Giant citrus - pomelo: where it grows and how to eat it so that it is beneficial and not harmful to the body

Pomelo is a fruit native to China, the largest representative of the citrus family. It has very thick pulp, accounting for 20-30% of the volume of the fruit, and aromatic sweet and sour slices. Sometimes the taste of citrus has a slight bitterness. Many people mistake the exotic fruit for a giant grapefruit, although they are completely different fruits in terms of chemical composition. We invite you to get to know pomelo better, learn about its beneficial properties, potential harm and contraindications.

Calorie content and composition

100 grams of pulp contains 38–40 kcal and 7.5–8 grams of sugar. Pomelo is a dietary product with a low glycemic index and low calorie content. Recommended for people suffering from diabetes, obesity and other metabolic diseases.

There are almost no proteins and fats in the fruit, so it cannot be called satisfying. Pomelo is suitable for a light snack. 100 grams of pulp contain 1 gram of fiber, including soluble fiber (pectin). The latter has the following useful properties:

• removes toxins, lipoproteins (precursors of fatty deposits);
• prevents chronic constipation;
• nourishes beneficial intestinal microflora and helps fight dysbiosis.

Pomelo contains a lot of vitamin C (68%), B1 (2.3%) and B6 (1.8%). Potassium (8.5%), phosphorus (2%) and copper (4.8% of the daily value) are also present in large quantities.

Table 1.Vitamins and microelements in pomelo

When it comes to important substances such as vitamin A, PP (folic acid), calcium and iron, pomelo is often overrated. Although these elements are present in the fruit, they are in very small quantities.

7 beneficial properties of pomelo

Like other citruses, pomelo is useful to eat during the cold season, when people suffer from acute respiratory viral infections and influenza in large numbers. Vitamin C has a positive effect on the immune system, which makes the fruit an excellent preventive measure. If a person is already sick, pomelo juice will lower the temperature, increase the flow of mucus from the throat and nose, and remove viruses along with body fluids.

However, the benefits of pomelo are not limited to antiviral properties. What other value does fruit have for the body?

• Helps fight excess weight

Pomelo is no less valuable for losing weight than oranges and grapefruits. It helps break down fat deposits and removes excess fluid from the body, which is why the scale arrow moves to the left.

You should not get carried away with a mono-diet based on pomelo, since it contains almost no fats and proteins that the body needs, and ascorbic acid in large quantities strongly irritates the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

Citrus normalizes blood sugar levels. A person receives two positive effects at once: prevention of diabetes and reduction of appetite.

• Prevents gastrointestinal diseases

The main enemy of the intestines is food high in simple carbohydrates and low in fiber. Pomelo, on the contrary, supplies the body with pectin and does not overload it with sugar. Eliminates constipation, flatulence. The fruit contains lipase, an enzyme necessary for proper protein absorption.

• Supports Heart Health

Giant citrus contains several elements that have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system: vitamins B2 and B6, potassium, magnesium. The fruit regulates the water-salt balance in the body and thereby normalizes blood pressure. Serves as a prevention of heart attack, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, atherosclerosis.

• Protects against anemia

The main cause of anemia is lack of iron. Although Fe is found in pomelo pulp in small quantities, vitamin C helps absorb this element from other foods. Therefore, it is advisable to include the fruit in the diet along with beans, shellfish, beef liver, nuts and other foods rich in iron.

• Helps prevent diseases of the nervous system

The bright aroma of pomelo pulp lifts your spirits no worse than tangerines for the New Year.Citrus contains lemonides, substances that improve brain function (thinking, attention, memory). Phosphorus has the same properties. Vitamin B1 protects the nervous system from depression, apathy, chronic fatigue, and insomnia.

• Normalizes hormonal levels

Pomelo contains bioflavonoids - substances that normalize the amount of estrogen and promote the production of collagen by the skin. Therefore, the fruit is beneficial for a woman’s body.

• Increases male strength

The fruit enhances sperm production, preventing male infertility. It is deservedly considered a natural aphrodisiac. The peel and pulp contain essential oil, the aroma of which improves mood, helps to relax and unwind. Vitamin C and antioxidants strengthen the walls of blood vessels, increase blood flow in the pelvic organs, thereby eliminating erection problems in men.

Citrus juice, including pomelo, helps cope with nausea in early pregnancy. It also helps out during a hangover.

Harmful properties and contraindications

The peel, which is generously treated with chemicals, can be harmful to human health. The toxic antibiotics SOPP, thiabendazole and imazalil are especially dangerous. These substances are sprinkled on citrus fruits to protect against premature spoilage, parasites and mold.

First, wash the fruit in hot water (so that the antibiotics do not transfer to your hands while peeling), and then completely remove the peel.

Don't overuse the broom. 100-150 grams per day will be enough. And that is provided that you have not eaten other citrus fruits. In case of an overdose, bloating, intestinal cramps, nausea and vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, and skin rashes may occur.

