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Papaya vs. Melon — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on October 27, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Papaya
vs
Melon

Summary

Papaya is higher in vitamins and minerals. It has less sodium and a lower glycemic index than melon. On the other hand, melon is richer in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin A and contains fewer sugars and saturated fats.

Introduction

To find the similarities and differences between melon and papaya, we will discuss a comparative analysis of their nutrition features and health impact.

What’s The Actual Difference?

Papayas belong to the Carica genus. They originated in the tropics of America and Mexico. Melons belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, along with watermelons and cucumbers. It is easy to confuse papaya and melon externally; melon is an oblong, oval, yellow plant, 13-17 cm. Papaya is yellow and salmon-colored, about 15–45 cm.

Nutrition

In this article section, we will compare the nutritional content between melon and papaya. Both are mostly made up of water; however, melon contains more water than papaya. At the bottom of this page, you can find a nutrition infographic, which will help you better understand the differences in the nutrition of melon and papaya.

Vitamins

Papaya is relatively high in vitamins than melon. It contains five times more Vitamin E and three times more folate than melon. Vitamin A, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin B1 are also higher in papaya.

Papaya falls in the range of the top 12% of foods as a source of Vitamin C.

On the other hand, melon has more Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6.

Both papaya and melon contain no Vitamin D and Vitamin B12.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Papaya
7
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 203% 57% 6% 0% 5.8% 6.2% 6.7% 11% 8.8% 0% 6.5% 28% 3.3%
Melon
3
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 73% 0% 1% 0% 3.8% 7.2% 4.4% 5% 38% 0% 6.3% 6% 4.1%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +179.4%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +500%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +53.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +53.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +127.4%
Contains more FolateFolate +362.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +14.8%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +328.9%
Contains more CholineCholine +24.6%
~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin K ~2.5µg

Minerals

Papaya is richer in minerals than melon. It has more calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and less sodium than melon. 

On the other hand, melon contains more iron and copper. Both have an equal amount of phosphorus.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Papaya
7
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 15% 6% 16% 9.4% 15% 2.2% 4.3% 1% 5.2% 3.3%
Melon
2
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.9% 3.3% 16% 13% 20% 1.9% 2.1% 1.2% 4.6% 2.2%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +90.9%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +81.8%
Contains more ZincZinc +14.3%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +100%
Contains less SodiumSodium -11.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +14.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +50%
Contains more IronIron +36%
Contains more CopperCopper +33.3%
~equal in Potassium ~182mg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of papaya is lower than that of melon. It has a GI equal to 59, whereas the GI of melon is equal to 62.

Insulin Index

Both fruits have almost an equal insulin index. Papayas’ insulin index is 129, and melon’s insulin index is 127.

Acidity

On average, melon has a pH ranging from 6 to 6.7. The pH value of papaya ranges from 5.5 to 5.9.

Calories

Both melon and papaya are considered low-calorie food. Papaya contains more calories than melon. It has 43 calories per 100 g, while melon has 28 calories per 100 g.

Carbs

Papaya has more carbohydrates than melon. It contains 10.82g of carbs per 100g, whereas melon provides 6.58g of carbs per 100g.

Papaya is also richer in fiber: 1.7g of fiber and 9.12g of net carbs. Melon contains 0.9g of fiber and 5.68g of net carbs. Both are considered low-carb foods.

Fats

Both papaya and melon contain tiny amounts of fats.

Health Impact

Cardiovascular Health

A low-sodium diet and appropriate potassium intake can help regulate your blood pressure. Melon is a low-sodium, potassium-rich fruit that may aid in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels [1]. Papaya contains a high amount of antioxidants and phenolic compounds, which have protective effects on HDL cholesterol. These antioxidants may also improve the ratio and reduce the risk of heart diseases [2].

Diabetes

Papaya is high in fiber, which can help lower blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes and maintain blood sugar and insulin levels in type 2 diabetes [3].

One study shows that fermented papaya preparations can help prevent or manage chronic oxidative stress-related diseases, particularly diabetes and cancer. On the other hand, Overeating papaya may negate these health benefits and cause a blood sugar spike [4].

