Melons are not only a summer thirst quencher - they help prevent sunburn. The discovery of the sun-protective powers of melon juice was made by a French farmer.

He noticed that a particular type of cantaloupe lasted longer in storage than other melons. When scientists at Paris University studied them, they discovered they were rich in antioxidants that help protect against harmful oxygen-free radicals that can damage cells and are triggered by over-exposure to sun.

The juice of the melon has been concentrated and freeze-dried into pills that can be taken daily to help protect against skin damage, in addition to wearing sunscreen.

'The extract gives a degree of added protection you couldn't get from just eating a melon,' says Professor Marvin Edeas, an expert on antioxidants at the University of Paris.