Regular abuse of pomelo increases the risk of kidney and gallstones, menstrual irregularities, and exacerbation of chronic inflammatory processes.

Some people are not allowed to eat the fruit. List of contraindications:

• increased acidity of gastric juice, gastritis, ulcers;
• allergy to citrus fruits;
• chronic diseases of the liver, kidneys and gall bladder (hepatitis, cirrhosis, pyelonephritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis).

It is not recommended to eat pomelo while breastfeeding, as the citrus can cause skin rashes and colic in the baby. Hypotonic patients should limit their consumption of the fruit, as it lowers blood pressure.

How to choose a pomelo

Today, the giant citrus is sold in markets and grocery stores. There are varieties of light yellow, greenish color, as well as fruits with pink spots.

How to choose a tasty, healthy and fresh fruit?

1. Pay attention to the color. The lighter the pomelo, the sweeter its pulp. Greenish varieties are sour, and fruits with pink spots may taste bitter. It is desirable that the color be uniform. Large spots on the peel indicate that a lot of pesticides were used when growing the pomelo.
2. Inhale the aroma. A strong exotic smell with sweet notes is proof of the freshness of the fruit. Spoiled fruits give off acid and yeast. If the pomelo does not smell at all, it means that it was picked unripe, and the pulp contains very few vitamins and microelements.
3. Press down on the top in the center. If there is a dent in the place of the finger, it means that the fruit has already begun to rot.
4. Press down on the side of the peel. The zest of fresh fruit is moderately elastic. Hard and dry peel is evidence that the citrus has been lying on the shelves for a long time and there are few useful substances left in it.
5. Estimate the weight of the fetus. The heaviness of the pomelo speaks of freshness and ripeness. If the fruit is light, it means it has already gone bad.

Buy pomelo in season: January, February or early March. This way, you have a higher chance of finding ripe and fresh fruits on the shelves.

How to properly clean a broom

Unlike tangerines, oranges and grapefruits, it is almost impossible to peel a pomelo by hand. The fruit has a thick peel, and the juicy slices are enclosed in dense shells with partitions. You will need a small sharp knife.

1. Cut off the top by 1.5–2 centimeters.
2. Divide the citrus zest with vertical movements of the knife into equal sectors.
3. Using your hands, separate the “petals” of the peel from the pulp.
4. Divide the pomelo into two parts, and then into slices.
5. Using a knife, remove the pulp from the shells with seeds.

If the fruit is not too large, you can peel it in a circle, like potatoes.

The slices are eaten whole or divided into parts. In the latter case, no problems arise, since the pomelo pulp is externally dry and does not release juice.

How to eat pomelo

The peel of the fruit is not eaten as it is too thick and contains chemicals. Only the pulp, freed from white partitions and shells, is used in slices. The latter consist of coarse cellulose, which is not digested in the intestines.

It is advisable to eat pomelo fresh, separately from other products. At any time of the day, except early morning (on an empty stomach). It is also not recommended to consume fruit later than 3 hours before bedtime.

Fresh juices and smoothies are prepared from pomelo, always diluting it with water by 30-50%. To improve the taste of drinks, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, ground ginger, cinnamon, and ice cubes in hot weather in the summer.Pomelo juice is useful for people suffering from obesity, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The fruit is also used in cooking. It is added to vegetable and fruit salads, desserts, baked goods, meat and fish dishes, and sauces.

Where and how does pomelo grow?

Some people mistakenly believe that pomelo is a hybrid of other citrus fruits. There are people who are frightened by the gigantic size of the fruit, and they classify it as a GMO product. In fact, pomelo is an independent type of fruit of the citrus family.

The fruits grow in clusters of 2–3 pieces in the spherical crown of an evergreen tree 10–15 meters high. Fruit ripening lasts 5 months. There are also delicate white flowers growing on the tree.

Before our era, pomelo was found only in Southeast Asia, Malaysia and two Pacific islands - Fiji and Tonga. In the 14th century, the plant was brought to Europe, where it began to be cultivated.

Today the tree grows in many regions with a humid and warm climate. The largest harvests are produced in the following countries:

• China;
• India;
• Thailand;
• Indonesia;
• Vietnam;
• the islands of Tahiti and Taiwan;
• Israel;
• State of California (USA).

Pomelo can even be grown at home from a seed if you have a spare room. The plant loves diffused light, soft, settled water and daily spraying from a spray bottle.

So far, pomelo is a strange fruit for citizens of Russia and other CIS countries. Most people still prefer oranges, tangerines and grapefruits. But in vain. Pomelo is very useful for the nervous and hormonal systems, helping to cope with fatigue and apathy caused by the gray and cold weather of our latitudes. In China and other Asian countries, people have long been accustomed to the fruit and even made it a holiday attribute.Perhaps soon the pomelo will appear on your table more often - after all, it is, after all, very tasty.