Pomelo, scientifically known as Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis, is known in Hindi as “Chakotra,” Sanskrit as “Karuna,” and Bengali as “Batabilebu,” Telugu as “Pamparapanasa,” and Tamil as “Bambilimaas.” It is the largest of all the fruits in the Rutaceae family’s citrus variety.
According to studies, pomelo peel extract can reduce body weight and blood Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in obese mice by activating important lipid metabolic enzymes like lipase and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase.
Pomelo is a citrus fruit resembling grapefruits and other fruits from the citrus family. It can be huge and is locally grown, mainly in Southeast Asia. This fruit is generally not popular elsewhere due to its unavailability in various parts of the world. It takes eight years for them to begin to grow.
Additionally, a significant amount of the weight and volume of pomelo is high and inedible, while just the internal tissue is edible. This fruit can develop enormously, up to the size of a cantaloupe.
Pomelos are sweeter and less juicy than grapefruits, but they still provide enough vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants to add to a well-balanced diet. Pomelo has a taste comparable to grapefruit but without bitterness or tanginess.
Pomelo has a lovely flavour and texture with the consistency of grapefruit. This organic product usually is light green or yellow, while the palatable tissue inside is thick and white, pink, or red, based upon the assortment. The historical backdrop of its popularity traces back to two or three hundred years, even though it was previously available in Southeast Asian countries.
Origin of Pomelo
It is native to Malaysia, Thailand, China, India, and Sri Lanka in South and Southeast Asia, and it also grows in the wild on the islands of Fiji and Hawaii. Pomelo plants feature distinctive wing-like leaves with a bright green colour. Flower extracts make perfumes, and the flowers are dazzling white with five petals and a pleasant fragrance.
The leaf and flower extracts are widely employed in the ancient Indian medicinal system of Ayurveda to cure various diseases, but the pomelo fruit is the edible part. Pomelo fruits are larger than grapefruits and have rough, greenish-yellow or orange peels on the outside. The soft fleshy portion is enclosed within the hard outer rind and tastes sweeter than grapefruit while less harsh and acidic.
The HealthifyMe Note
With a thick peel and many seeds, pomelo is one of the largest and sweetest citrus fruits. Pomelos come in various colours, ranging from dark green to light yellow. Some have a pear structure, while others are round. The inward natural product is accessible in an assortment of varieties, going from white to orange to pink, and can be eaten in their natural form or used as a trim in a sweet and savoury manner. Pomelos are usually more expensive than oranges and grapefruit.
Nutritional Valueof Pomelo
One pomelo fruit contains enough vitamin C to last a few days, making it an excellent antioxidant and vulnerable system supporter. It’s additionally high in antioxidants, fibre, copper and potassium.
Pomelo has a variety of nutrients with several health advantages. According to the USDA, pomelo is exceptionally high in L-ascorbic acid and potassium. As a result, it aids fluid balance and blood pressure regulation.
One peeled pomelo (about 610 grams) contains:
- Calories: 231 kCal
- Protein: 5 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 59 grams
- Fibre: 6 grams
- Riboflavin: 12.6% of the daily value (DV)
- Thiamine: 17.3% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 412% of the DV
Health Benefits of Pomelo
Here are a few health advantages of pomelo:
Helps Improve Digestion
Each serving of pomelo has six grams of fibre. Most individuals require around 25 grams of fibre per day, so a serving of pomelo fruit can provide over a fifth of that. Fibre builds up a proper stool bulk, which improves your bodily functions. Obviously, at a basic level, it helps by decreasing constipation.
Fibre supports the development of beneficial microscopic organisms in your stomach by giving food to them. In addition, pomelo offers other health benefits, including better bone thickness, weight management, and immunity.
Rich in Antioxidants
Free radicals can harm our cells, especially when they are abundant in our surroundings. Antioxidants aid in the repair of that damage, lowering our cancer risk. According to studies, vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, is abundant in pomelo, as are several other antioxidant substances.
