increasing their risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

WATERMELONS

Watermelon contains RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, AND WHITE BIOACTIVES

• The typical red colour of watermelon comes from the presence of red pigments such as lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin.
• Watermelon also contains orange and yellow pigments called total carotenoids, and white pigments called flavones.

ROCKMELONS

Rockmelon contains ORANGE, RED, YELLOW, AND WHITE BIOACTIVES

• The typical orange colour of rockmelon comes from orange pigments such as beta-carotene.
• Rockmelon also contains red, orange, and yellow pigments called total carotenoids, and white pigments called flavones.

HONEYDEW

Honeydew melon contains ORANGE or GREEN BIOACTIVES

• Honeydew melons can be orange or green.
• Like rockmelon, orange honeydew melon gets its colour orange pigments such as beta-carotene, but the colour of green honeydew melon comes from green pigments such as chlorophyll.

PIEL DE SAPO

Piel de Sapo melon contains BIOACTIVES

• Like green honeydew melon, the Piel de Sapo melon contains the green pigment chlorophyll, which contributes to the light green colour of its flesh.

When consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet, the colourful bioactive pigments in melons can support our health:

It is easy, fun, and delicious to just add melons to your diet:

Make it EASY: When they’re pre-prepared, you’ll be more likely to eat them.

• CHOP THEM: Chop up a variety of melons of different colours into 2 cm cubes.
• STORE THEM: Store chopped melons in the fridge at eye level. Research shows that you can increase your fruit intake just by making it convenient and accessible.
• FREEZE THEM: Store chopped melons in the freezer to use as the base for cold summer snacks. This is a great way to help prevent food waste.

Make it FUN. Fun things become done things.

• Melon cubes as fruit kebabs. Create different shapes and sizes to make it fun to eat.
• Summer snack. Add as the base of smoothies, melon sorbets, or as ice cubes for drinks.
• In a salad. Try watermelon with feta, Piel de Sapo with chicken, rockmelon with prosciutto, or honeydew with cucumber.

Get inspired – Check out this link for more delicious recipe ideas that bring colour into the kitchen. Did you know watermelon melon rind can be used to make a fabulous stir fry?