10 Surprising Benefits Of Honeydew Melon - Healthline

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Nutrition

Evidence BasedHoneydew Melon Nutrition and Benefits

Medically reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT — Written by Ansley Hill, RD, LD — Updated on June 9, 2025

Nutritious
Blood pressure
Bone health
Blood sugar
Hydration
Skin health
Immune health
Digestion
Eye health
Versatile
Takeaway

Honeydew melon supports your body from the inside out, including bone health, digestion, and skin health.

Honeydew melon, or honeymelon, is a fruit that belongs to the melon species Cucumis melo (muskmelon).

The sweet flesh of honeydew is typically light green, while its skin has a white-yellow tone. Its size and shape are similar to those of its relative, the cantaloupe.

Honeydew melon is available worldwide and can be eaten by itself or used in desserts, salads, snacks, and soups.

Though its greatest appeal may be its flavor, honeydew is nutritious and may provide several benefits.

Here are 10 benefits of honeydew melon.

Oral allergy syndrome

If you’re allergic to the pollen of certain grasses or ragweed pollen, you may experience oral allergy syndrome when eating honeydew melon and cantaloupe. These symptoms can include itchiness or swelling of the mouth, face, lip, tongue, and throat. These symptoms usually happen right away after eating the raw fruit, but can also occur more than an hour later.

Rich in nutrients

The nutrient profile of honeydew is arguably its most valuable asset.

The various nutrients and plant compounds may be responsible for its many potential health benefits.

A 1-cup (170-gram) serving of honeydew melon provides about:

Calories: 62.1
Carbs: 16 grams
Fiber: 1.4 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 0 grams
Vitamin C: 30.6 mg or about 34% of the reference daily intake (RDI)
Vitamin B6: 0.15 mg or about 8% of the RDI
Folate: 32 g or about 8% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 4.93 µg (micrograms) or about 4% of the RDI
Potassium: 388 mg or about 8% of the RDI
Magnesium: 17 mg or about 4% of the RDI

In addition, the honeydew fruit and seeds also contain compounds with strong antioxidant capacity, such as hydroxycinnamic acid, flavonoids, and polyphenols.

May help reduce blood pressure

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

More specifically, a low sodium diet and an adequate potassium intake can positively influence your blood pressure regulation.

Honeydew melon is a low sodium and potassium-rich fruit, so it may help you maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

If you want to increase your potassium intake, try adding honeydew to your diet. It’s a good source of potassium, with a 1-cup (170-gram) serving providing about 8% of the RDI.

Contains nutrients vital to bone health

Honeydew melon contains several nutrients, including folate, vitamin K, and magnesium, that are vital for repairing and maintaining strong bones.

Folate

The melon is a good source of folate, with 1 cup (170 grams) providing 8% of the RDI.

Folate is essential for the breakdown of homocysteine, elevated levels of which have been linked to reduced bone mineral density over time.

Though more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions on the relationship between folate and bone health, eating foods that contain folate, such as honeydew, may promote healthy bones by ensuring homocysteine levels stay within the normal range.

Vitamin K

A serving of honeydew provides about 4% of the RDI of this vitamin.

Vitamin K is involved in the production of a major structural protein in bone known as osteocalcin, making adequate vitamin K intake essential for healthy bones.

Magnesium

You can meet about 4% of your daily magnesium needs with one serving of honeydew.

The cells responsible for building and breaking down bone tissue require magnesium to function properly. Thus, magnesium is another nutrient vital for bone health.

Other nutrients

Honeydew also contains small amounts of other bone-supporting nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.

While these nutrients are not highly concentrated in honeydew, adding the fruit to your diet can still support your bone health when paired with a balanced diet that includes a variety of other nutrient-dense foods.

»Learn more:Nutrient-dense foods to try

May improve blood sugar management

Some research indicates that regularly eating fruits, such as honeydew melon, may promote healthy blood sugar levels.

A 2022 study in over 79,000 adults suggests that eating whole fresh fruit daily was associated with a 2.8% lower risk of diabetes in people without diabetes.

A larger but older seven-year study from 2017 in half a million people found that those who consumed fresh fruit daily were 12% less likely to develop diabetes than those who rarely ate fruit.

In those participants who already had diabetes at the beginning of the study, eating fruit at least three times per week led to a 13–28% lower risk of experiencing diabetes-related health complications in addition to a 17% lower risk of premature death.

Though honeydew melon contains carbs that can raise your blood sugar temporarily, it also provides fiber and other nutrients that may help improve blood sugar regulation over time.

Rich in electrolytes and water

When you think of hydration, water is probably the first thing that comes to mind. However, your body needs more than that to effectively and properly hydrate. It needs electrolytes, too.

Honeydew melon is about 90% water and contains electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.

This combination of water and nutrients makes honeydew great for hydrating after a workout, during illness, or throughout the day.

May support healthy skin

Eating honeydew melon may support healthy skin due to its high vitamin C content.

Adequate vitamin C intake is necessary for the proper production of collagen, a major structural protein that’s vital for repairing and maintaining your skin tissue.