The primary antioxidants in pomelos are naringenin and naringin, also found in other citrus fruits. In addition, pomelo fruit contains the antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene is an anti-inflammatory compound that is abundant in tomatoes.
Improves Heart Health
Enhancing with concentrated pomelo extract brought fatty oil levels down by up to 21%, total cholesterol by up to 6%, and LDL (awful) cholesterol by up to 41% in a 21-day concentrate in rodents.
Another review suggests that pomelo might lower fat blood levels by keeping cholesterol from being residual in the body. However, assuming you have statin drugs for elevated cholesterol, you should keep away from pomelo.
Studies state that pomelo might resist maturing impacts because of its high cell reinforcement content. Cellular reinforcements, including L-ascorbic acid, can assist with forestalling skin harm brought about by unsafe free revolutionaries, helping you keep a more energetic countenance. Due to high glucose levels, pomelo may likewise diminish the amount of advanced glycation final results (AGEs). AGEs can add to the maturing system by causing skin staining, unfortunate course, and vision and kidney issues, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Besides, the rejuvenating balm from the strip of pomelo is excellent in cell reinforcements and can diminish melanin production in the skin. It can also forestall staining and sunspots.
Aids Weight Loss
Studies state that pomelo contains a “fat-consuming compound” that can assist you with losing weight. It is called carnitine palmitoyl-transferase and is not very common in foods. This catalyst can help you get fitter, which is why numerous calorie watchers decide to use pomelo for their eating regimens, says research. Besides that, pomelos might contain high fibre and protein, the two of which incite a sensation of satiety for a more drawn-out timeframe.
Ways to Use Pomelo Fruit
Here are some ways to add pomelo to your diet:
- You can add it to servings of leafy greens.
- You can also blend it into smoothies.
- You can add it to breakfast foods like waffles or oats
- Use the juice to make delicious summer popsicles
- Add it to baked goodies
Possible Allergies from Pomelo
Citrus sensitivities are uncommon, but they are not impossible. Assuming you are sensitive to one natural citrus product, you’ll almost certainly be oversensitive to another. Similarly, individuals with aversions to dust, including grasses, birch, and mugwort, can develop adverse reactions to citrus fruits.
Avoid eating pomelo products if you are vulnerable to digestive issues, as they can lead to extreme hypersensitivity. Try not to consume pomelo as the corrosive stomach levels might be alarmingly high. Be alert while eating pomelo if you are experiencing kidney and liver circumstances.
While eating pomelo can help your heart health, you should be cautious. For example, if you are on statin meds for elevated cholesterol, compounds in pomelo natural products called furanocoumarins can obstruct your body’s digestion of statins. These equivalent mixtures are additionally present in grapefruit. In addition, assuming you’re purchasing dried pomelo, know that it can have more added sugar and a more significant carbohydrate than the pomelo fruit.
Adverse Effects of Pomelo
Consistent and extreme contact with the oil of the outer pomelo strip can cause skin exacerbation or dermatitis. Pomelo collaborates with more than 50 unique prescriptions and strikingly numerous cholesterol-lowering drugs. Since pomelo and pomelo juice contain the substances that cause this joint effort, you should avoid this.
- To open the pomelo, go through the skin, which can be more than one tear thick.
- Cut off the stem end with a sharp knife. Additionally, score it in digs around the surface by cutting through the skin.
- Eliminate the natural peel by shelling the skin back like a banana. Then, you can either throw away the skin or use it to make rarities like pickles or jelly.
- Remove all white matter from the grapefruit, and then, at that point, trim the thin film to eliminate any residue. On the other hand, we can slice it down the middle on a level plane, similar to a grapefruit, and use a saw-toothed scoop to eliminate the parts.
- The shade of the natural item will change according to the assortment you bought.
A recently reaped, unpeeled pomelo stays fresh for around fourteen days in the cooler. The juicy part of the fruit dries rapidly when the skin gets removed. Sometimes it turns bitter too.
