Cantaloupe vs lemon: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: cantaloupe scores 92/100 and lemon 89/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Cantaloupe

92/100Excellent nutrient density

34 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cubes: 160 g

Lemon

89/100Excellent nutrient density

29 kcal per 100 g. 1 lemon: 58 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesLemon34 vs 29 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even0.8 vs 1.1 g per 100 g
More fiberLemon0.9 vs 2.8 g per 100 g
Less sugarLemon7.9 vs 2.5 g per 100 g
More potassiumCantaloupe267 vs 138 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even<0.1 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Cantaloupe, 100 g	Lemon, 100 g	Cantaloupe, 160 g	Lemon, 58 g
Calories	34 kcal	29 kcal	54 kcal	17 kcal
Protein	0.8 g	1.1 g	1.3 g	0.6 g
Carbohydrates	8.2 g	9.3 g	13 g	5.4 g
Sugars	7.9 g	2.5 g	13 g	1.4 g
Fiber	0.9 g	2.8 g	1.4 g	1.6 g
Fat	0.2 g	0.3 g	0.3 g	0.2 g
Saturated fat	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	37 mg	53 mg	59 mg	31 mg
Vitamin A	169 µg	1 µg	270 µg	0.6 µg
Potassium	267 mg	138 mg	427 mg	80 mg
Iron	0.2 mg	0.6 mg	0.3 mg	0.3 mg
Calcium	9 mg	26 mg	14 mg	15 mg
Magnesium	12 mg	8 mg	19 mg	4.6 mg
Sodium	16 mg	2 mg	26 mg	1.2 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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