Additionally, because vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, some research indicates it may protect your skin against sun damage.

Honeydew melon is an excellent source of vitamin C. A single cup (170 grams) provides about 34% of the RDI.

Though you can obtain vitamin C from various foods, eating honeydew is one way to quickly meet your daily needs, promoting healthy skin in the process.

May support your immune system

Vitamin C is arguably best known for supporting immune function, and honeydew melon is loaded with it.

The human immune system is complex and requires many nutrients to function properly. Vitamin C is a critical component.

Research suggests adequate dietary vitamin C intake may reduce the length and manage symptoms of some respiratory and systemic infections, such as pneumonia and the common cold. It may also help prevent other health conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

A 1-cup (170-gram) serving of honeydew provides 34% of the RDI for vitamin C, making it a great addition to your diet.

May promote proper digestion

Honeydew melon contains fiber, a nutrient well known for improving digestive health.

Adequate dietary fiber intake slows the blood sugar response, promotes bowel regularity, and promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

A single cup (170 grams) provides about 1.4 grams or roughly 5% of the RDI for fiber. Though many other fruits contain more fiber per serving, honeydew can still contribute to your daily fiber intake.

For some people with certain digestive disorders or those who are newly introducing or reintroducing fiber into their diet, a lower-fiber fruit like honeydew may be better tolerated than other high fiber foods.

»Learn more:Your gut microbiome

May support vision and eye health

Honeydew melon contains two potent antioxidants: lutein and zeaxanthin.

These carotenoid compounds are well known for supporting eye health and preventing the development of age-related vision loss.

Regularly eating foods that contain these antioxidants, such as honeydew melon, may support proper eye function throughout your life.

Easy to add to your diet

Adding honeydew melon to your diet couldn’t be easier.

It’s widely available, and its price is comparable to other popular melons, such as cantaloupe or watermelon.

For the best flavor, choose a ripe melon. Out-of-season or unripe honeydew melons are flavorless and leave much to be desired.

A great selling point for fruit is that it can easily be enjoyed by itself, a slice of cool, ripe melon on a warm day is hard to beat.

However, if you’re looking for something a little more creative, you can enjoy this fruit in many other ways.

You can add honeydew melon to a wide variety of dishes, including:

Salads: Slice some honeydew into bite-sized pieces and add it to your favorite salad.
Desserts: Puree the melon and use it as a base for popsicles or ice cream.
Breakfast: Serve sliced melon alongside cottage cheese or blend it into a smoothie.
Soups: Serve honeydew as the base of a chilled soup with peppers, mint, and cucumber.
Appetizers: Wrap slices of melon with cured meats or add them to a spicy salsa.

The bottom line

Honeydew melon is a sweet fruit that can be found worldwide. Its flesh is light green, while its rind is typically white or yellow.

Honeydew is full of vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting plant compounds. Eating this type of melon could have several health benefits, mainly due to its rich nutrient content.

Honeydew melon can be eaten by itself or as part of other dishes like soups, salads, smoothies, and more. For the tastiest experience, choose an in-season and ripe melon.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Baer DJ, et al. (2022). Targeting the dietary Na:K ratio—considerations for design of an intervention study to impact blood pressure. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322005385
Barber TM, et al. (2020). The health benefits of dietary fibre. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7589116/
Boo YC, et al. (2022). Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as a cosmeceutical to increase dermal collagen for skin antiaging purposes: Emerging combination therapies. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9495646/
Cozzolino E, et al. (2023). Assessing yield and quality of melon (Cucumis melo L.) improved by biodegradable mulching film. https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/219
Du H, et al. (2017). Fresh fruit consumption in relation to incident diabetes and diabetic vascular complications: A 7-y prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5388466/
Folate: Fact sheet for health professionals. (2022). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional
FoodData Central. (2019). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169911/nutrients
Khalid W, et al. (2021). Chemical composition and health benefits of melon seed: A review. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20210473970
Li L, et al. (2022). Whole fresh fruit intake and risk of incident diabetes in different glycemic stages: A nationwide prospective cohort investigation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9941276/
Magnesium: Fact sheet for health professionals. (2022). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
Mrowicka M, et al. (2022). Lutein and zeaxanthin and their roles in age-related macular degeneration—neurodegenerative disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8874683/
Shrimanker I, et al. (2023). Electrolytes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
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Wang DD, et al. (2021). Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality: Results from 2 prospective cohort studies of us men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 cohort studies. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996
Zheng Z, et al. (2023). Association between dietary folate intake and bone mineral density in a diverse population: a cross-sectional study.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10503018/

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Medically reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT — Written by Ansley Hill, RD, LD — Updated on June 9, 2025

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Nutrition

Nutrition

Oral allergy syndrome

Rich in nutrients

May help reduce blood pressure

Contains nutrients vital to bone health

Folate

Vitamin K

Magnesium

Other nutrients

May improve blood sugar management

Rich in electrolytes and water

May support healthy skin

May support your immune system

May promote proper digestion

May support vision and eye health

Easy to add to your diet

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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