Melons are very easy to digest. This is due to their high liquid content – they are all 90% or more water. So melons digest almost immediately. They require virtually no digestive action by the stomach and pass through the digestive system very quickly; however, this can only happen if the stomach is empty. If melon is eaten with other foods that require more complex digestive action in the stomach, it can no longer pass through quickly and gets “stuck”. Even though the melon is already broken down sufficiently to pass quickly through the stomach, in effect, it gets trapped there as it must wait for the other foods to be properly digested. As the melon sits and waits in the stomach, it begins to ferment, leading to bloating, gas and other digestive issues.

Due to this fact, it is important to remember the following rule for all types of melons in order to promote healthy digestion:

“Eat them alone or leave them alone.”

This does not mean that you need to be alone when you eat melons, he-hel!! What it does mean is that all types of melons should be eaten at least an hour away from any other food – including other fruits. It is acceptable to eat different types of melons together, as all melons digest very quickly.

Here are a few interesting facts about melons:

  • eating nothing by watermelon one day per week is very beneficial for the kidneys and cases of water retention
  • cantalope and watermelon are excellent sources of beta-carotene and Vitamin C
  • watermelon is cooling and has a very high water content
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