Melons are members of the gourd family. Varieties offer smooth or bumpy skin, pale green or bright orange flesh, and sweet, juicy flavors ranging from mild to strong. Melon varieties are endless. Cantaloupe, honeydew, casaba, canary, Crenshaw, and watermelon are the most well-known varieties. Try a juicy Santa Claus melon, a gorgeous yellow flesh watermelon, or a mild Sharlyn. They’re all delicious, sweet, and packed with lots of vitamins. Low in calories, melons are a good source of dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate, and a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Cantaloupe: Slightly sweet to very sweet, depending on ripeness.
Casaba: The flesh is white and sweet.
Crenshaw: The flavor is both sweet and spicy.
Canary: Fruity sweet flavor.
Honeydew: Sweetest of all the melons.
Persian: Resembling the taste of a cantaloupe.
Santa Claus: It has crisp flesh, but is not as sweet as other melons.
Sharlyn: Sweet like a cross between a cantaloupe and honeydew.
Watermelon: Mildly to very sweet.