Although melon contains high carbs that can temporarily raise your blood sugar, it also contains fiber and other nutrients that may help improve blood sugar control over time. However, be mindful of melon consumption [5].

Inflammation

Papaya contains two protein-digesting enzymes, papain, and chymopapain. As a result, they can aid digestion and reduce inflammation. They may be especially beneficial for chronic inflammatory diseases like asthma and arthritis [6].

Side Effects

Allergy

If consumed in large quantities, papayas may be unsafe. Individuals who are allergic to latex may also be allergic to papayas. When applied to the skin, papaya latex can cause severe irritation and allergic reactions.

During pregnancy, papayas can be dangerous. The papain found in these fruits has the potential to cause congenital disabilities. People allergic to papain may develop an allergy to papaya in rare cases [7].

Melon allergy is a common food allergy that usually causes an itchy mouth, face, throat, lips, or tongue swelling [8].

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Last updated: October 27, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Papaya vs Melon infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Papaya
3
11% 88%
Protein: 0.47 g
Fats: 0.26 g
Carbs: 10.82 g
Water: 88.06 g
Other: 0.39 g
Melon
2
7% 92%
Protein: 1.11 g
Fats: 0.1 g
Carbs: 6.58 g
Water: 91.85 g
Other: 0.36 g
Contains more FatsFats +160%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +64.4%
Contains more ProteinProtein +136.2%
~equal in Water ~91.85g
~equal in Other ~0.36g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Papaya
2
38% 34% 27%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.081 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.072 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.058 g
Melon
1
38% 3% 59%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.025 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.002 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.039 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +3500%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +48.7%
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -69.1%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Papaya Melon
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Papaya Melon Opinion
Calories 43kcal 28kcal Papaya
Protein 0.47g 1.11g Melon
Fats 0.26g 0.1g Papaya
Vitamin C 60.9mg 21.8mg Papaya
Net carbs 9.12g 5.68g Papaya
Carbs 10.82g 6.58g Papaya
Magnesium 21mg 11mg Papaya
Calcium 20mg 11mg Papaya
Potassium 182mg 182mg
Iron 0.25mg 0.34mg Melon
Sugar 7.82g 5.69g Melon
Fiber 1.7g 0.9g Papaya
Copper 0.045mg 0.06mg Melon
Zinc 0.08mg 0.07mg Papaya
Phosphorus 10mg 5mg Papaya
Sodium 8mg 9mg Papaya
Vitamin A 950IU 0IU Papaya
Vitamin A RAE 47µg 0µg Papaya
Vitamin E 0.3mg 0.05mg Papaya
Manganese 0.04mg 0.035mg Papaya
Selenium 0.6µg 0.4µg Papaya
Vitamin B1 0.023mg 0.015mg Papaya
Vitamin B2 0.027mg 0.031mg Melon
Vitamin B3 0.357mg 0.232mg Papaya
Vitamin B5 0.191mg 0.084mg Papaya
Vitamin B6 0.038mg 0.163mg Melon
Vitamin K 2.6µg 2.5µg Papaya
Folate 37µg 8µg Papaya
Choline 6.1mg 7.6mg Melon
Saturated Fat 0.081g 0.025g Melon
Monounsaturated Fat 0.072g 0.002g Papaya
Polyunsaturated fat 0.058g 0.039g Papaya
Tryptophan 0.008mg Papaya
Threonine 0.011mg Papaya
Isoleucine 0.008mg Papaya
Leucine 0.016mg Papaya
Lysine 0.025mg Papaya
Methionine 0.002mg Papaya
Phenylalanine 0.009mg Papaya
Valine 0.01mg Papaya
Histidine 0.005mg Papaya
Fructose 3.73g Papaya

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Papaya Melon
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
26%
Papaya
11%
Melon
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
8%
Papaya
7%
Melon

Comparison summary

Which food contains less Sodium?
Papaya
Papaya contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Papaya
Papaya is lower in glycemic index (difference - 24)
Which food is cheaper?
Papaya
Papaya is cheaper (difference - $0.4)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Papaya
Papaya is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Papaya
Papaya is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Melon
Melon is lower in Sugar (difference - 2.13g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Melon
Melon is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.056g)
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Papaya - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169926/nutrients
  2. Melon - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169093/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.