Honeydew Melon: Calories, Nutrition and Health Benefits

Summarize with:

ChatGPT

Claude

AI Mode

Perplexity

One cup of diced honeydew (170 g) has about 61 calories, 15.5g of carbs, 13.8g of natural sugar and 1.4g of fiber, with almost no fat. It is about 90% water, so it fills the bowl for few calories. Honeydew is a medium glycemic index fruit.

Quick Nutrition Facts

Per 1 cup diced (170 g)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	61 kcal
Protein	0.9g
Carbohydrates	15.5g
Fiber	1.4g
Sugars	13.8g
Fat	0.2g
Sodium	31 mg

Macronutrient Breakdown

Start NutriScan onboarding to personalize your plan

NUTRITIONIST'S INSIGHT

Honeydew is a good low-calorie fruit that is easy to overeat because it is sweet and mostly water. Per 100 g it has 36 kcal, 228 mg of potassium and 18 mg of vitamin C. A cup of cubes (170 g) has about 15g of carbs, which is the one-serving figure Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins give for diabetes meal planning. Fiber is low at 1.4g a cup and protein under 1g, so honeydew alone will not keep you full for long. Pair it with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or a handful of nuts, and count a big bowl as two cups, not one.

Myth Busters

MYTH #1: Honeydew is just sugar water with no nutrition.

TRUTH: It is mostly water, but 100 g also gives about 228 mg of potassium and 18 mg of vitamin C, which is about a third of the 90 mg adult male vitamin C target in a 170 g cup. It has about 36 kcal per 100 g. GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g); NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C fact sheet

MYTH #2: People with diabetes must avoid honeydew because it is sweet.

TRUTH: Mayo Clinic says whole fruit can fit into a diabetes plan if portions are counted. One cup of cubed honeydew is about 15g of carbohydrate, one fruit serving. Whole fruit is a better choice than juice, and a portion kept to a cup works for most meal plans. Mayo Clinic: Diabetes diet, should I avoid sweet fruits?; Johns Hopkins Diabetes Info: fruit serving sizes

MYTH #3: Honeydew and cantaloupe have the same nutrition.

TRUTH: They are close but not the same. Honeydew has about 36 kcal and 8.1g of sugar per 100 g. Cantaloupe has fewer calories and sugar per 100 g and far more vitamin A. Check each melon's own entry instead of using one number for both. USDA FoodData Central: Melons, honeydew, raw (FDC 169911); GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g)

MYTH #4: Because it is low in calories, you can eat as much as you like.

TRUTH: A cup is only 61 kcal, but a quarter of a medium melon is several cups. At 13.8g of sugar per cup, a large bowl can reach 40g of sugar and 180 kcal, with only about 4g of fiber. GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g)

NutriScore by Health Goals

Health Goal	NutriScore	Why This Score?
Weight Loss		Only 61 kcal per cup and about 90% water, so it fills a bowl for few calories. Add protein to make it last. GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g)
Muscle Gain		Under 1g of protein per cup. Fine as a carb and fluid source after training, but pair it with a protein food. GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g)
Diabetes Management		About 15g of carbs per cup with medium glycemic index (reported 55 to 65). Fine in a counted cup, best with protein or fat alongside. Mayo Clinic: Diabetes diet, should I avoid sweet fruits?; Livestrong: Blood Sugar and Honeydew
Heart Health		Naturally low in sodium and fat, with 228 mg of potassium per 100 g. Low fiber keeps it from an A. GetFoodFacts: Melons, honeydew, raw (USDA SR Legacy 169911 values per 100 g)
PCOS Management		Medium glycemic index and low glycemic load per cup, so a pairing with protein keeps insulin response gentle. Livestrong: Blood Sugar and Honeydew

PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

Track your meals with NutriScan for personalized NutriScores based on your specific health goals!

Blood Sugar Response to Honeydew Melon

One cup of honeydew has about 15g of carbs, mostly natural sugar with 1.4g of fiber, so glucose rises gently over the first 45 minutes and is back near baseline within about two hours. Reported glycemic index is medium, about 55 to 65, and the glycemic load of one cup is about 8 to 12. Mayo Clinic: Diabetes diet, should I avoid sweet fruits?; Livestrong: Blood Sugar and Honeydew

Estimated Blood Sugar Response (1 cup diced honeydew)

Modeled estimate for a person without diabetes, not a measured trace. Individual responses vary.

How to flatten the spike

Measure one cup of cubes instead of eating from the whole melon.
Eat it with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts or feta to slow the rise.
Choose whole fruit over honeydew juice, which strips the fiber.
Take a 10 minute walk after a larger portion.

Cultural Significance

Honeydew is a winter melon (Cucumis melo, inodorus group) with smooth pale green flesh and a waxy rind. It is grown across the US, Mexico, Spain and Israel and sold year round in grocery stores. In the US it shows up in fruit salads, hotel breakfast buffets and prosciutto and melon starters, and in Asian dessert drinks and ice pops. Ripe melons have a creamy yellow rind and a faint sweet smell at the stem end.

Compare & Substitute

Honeydew Melon vs Similar Foods

Nutrient	Cantaloupe, diced (1 cup, 160 g)	Watermelon, diced (1 cup, 152 g)	Strawberries, halved (1 cup, 152 g)
Calories	54 kcal	46 kcal	49 kcal
Protein	1.3g	0.9g	1g
Carbohydrates	13g	11.5g	11.7g
Fat	0.3g	0.2g	0.5g

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in a cup of honeydew melon?

One cup of diced honeydew (170 g) has about 61 calories, 15.5g of carbs, 13.8g of sugar and 1.4g of fiber, based on USDA data of 36 kcal per 100 g.

Is honeydew melon good for weight loss?

Yes, as a swap for sweets. It is about 90% water with 61 kcal a cup, so it fills you up cheaply. Pair it with protein such as Greek yogurt because the fiber and protein are low.

Can diabetics eat honeydew melon?

Usually yes in a measured portion. One cup of cubes is about 15g of carbs, one fruit serving per Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. Eat it with protein and check your own glucose response.

How much sugar is in honeydew melon?

About 13.8g per cup (8.1g per 100 g). All of it is naturally occurring sugar from the fruit.

Is honeydew healthier than cantaloupe?

Neither is clearly better. Cantaloupe has fewer calories and far more vitamin A. Honeydew has a bit more sugar and calories, similar potassium and about half the vitamin C. Choose by taste and portion.