Pomelo: health benefits and harms

History of pomelo

The thick skin of the fruit is green or yellow, and the lobules are separated by bitter-tasting partitions. The fruit comes in three varieties: red, white, and pink, depending on the color of the flesh. Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit, the weight of the largest variety of white pomelo can reach 10 kg. 

Pomelo is native to Malaysia and China. The first mentions in Chinese manuscripts date back to 100 BC. e. Pomelo is considered a symbol of well-being and prosperity, so in China it is given to each other on New Year’s Eve, and many traditional dishes are cooked with it. In Thailand, the fruit is used as an offering to the gods. The fruit was brought to Europe by a British navigator in the XNUMXth century.

Pomelo is often considered a hybrid of grapefruit, however, this is not the case. Pomelo is an independent fruit, which was then crossed with an orange and received a grapefruit. Further crossing a pomelo with a white grapefruit produced a sweetie fruit resembling a large green tangerine. It appeared in 1984 in Israel, where scientists tried to make the fruit sweeter than grapefruit. 

The benefits of pomelo

The pomelo contains many vitamins (A, C, B1, B2, B5), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, sodium), fiber, organic acids and essential oils. 

The fruit is recommended by nutritionists as part of various diets, says Alexander Voinov, dietetics and wellness consultant at the WeGym fitness club chain: “Due to the ability of pomelo to speed up metabolic processes, body fat is burned, and the process of weight loss is more active. Also, fiber, which is contained in large quantities in pomelo, has a beneficial effect on digestion, accelerating the elimination of toxins and toxins and increasing the level of absorption of nutrients.

The high content of vitamin C in pomelo boosts immunity, improves overall health and mood, and reduces the risk of blood clots and cancer.

Composition and calorie content of pomelo

Harm pomelo

People with certain diseases should be careful about eating pomelo, says Alexander Voinov: “Due to the high content of acids, pomelo is not recommended for people with stomach ulcers, high acidity and other gastrointestinal diseases. For the same reason, pomelo is excluded from the diet of patients with hepatitis and nephritis. Like all citrus fruits, pomelo is a frequent allergen, so it is not recommended to get involved in this fruit for pregnant and lactating women so as not to provoke an allergic reaction in a child.

The use of pomelo in medicine 

The increased concentration of vitamin C in pomelo (30 – 53 mg per 100 g of pulp) allows you to cover the body’s daily need for ascorbic acid with just a couple of slices. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, increasing the activity of white blood cells and thus boosting the immune system, helping to fight infections. Vitamin C is also necessary for normal collagen synthesis, which affects skin elasticity, healthy teeth and gums.

Pomelo helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of blood clots, which makes this fruit extremely useful for diabetics and people with cardiovascular diseases.

Pomelo is useful for constipation. The high fiber content improves digestion. Pectin, which is more abundant in pomelo than in all other citrus fruits, has an enveloping effect and protects the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach from the effects of acids. Pomelo contains a special enzyme, carnitine acyltransferase, which is absent in many other products. It accelerates the breakdown of fats and improves the absorption of nutrients, so this fruit is indispensable in nutrition, as one of the best “fat burners”. In addition, the fruit is low-calorie – in 100 g of fruit pulp there are only 25 – 39 kcal. 

Pomelo is also used in cosmetology. Pomelo pulp masks and rubbing the face with juice have a moisturizing and nourishing effect on the skin of the face, and reduce the secretion of sebum. 

The effectiveness of pomelo in the fight against cancer has been proven. The peel of pomelo fruit is rich in antioxidant bioflavonoids, which slow down the division of cancer cells. 

The use of pomelo in cooking 

Pomelo is often found in national dishes of Asian cuisine. The pulp of the fruit is used for food, usually fresh, sometimes baked with other products – such as fish, meat, vegetables. Also, jam is prepared from the peel, dried and added to tea and compotes. Dried pulp is less useful than fresh pulp, as the concentration of vitamin C is reduced. 

To peel a pomelo, you need to make deep cuts in the peel along the fruit and cut off the top and bottom of the fruit. Next, tear off the peel and peel each slice of a bitter white film – it easily leaves. 

Salad with pomelo and smoked chicken

Such a salad is suitable as a festive dish, and as a healthy lunch. You can add crushed walnuts and lime juice. 

Cut the chicken breast into cubes, peel the pomelo slices from the film and divide into pieces. Coarsely chop lettuce leaves. Mix the ingredients and put in a salad bowl. In a bowl, mix olive oil, salt and spices. Drizzle dressing over salad, sprinkle with nuts. 

Dessert salad with pomelo

This salad is a great dessert for those who care about their health and keep their figure.

Peel the pomelo and banana from the peel, cut all the fruits into cubes. Stir, sprinkle with lemon juice and season with yogurt. Serve with a sprig of mint. 

How to choose and store a pomelo

This fruit ripens in winter in December – February, so it is better to buy it at this time, then it is the most ripe. 

The rind should be shiny and without damage, uniform in color, which varies from green to yellow. The ripe fruit is quite heavy. 

The unpeeled fruit is stored for up to a month at room temperature, in the refrigerator for up to two months. The peeled fruit quickly deteriorates and dries out, so it should be stored under cling film for no more than three days. 

Dried peel for adding to tea is stored in a closed glass jar for several months.