What is a pomelo, the composition and calorie content of the fruit. How to choose how it is eaten? Interesting facts about citrus fruit.
Pomelo (Latin Citrus maxima) is a sweet and sour tropical citrus fruit. Unlike other citrus fruits, it is less juicy, but its pulp has a denser texture, making it easy to peel off films. The homeland of culture is Asia, in China the fruit was known as early as 100 years BC, while Europe got acquainted with citrus only in the XIV century AD. Regions where pomelo is actively growing today are China, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Tahiti. There are a number of varieties, they all differ in the shade of the skin and pulp, as well as in shape and taste. Pomelo often appears on the shelves of our stores, the sales season of this fruit is February, it is at this time that you can buy the most delicious, healthy and at the same time inexpensive fruit.
Composition and calorie content of pomelo
In the photo, the pomelo fruit
The fruit has a low calorie content, almost 90% consists of water and does not contain fat at all, and therefore it can easily fit into any, even the most strict dietary diet.
The calorie content of pomelo is 38 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 0.8 g;
- Fat - 0 g;
- Carbohydrates - 8.6 g;
- Dietary fiber - 1 g;
- Water - 89 g.
However, low calorie content is not the only virtue of citrus. Pomelo contains vitamins and minerals, it is especially rich in vitamin C - very important for our immunity.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Beta Cryptoxanthin - 10 mcg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.034 mg
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.027 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.036 mcg;
- Vitamin C, ascorbic acid - 61 mg;
- Vitamin PP, NE - 0.22 mg.
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium - 216 mg;
- Calcium - 4 mg;
- Magnesium - 6 mg;
- Sodium - 1 mg;
- Phosphorus - 17 mg
Microelements per 100 g:
- Iron - 0, 11 mg;
- Manganese - 0.017 mg;
- Copper - 48 mcg;
- Zinc - 0.08 mg.
In addition, the fruit is rich in organic acids, essential oils, phytosterols, flavonoids - all these components play an important role in the formation of the immune response, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Also in the composition of citrus there is a special enzyme that helps to absorb food more efficiently.
Read more about the beneficial properties of pomelo
How to choose a pomelo fruit?
Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit. The shape is always round, but depending on where the pomelo grows, it can either look more like a ball or a pear. It is noteworthy that a significant part of the fruit is occupied by the peel - its thickness can reach 5 cm.
The main thing to consider in the question of how to choose a pomelo is the season. The most delicious citrus fruit can be purchased in winter.
Before buying, you need to conduct a thorough inspection of the fruit, here are the points you should pay attention to:
- Peel … It should be evenly dense, no depressions or, conversely, seals in one place or another should not be felt. In addition, it is advisable not to buy a fruit that has damage on the skin, such a fruit will quickly deteriorate.
- The size … It is best to choose a medium-sized pomelo from all the fruits on the counter, small ones will have very little pulp, and large ones, most likely, will not have a bright, rich taste.
- Colour … The shade is determined by the variety, the palette ranges from green to orange, however, one way or another, the color should be uniform. A small presence of "ruddy barrels" is permissible, but pronounced green areas in one place or another of the peel indicate immaturity - it is better not to take such a fruit, it will not be sweet. Also, there should not be all sorts of strange spots and dots on the fetus, this may indicate its defeat by some kind of disease / pest.
- Peduncle … Take the fruit in your hands and gently push the stalk, it should not remain motionless, and also sag too much under slight pressure, you should feel a soft elasticity.
- Scent … The bright citrus scent of a ripe fruit will be felt even through the peel, but, of course, it will not be very pronounced. Bring the fruit to your nose, you should catch light citrus notes. However, sometimes the aroma is not felt, because usually the pomelo is packed very tightly for sale - in a film and a special net. However, if the fruit begins to deteriorate or has been improperly stored, then even through the tight packaging you will smell mold and / or bitterness, so do not miss the important stage when buying, inhaling the aroma of the fruit.
Note! If the peel is unevenly colored and / or there are numerous maroon specks on it, most likely, many chemicals were used when growing the pomelo, you should not buy such fruits. Also, the use of chemicals can be indicated by an unnaturally bright shade of the peel and a waxy sheen.
- Remove the store packaging.
- Place the fruit in front of you and cut off the top of the stalk with a sharp knife.
- Use your hands to remove the thick peel, if necessary, help yourself with a knife.
- Divide the pomelo into slices, remove the film from each, it will be very easy to do, because the flesh of the fruit is dense.
The main thing is to properly clean the pomelo:
That's all, the pomelo is ready to eat, you just have to eat it. By the way, it is often problematic to eat a whole fruit at once, because it is quite large. In this case, carefully wrap it with cling film and put it in the refrigerator, but store it for no more than 1, 5-2 days.
Interesting Pomelo Facts
In China, the pomelo is a sign of happiness and wealth, it is used for all sorts of traditions and rituals, the fruit is presented as a gift to the gods, and is also given to loved ones for the New Year, so that it is successful. In Vietnam, on New Years, citrus makes up the festive altar.
Huge fruits grow on fragile evergreen trees that reach 15 m in height. As the pomelo grows, it necessarily goes through a flowering phase, which is very beautiful. Flowers - snow-white, large, graceful, somewhat reminiscent of the familiar lilies, only denser.
The fruit is often called sheddock, after the name of the English captain - it was he who brought the seeds of the fruit to the West Indies from Malaysia. By the way, if we talk about alternative names, it is worth saying that the Americans call the fruit - "lumpy", and the Chinese just "yu".
There is a common misconception that the pomelo is a hybrid, but if so, then it appeared in natural conditions. According to one theory, this is an orange reborn due to climatic conditions.
In Asia, various medicines of both folk and traditional medicine are prepared from pomelo.
What is a pomelo - look at the video:
Pomelo is a healthy tropical fruit. It is best to buy it in our supermarkets in winter, and the fruit should be carefully examined if you want to get a natural and tasty citrus. If you have never tried pomelo, be sure to buy the fruit in season and enjoy its sweet taste and dense juicy pulp.
