Spicy Melon Fruit Salad

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Swap your go-to fruit salad for this unique and hydrating Spicy Melon Fruit Salad that everyone can enjoy. This dish makes a great after-school snack on warm days, or a zesty side dish at a barbecue or family gathering.  

The sweetness of cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew combined with spicy chile powder makes a great combination of flavors that will have your taste buds dancing. We used a melon baller to scoop out each melon piece for both a prettier presentation and also greater convenience. However, if you do not want to use a melon baller, you can also cube each melon to make this melon fruit salad.  

If you don’t have a melon baller, we recommend this tool 

Not only do the melons provide a mild sweetness to this fruit salad dish, but they also provide great health benefits. Cantaloupe contains a nutrient called beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. It supports the immune system and can help deter asthma later in life.¹ Additionally, a 2019 study found “watermelon consumption reduced body weight and blood pressure while improving blood lipid profile and antioxidant status” after four weeks.²  

Finally, honeydew melons are a great, nutrient-dense snack. They’re low-calorie, low-fat, and low-sodium fruits that also provide potassium and vitamin C.³ Needless to say, this Spicy Melon Fruit Salad packs a punch when it comes to potential health benefits.  

Since honey is a natural sweetener, it is allowed on The Paleo Diet in certain quantities. To keep this recipe TRUEPALEO™, you can drizzle up to 3 teaspoons of honey over this melon fruit salad. If you want to add more to make this a non-Paleo sweet treat, that’s still perfectly fine according to our 85/15 guideline.

TIP: Mix and match the melons used with your favorites, like bitter melon or Picasso melon.

Dietary Restrictions: Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.

References:

1. Martins, K. (2020, July 21). Health Benefits of Cantaloupes. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cantaloupe-health-benefits  
2. Lum, T., Connolly, M., Marx, A., Beidler, J., Hooshmand, S., Kern, M., Liu, C., & Hong, M. Y. (2019). Effects of Fresh Watermelon Consumption on the Acute Satiety Response and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults. Nutrients, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030595  
3. Lester, G. (1996). Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Fruit Nutritional Quality and Health Functionality. HortTechnology, 7(3), 222-227. https://www.doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.7.3.222