Nothing tastes quite like luscious ripe summer melons—sweet and juicy.  Distant relatives of cucumbers, cantaloupe, Crenshaw, honeydew and other melons are loaded with goodness. Melons supply a scant 60 calories per cup, pack a wealth of nutrients such as carotenes and vitamin C, and are loaded with water (over 85% by weight) for hydration. Select whole melons with sweet-smelling rinds indicating ripeness. Eat sliced or cube and mix into a delicious summer fruit salad with sprigs of fresh mint.

• Cantaloupe: Netted rind with orange flesh. Each cup supplies over 100% of vitamin C needs and a good dose of beta carotene.
• Tuscan: Deeply netted rind and orange flesh packed with potassium, a mineral helpful in controlling high blood pressure.
• Crenshaw: Green-yellow wrinkled rind with juicy orange flesh, making it an excellent source of carotenes.
• Canary: Yellow rind with white flesh, loaded with potassium.
• Honeydew: Green-white smooth rind with white or orange flesh, rich in vitamin C.
• Watermelon: With red flesh and a green rind, this melon comes with seeds interspersed with the flesh, which is loaded with water, potassium and lycopene—a potent cancer fighter. Yellow varieties also pack a good nutritional punch.