Pomelo is eaten raw, like most citrus fruits, or transformed into juice, jam, candied fruit, jelly, etc. With the flavedo del pomelo - external and colored portion of the peel - rich in essential oils, various recipes can be flavored, ranging from appetizer to dessert; with the pulp or juice of the endocarp, on the other hand, drinks and sweets of various kinds can be made. - also granita, ice cream etc. Note: the organoleptic and gustatory characteristics of pomelo are not appreciated by everyone. Certainly less caloric than oranges, tangerines, clementines and large tangerines, pomelo is also more sour and bitter - more similar, but not as "rude", to grapefruit.
Although it looks a lot like a lemon, even if the shape is slightly elongated at the top - similar to a "pear" - the pomelo has dimensions more similar to that of a melon. The color of the flavedo is green which tends to yellow during ripening, the albedo - the inner part of the skin - and the central column are white and spongy, while the succulent endocarp (pulp) is translucent and pale yellow.
Pomelo is one of the very few "original citrus fruits", that is naturally available in nature before man began to cross them to obtain plants with intermediate characteristics. Native to South and South East Asia, it appeared in Japan only in the "An era" ei ( 1772-1781) following commercial exchanges with the Asian continent.
rich in ascorbic acid (vit C).
In Italy, the chemical values of the pomelo - edible portion, that is the endocarp - are not easily available, since it is an obsolete food and of occasional use. However, consulting other databases, it is possible to state that the pomelo contains approximately same nutritional principles of most low-sugar citrus fruits.
Pomelo is a poorly energetic fruit, which should provide about 30-40 kcal / 100 g of edible part, coming mainly from soluble carbohydrates and, only marginally, from proteins and lipids. Fibers (including pectins) are well present while cholesterol is totally absent, as are lactose and gluten. It does not contain significant amounts of histamine, phenylalanine amino acid and purines.
Like all citrus fruits, pomelo also provides good levels of alkalizing minerals, especially potassium, and antioxidants, in particular vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and polyphenols.
Editorial boardPomelo, raw pulp
Nutritional values per 100 g
Total carbohydrates
9.62 g
Starch
-µg
-µg
-µg
-mg
-µg
Magnesium
For more information on this topic, see the article "Grapefruit and Medicines - Drug Interactions".
or hindering weight loss. Moreover, considering the negligible entity of the glycemic load, it may be suitable for the diet for type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia.None of the pomelo components - flavedo, albedo and endocarp - directly compromises the nutritional therapy against arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, histamine intolerance, celiac disease, lactose intolerance and phenylketonuria; however, it is not necessary forget that, as we have already said in the previous paragraph, pomelo contains molecules that can interact with many types of drugs altering the normal pharmacokinetic course. Furthermore, being deficient in purines and not providing high amounts of fructose - which, if in excess, can hinder the disposal of uric acid - this fruit is also suitable in case of hyperuricemia.
On the contrary, due to its richness in water and soluble fibers, pomelo increases the sensation of fullness; fructose, on the other hand, does not stimulate the sense of satiety as effectively as glucose. Furthermore, soluble fibers act positively on the metabolism by modulating the absorption - decrease of the glycemic index, reduction of cholesterol uptake - preventing constipation and all the complications related to it - hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, anal prolapse, certain forms of tumor etc. It should also be remembered that they are also excellent prebiotics and effectively nourish the bacterial flora of the colon.
Water and potassium, in addition to guaranteeing the state of hydration - precarious especially in athletes and the elderly - are precious allies in food therapy against primary arterial hypertension.
The richness in vitamin C and polyphenols is very useful for supporting the defensive action against free radicals. Furthermore, ascorbic acid is a necessary factor for the synthesis of collagen, a very widespread protein in the human body, and helps to support the immune system.
The average portion is approximately 100-200g.
. In Brazil, the pomelo peel is often used to make a sweet preserve, without pulp, while in Italy the endocarp is used above all to obtain jam, jellies and fruit juice (pomelo juice).In Asia, pomelo is mostly eaten during the "Mid-Autumn Festival" or "Mooncake Festival". It is considered one of the ingredients of "Forbidden Fruit", a liqueur containing honey and brandy that dates back to the early twentieth century. It is the most famous ingredient used in the "Dorchester" cocktail.
1-2 kg; the leaf petioles are distinctly winged.
The large hesperidium has a flavedo - external portion of the peel - rich in essential oils, pale green in color; only when fully ripe does it turn into a brighter yellow. The albedo - white and spongy inner portion of the peel - is very thick. The pulp (endocarp) is white, tending to very light yellow; only in a particular variety is it pink or red.
Editorial board Schematic indication of the parts of an orange. According to the botanical classification, this fruit - similar to pomelo and other citrus fruits - is an hesperidium. From https://en.wikipedia.orgThe taste and aroma of pomelo are typically citrus, similar to those of the hybrids it can generate, such as sweet grapefruit and orange. Except for the albedo of the peel, which in any citrus fruit is unpleasant - bitter taste - the endocarp of the pomelo is less bitter and more sugary than the common grapefruit.
, with mandarin and papeda, pomelo is one of the four original citrus species - not hybridized - naturally occurring in nature. All citrus fruits grown in Asia and in the rest of the world come from their hybridization. To be precise, the common orange and grapefruit are "natural hybrids" born from the cross between the pomelo and the mandarin, in which the pomelo has the function of regulating the size and consistency.Automatically fertile, the pomelo is often reproduced from the seed, as long as it is well preserved, or by grafting onto other citrus fruits called "rootstocks". Today the pomelo plant is also used in artificial breeding programs for: sweet orange, bitter orange, tangelo, grapefruit, oroblanco and melogold, mandelos and hyuganatsu.