The HealthifyMe Note
Pomelo can be eaten raw or cooked as a stew. For the most part, new pomelo is eaten in Thailand as bean stew or incorporated into a light acidic serving of mixed greens. Pomelos, similar to grapefruit, work out as a fitting accompaniment for shellfish, and their juice lends punch to flavours and vinaigrettes.
Pomelo offers excellent benefits such as better heart health, high immunity, hair growth, and the treatment of joint pain and urinary tract disorders. Besides, it is rich in L-ascorbic acid and potassium and has vital minerals like potassium and trace amounts of iron and magnesium.
The pomelo fruit can be consumed throughout the year and eaten raw or as juice. Similarly, one can make stews and salads. Moreover, one can pair it with other fresh fruits, whole grains and proteins to create a healthy bowl. In conclusion, pomelo is an exceptionally nutritious fruit low in calories and brimming with nutrients, minerals, and cell reinforcements. It also contains fibre and protein, so you can stay fuller for longer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Is pomelo high in sugar?
A. In a single pomelo, you’ll get slightly over 6 grams of fibre, or about 24% of your daily fibre needs. Additionally, depending on the variety, pomelo falls in the low GI range and is not high in sugar.
Q. Which is healthier: grapefruit or pomelo?
A. The two natural products contain almost your whole day’s worth of L-ascorbic acid. They additionally contain vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin (vitamin B), and lycopene. The two natural products are low in calories but high in protein and dietary fibre.
Q. What happens if you eat too much pomelo?
A. If you overeat pomelo, the stomach acid levels may become alarmingly high. In addition, you must exercise caution when eating pomelo if you suffer from kidney and liver conditions.
Q. Is pomelo high in carbohydrates?
A. Pomelo is high in carbs (8.62g net carbs per 100g serving), so it’s essential to refrain from it if you are on a low-carb meal. Pomelo GI (glycemic index) contains carbohydrates and simple sugars. But it is also rich in several minerals and has a good amount of fibre.
Q. Can you eat pomelo every day?
A. Yes, you can eat pomelo daily, but in moderation. One pomelo fruit contains enough vitamin C to last many days, making it an excellent antioxidant and immune system booster. It’s also high in copper, fibre, and potassium, among other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Q. Can a diabetic person eat pomelo?
A. A high-GI pomelo can be used as a low- GL fruit if ingested in moderation daily, and diabetes patients can eat it. Hence, pomelos can be administered to diabetics because of their high GI, functioning as a low-GL fruit.
Q. What are the benefits of pomelo?
A. Pomelo is plentiful in strong cell reinforcements like L-ascorbic acid. It additionally contains protein and fibre, which can help assimilate and assist you with feeling full for a longer time. It’s also an incredible source of potassium.
Q. Is pomelo good for the liver?
A. Pomelo isn’t recommended for individuals with kidney or liver issues, as it contains a high level of vitamin C. As pomelo brings down pulse, people having hypotension should not consume it. In addition, pomelo skin is unpalatable, and just the flesh is consumable.
Q. Is it OK to eat pomelo at night?
A. Yes, it is OK to eat pomelo at night. Some evidence is there that drinking pomelo juice and eating pomelo at night helps keep your blood pressure in check and prevents hypertension.
Q. What are the side effects of eating pomelo?
A. Among the noticeable side effects, do not consume pomelo in excessive amounts as the stomach acid levels may become alarmingly high. Also, exercise caution when eating pomelo if you suffer from kidney and liver conditions.
Q. Is pomelo good for the kidneys?
A. Pomelo is not recommended for people with kidney or liver problems. In addition, pomelo reduces blood pressure, so anyone with hypotension should avoid it. The high level of vitamin C in pomelo can lead to issues in people with kidney disorders.
Q. Is pomelo good for diabetic people?
A. The fruit is excellent for improving digestion and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. Overall, this fruit is a fantastic choice for diabetic patients. Additionally, pomelo can be provided to diabetic patients since its high GI can act as a low GL organic product.