Cantaloupes, as part of a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet, provide us with a delicious way to have healthy eyes and good vision while they help us protect countless body functions. How can they do that? By being high in beta-carotene, a compound our body can convert into Vitamin A.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, or retinol, is part of the visual pigment in the human eye; it protects the retinal membrane and it has a crucial role when it comes to the health of the retina.
Vitamin A is found in the body in three different forms, called retinoids: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. The richest sources of retinoids are foods derived from animals, and include liver, fish, liver oils, milk and milk products, butter, and eggs. Since vitamin A is fat soluble, it is lost when milk is skimmed; to compensate, nonfat milk is often fortified with vitamin A.
Beta-carotene
Plants do not contain retinoids, but many vegetables and some fruits contain carotenoids which have the capability of converting into vitamin A when our body needs it. Carotenoids can be identified by their red and yellow pigments in the plants; however, only a few carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A, being beta-carotene the one with the greatest vitamin A activity.
Plant foods high in beta-carotene
- spinach
- broccoli
- winter squash
- cantaloupe
- carrots
- sweet potatoes
Vitamin A in Vision
Vitamin A plays two indispensable roles in the eyes:
– It helps maintain a crystal-clear outer window, the cornea.
– It participates in the conversion of light energy into nerve impulses at the retina.
These visual activities depend on retinol, retinal and retinoic acid. Visual activity leads to repeated small losses of these retinoids and they need to be constantly replenished from the body stores. Ultimately, foods supply the materials our retina needs for good functioning.
Night blindness
Night blindness is one of the first detectable signs of vitamin A deficiency and permits early diagnosis. In night blindness, the retina does not receive enough retinal, the product of retinol, to regenerate the visual pigments bleached by light. The person loses the ability to recover promptly from the temporary blinding that follows a flash of bright light at night or to see after the lights go out.
Blindness
Blindness is the failure to see at all. While night blindness is caused by a lack of vitamin A at the back of the eye, total blindness is caused by a lack of vitamin A at the front of the eye, the cornea. Severe vitamin A deficiency is the major cause of childhood blindness in the world.
Cataracts
Although it is well known that a lack of vitamin A is responsible for partial or total blindness, it is sometimes overlooked that vitamin A, as an anti-oxidant, is also of value in preventing cataracts or lens opacities. The Lens Opacities Case-Control Study, the Nutritional Factors in Eye Disease Study (part of the Beaver Dam eye Study), and the Nurses’ Health Study provide evidence of decreased risk of cataracts associated with increased vitamin A intake. These studies showed a substantial reduction in the risk of developing cataracts with an adequate intake of vitamin A
Vitamin A toxicity
Just as a deficiency of vitamin A affects not only the health of the eyes but also all body systems, so does toxicity. Toxicity is rare when a person depends on a balance diet for nutrients, but with concentrated amounts of vitamin A from foods derived from animals or from supplements, toxicity is a real possibility.
Beta-carotene, which is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, is not converted efficiently enough in the body to cause vitamin A toxicity. Instead, it is stored in the fat just under the skin. Over consumption of beta-carotene from foods may turn the skin yellow, but this is not harmful. In contrast, over consumption of beta-carotene from supplements may be quite damaging.
Other benefits of cantaloupes
Vitamin A, along with vitamin C and E, is a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are at the root of many chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. They are also the cause of premature aging
Cantaloupes contribute high amounts of minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Potassium is crucial for the transmission and generation of nerve impulses as well as for normal muscle activity. It is involved in the equilibrium of water inside and outside our cells as well as in the formation of our bones and teeth. In addition, it protects our intestines and has a mild laxative effect.
Final thoughts
As you can see, cantaloupes are not only essential for keeping healthy eyes and good vision, but they are also necessary, as part of a healthy diet, to keep our bodies running well. In addition, cantaloupes are very low in calories, 55 per 100 grams of the product. They are an idea foodl when it comes to losing weight.
Have a healthy day,
Emilia Klapp, BS, RD.
About the Author:
Emilia Klapp has a Bachelor in Nutrition Science and is certified as a Registered Dietitian by the American Dietetic Association. She is also the author of Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet. For more information on an Authentic Mediterranean Diet and to get a FREE list of the Top 10 Mediterranean Curative Ingredients, go to http://www.emiliaklapp.com
