Cantaloupe vs. Watermelon

Nutrition comparison of Cantaloupe and Watermelon


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cantaloupe versus watermelon (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cantaloupe and watermelon:

  • Cantaloupe has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than cantaloupe.
  • Cantaloupe has more niacin and folate.
  • Cantaloupe is a great source of potassium.
  • Cantaloupe is an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cantaloupe and watermelon is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Cantaloupe (Melons, cantaloupe, raw) and Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cantaloupe src
Image of Watermelon src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 34 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cantaloupe is similar to watermelon for protein, carbs and fat. Cantaloupe has a macronutrient ratio of 9:87:4 and for watermelon, 7:90:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cantaloupe Watermelon
Protein 9% 7%
Carbohydrates 87% 90%
Fat 4% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 8.2g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in cantaloupe comprise of 89% sugar and 10% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Cantaloupe has 125% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 0.9g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of sugar - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 7.9g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of protein - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 0.84g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both watermelon and cantaloupe are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 0.05g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Cantaloupe is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 353% more Vitamin C than watermelon - watermelon has 8.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 36.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Cantaloupe is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 504% more Vitamin A than watermelon - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 169ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 0.05mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 2.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Cantaloupe has more niacin and folate. Both cantaloupe and watermelon contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Cantaloupe Watermelon
Thiamin 0.041 MG 0.033 MG
Riboflavin 0.019 MG 0.021 MG
Niacin 0.734 MG 0.178 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.105 MG 0.221 MG
Vitamin B6 0.072 MG 0.045 MG
Folate 21 UG 3 UG

Minerals

calcium

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of calcium - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 9mg of calcium.

iron

Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of iron - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 0.21mg of iron.

potassium

Cantaloupe is a great source of potassium and it has 138% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and cantaloupe has 267mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

flavonoids

Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]

For specific flavonoid compounds, both cantaloupe and watermelon contain significant amounts of luteolin.

Cantaloupe Watermelon
luteolin 0.64 mg 0.46 mg
kaempferol 0.07 mg 0.45 mg
Quercetin 0.01 mg ~

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, cantaloupe has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon per 100 grams, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than cantaloupe per 100 grams.

Cantaloupe Watermelon
beta-carotene 2020 UG 303 UG
alpha-carotene 16 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 26 UG 8 UG
lycopene ~ 4532 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cantaloupe and watermelon contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Cantaloupe Watermelon
linoleic acid 0.035 G 0.05 G
Total 0.035 G 0.05 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Cantaloupe (Melons, cantaloupe, raw) and Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) .

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FAQ

Does watermelon or cantaloupe contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and cantaloupe has 34 calories.

Does watermelon or cantaloupe have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon and cantaloupe contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and cantaloupe has 8.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in cantaloupe comprise of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber.

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