Why are Xinjiang’s cantaloupe so sweet?

Xinjiang cantaloupe is particularly sweet because of the climate and environment of its production area.

The production area is located in the Tuha Basin in eastern Xinjiang. It is spread in the Turpan and Hami regions in an east-west direction. It is separated from the Tarim Basin and Junggar Basin in the north and south respectively. The basin is surrounded by mountains and is a typical continent. arid climate. Due to the influence of the mountains in the northwest, which blocks the flow of moist air to the south, the Tuha Basin is extremely dry, with little rain, high evaporation, and very hot summers.

It is severely cold in winter, with large temperature differences between day and night, long lighting hours, and good atmospheric transparency. , the effective accumulated temperature exceeds 4000°C, the annual precipitation is less than 40 mm, and the evaporation exceeds 3000 mm, which is extremely conducive to the growth and development of melons and sugar accumulation. The unique climate conditions cultivate unique Xinjiang melons. The secret to why cantaloupe is so sweet lies in this special climate environment.

Extended information

The melon with the highest sugar content in the country is cantaloupe, with a sugar content of 7-17%, fiber 0.4-0.8%, and vitamins A, B1, and B2 , C2, malic acid, niacin and iron, phosphorus, calcium and other elements.

The iron content, which is indispensable for human hematopoiesis and development, is 2-3 times higher than the same amount of chicken, fish, and meat, and 17 times higher than milk; the vitamin content is also 4-7 times higher than that of watermelon. 6 times higher than apples and 1.3 times higher than apricots. Since the 1950s, it has been known as China's "top product" and "king of fruits" in the international market, and is known as the holy fruit in Japan.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Hami Melon