In your quest for new ways to incorporate beneficial snacks into your diet, purchasing bulk dried cantaloupe may be an idea you hadn’t thought of. You can buy dried cantaloupe online and make dried cantaloupe bulk quantities a regular part of your monthly shopping experience. If you’ve purchase dried cantaloupe to enjoy as an occasional snack, now is a good time to explore some additional ways to incorporate this delicious dry fruit into your healthy eating plan. Many people add dried cantaloupe to their trail mix for the hint of ginger and the sweet, tropical flavor it adds to the mix. When you find dried cantaloupe for sale, you may want to buy it in bulk, so that you’ll have some conveniently available to bag and pack in your kid’s lunch box or keep in your desk drawer. With a supply of dried cantaloupe in the pantry, you can get creative with some standard recipes and give them a new twist by adding dried cantaloupe. Dried cantaloupe pairs extremely well with mangoes and cilantro, which makes them a delicious and surprising addition to salsa. You can also use chopped dehydrated cantaloupe as a topping for ice cream or yogurt. You may find dried cantaloupe makes a great sugar substitute for your morning cereal.
Dehydrated cantaloupe is a good snack option for anyone who is focused on eating a heart-healthy diet. This fruit contains antioxidants that provide a boost to your immune system. It’s a low fat, low sodium and low cholesterol food. It can be enjoyed as an occasional treat for those who are on a Paleo diet.
Whether you intend to eat cantaloupe fresh or dry it to extend its shelf life, it’s essential that you harvest it at the proper time to get the most flavorful fruit. Cantaloupes have a netting design on their exterior surface. If the area behind the netting is green it’s not ripe enough for picking. If the surface is a cream color, the fruit is ripe. The blossom end of a ripe cantaloupe will have a slightly musky smell. Check the crack on the stem. If it extends to the cantaloupe, the fruit should be ready to pick and the cantaloupe will easily slip off the vine. If it doesn’t, leave it a few more days, then check again.
If you plan on drying cantaloupe at home, the first step is to select a ripe cantaloupe. This will assure that the dried fruit will have the sweet flavor you desire. The next step is to cut away the rind. You’ll also want to cut away the green flesh just underneath the rind. Cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the cantaloupe into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Place on a tray and put in the dehydrator. The drying time varies, but typically exceeds 8 hours. If you’re dehydrating cantaloupe in an electric oven, the preparation process is the same and the drying time varies. To test for completion when you dry cantaloupe at home, make sure the slices don’t feel damp when you touch them and moisture droplets aren’t visible when you tear or bend the slice.
As evidenced by it’s color, dry cantaloupe is an excellent source of Beta-carotene. Beta-carotene helps maintain healthy skin. It’s also revered for helping improve eye health. Dried cantaloupe may reduce the potential damage UV rays can cause. If you work outdoors or spend a lot of recreational time outside, dried cantaloupe would be a good snack option for you. Dried cantaloupe is a good source of potassium. Potassium helps maintain a regular heartbeat and appropriate blood pressure levels. To further increase the benefit this fruit has for your heart, it’s a good source of folic acid. Studies show that folic acid help prevent hardening of the arteries. Dried cantaloupe is a good source of antioxidants which help prevent age-related diseases. These antioxidants also protect tissue from damage caused by free radicals. Dried cantaloupe is a good source of calcium and iron. A one ounce serving of dried cantaloupe provides 4% of your daily fiber. Fiber plays a role in digestion, heart health and weight management as well as in the prevention of strokes, hemorrhoids, gallstones and kidney stones.
