Cantaloupe vs Watermelon: nutrition compared
Cantaloupe has over 8× the vitamin A, over 4× the folate, over 4× the zinc of Watermelon per 100 g. Watermelon is lower in calories (30 vs 34 kcal per 100 g).
% Daily Value per serving
Nutrient by nutrient
Per serving: Cantaloupe 1 cup, balls (177 g), Watermelon 1 cup, balls (154 g). Per 100 g columns compare equal weights. The highlighted cell has the higher amount when the gap is at least 15%.
| Nutrient | Cantaloupe / serving | Watermelon / serving | Cantaloupe / 100 g | Watermelon / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 60 3% | 46 2.3% | 34 | 30 |
| Protein (g) | 1.5 2.9% | 0.9 1.9% | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| Total fat (g) | 0.3 0.4% | 0.2 0.3% | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 0.1 0.5% | 0 0.1% | 0.1 | 0 |
| Monounsaturated fat (g) | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Polyunsaturated fat (g) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Omega-3 (ALA+EPA+DHA) (g) | 0.08 | 0 | 0.05 | 0 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 14.4 5.3% | 11.6 4.2% | 8.2 | 7.5 |
| Fiber (g) | 1.4 5.1% | 0.6 2.2% | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Sugars (g) | 13.9 | 9.5 | 7.9 | 6.2 |
| Calcium (mg) | 16 1.2% | 11 0.8% | 9 | 7 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.7 3.7% | 0.4 2.1% | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 23 5.5% | 15 3.7% | 13 | 10 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 30 2.4% | 17 1.4% | 17 | 11 |
| Potassium (mg) | 278 5.9% | 172 3.7% | 157 | 112 |
| Sodium (mg) | 53 2.3% | 2 0.1% | 30 | 1 |
| Zinc (mg) | 0.8 7.1% | 0.2 1.4% | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Copper (mg) | 0.15 17% | 0.06 7.2% | 0.09 | 0.04 |
| Manganese (mg) | 0.08 3.5% | 0.06 2.5% | 0.05 | 0.04 |
| Selenium (µg) | 3 5.5% | 0.6 1.1% | 1.7 | 0.4 |
| Vitamin A (RAE) (µg) | 411 46% | 43 4.8% | 232 | 28 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 19.3 21% | 12.5 14% | 10.9 | 8.1 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.09 0.6% | 0.08 0.5% | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 4.8 4% | 0.2 0.1% | 2.7 | 0.1 |
| Thiamin (B1) (mg) | 0.09 7.2% | 0.05 4.2% | 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Riboflavin (B2) (mg) | 0.05 3.7% | 0.03 2.5% | 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Niacin (B3) (mg) | 1.2 7.7% | 0.3 1.7% | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.07 4.2% | 0.07 4.1% | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Folate (DFE) (µg) | 25 6.2% | 5 1.2% | 14 | 3 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Choline (mg) | 13 2.4% | 6 1.1% | 8 | 4 |
Highlighting marks the higher value; for calories, saturated fat, sugars, sodium and cholesterol "higher" is not better. Sources: USDA FoodData Central #169092 and #167765.
Frequently asked questions
Which is healthier, Cantaloupe or Watermelon?
Cantaloupe has over 8× the vitamin A, over 4× the folate, over 4× the zinc of Watermelon per 100 g. Watermelon is lower in calories (30 vs 34 kcal per 100 g). By nutrient density (NRF9.3 per 100 kcal) Cantaloupe scores 102 and Watermelon scores 31. Which is 'healthier' depends on what you need more of.
Which has more protein, Cantaloupe or Watermelon?
Cantaloupe: 0.8 g per 100 g for Cantaloupe vs 0.6 g for Watermelon (1.5 vs 0.9 g per serving).
Which has fewer calories, Cantaloupe or Watermelon?
Watermelon: 34 kcal per 100 g for Cantaloupe vs 30 kcal for Watermelon (60 vs 46 kcal per serving).
Cantaloupe nutrition facts · Watermelon nutrition facts · All comparisons
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.