Every part of the pomelo, from peel to pith, is a treasure
Although I love pomelos for their sweet and sour taste, that doesn't mean their nutritional value is any less. The pomelo is a fruit that is valuable from its peel to its core.
1. Pomelo Flesh
Pomelo contains sugars, vitamins B1, B2, C, P, carotene, potassium, phosphorus, citric acid, and more. The peel mainly contains naringin, neohesperidin, and other components. The pith contains fatty oil, obacunone, and obaculactone.
It has a sweet and sour taste with a slight bitterness and is recognized in the medical community as the fruit with the most therapeutic benefits.
Chromium: Fresh pomelo flesh contains chromium, a component similar to insulin, which can lower blood sugar.
Potassium: Pomelo contains the natural trace element potassium, making it the best therapeutic fruit for people with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and kidney diseases.
Pectin: The pectin in pomelo can not only lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels but also reduce damage to artery walls.
Folic Acid: Pomelo contains natural folic acid, which can promote fetal development, making it the best choice for women who are planning to conceive or are already pregnant.
Vitamin P: The natural Vitamin P in pomelo can strengthen skin capillaries and accelerate the repair of damaged skin tissue.
Vitamin C: The Vitamin C content in pomelo is the highest among all fruits, three times higher than in lemons and seven times higher than in apples, with the highest concentration found in the peel.
In addition, pomelo also has the effect of nourishing the blood, promoting wound healing, and providing good auxiliary therapeutic effects for conditions like sepsis.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, pomelo is sweet and sour in flavor and cold in nature. It has the effects of regulating qi, resolving phlegm, moistening the lungs, clearing the intestines, nourishing the blood, and strengthening the spleen. It can treat poor appetite, bland taste, indigestion, and other ailments. It also helps with digestion, relieves thirst, resolves phlegm, and regulates qi to dissipate nodules. Furthermore, the organic acids in pomelo, mostly citric acid, are great for relieving fatigue.
2. Pomelo Peel
Beauty: Applying the white part of the pomelo peel directly to the face can reduce wrinkles and eliminate dark spots.
Cleaning: Boiling pomelo peel in water for about 30 minutes and adding dishwashing detergent to the water enhances its cleaning power.
Treating Chilblains: Boil dried pomelo peel in water until the liquid is concentrated. Use the hot liquid to apply to unbroken chilblains to promote healing and prevent them from recurring the following year.
Treating Infantile Pneumonia: Dry the pomelo peel, boil it in water, and after several boils, pour the resulting liquid into a bowl for the child to drink. Drinking it several times will help cure the condition.
Insect and Moth Repellent: Tear away the white inner fibers of the peel, let it dry in a ventilated place, and then sun-dry it completely. Store it in a bag with small holes and place it in a corner of the wardrobe or in a rice bucket to repel insects and moths.Candied Pomelo Peel: Slice the pomelo peel and make candied pomelo peel with lemon, water, rock sugar, and salt. It has effects such as resolving phlegm, soothing the throat, stopping coughs, strengthening the spleen, clearing heat, regulating qi, and lowering lipids.
Deodorizer: Orange peels or pomelo peels, being naturally fragrant, can all serve as natural deodorizers. Place them in the refrigerator or bathroom for effective odor removal.
3. Pomelo Pith
Don't throw away the pith after eating the pomelo, as it also has medicinal value.
Treating Hernia: 2 kumquats, 30g of tangerine seeds, 15g of pomelo pith, and 30g of white sugar. Cook the first three ingredients in two bowls of water until it reduces to one bowl, remove the dregs, and take it with the white sugar dissolved in it.
Treating a Cold Cough: Boil over 20 pomelo pith seeds with an appropriate amount of rock sugar and a large cup of water. Take it twice or three times daily.
Treating Hair Loss (Alopecia Areata) and Dullness: 15g of pomelo pith seeds, steeped in boiling water, or boiled with winter melon and walnut meat in clear water. Apply to the affected area 2-3 times daily to treat hair loss and dullness.
Who knew pomelo pith also had medicinal value? I've learned something new.
Honey Pomelo Tea – A Health Tonic
Pomelo tea, made from pomelo and honey, is a well-known health beverage. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that it "removes bad qi from the stomach and intestines, detoxifies alcohol, treats bad breath from drinking, loss of appetite, bland taste, resolves phlegm, and stops coughs." Drinking pomelo tea was a habit in ancient China and in other countries like Japan and Korea.
Pomelo tea is especially suitable for women because it has two main benefits:
1. Reducing Spots and Whitening
Pomelo is rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin P, while honey contains L-cysteine. These ingredients can effectively prevent the formation of dark spots and whiten the skin.
2. Regulating the Intestine and Detoxifying
Pomelo also contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which can promote metabolism and expel toxins from the body. Combined with honey's own intestinal regulation effects, it can help improve constipation.
There are Tips for Choosing a Pomelo
Selecting a pomelo generally involves two steps: "smelling" and "knocking."
Smell: Smell the pomelo's fragrance. A ripe pomelo has a rich, strong aroma.
Knock: Press and tap the fruit's outer skin. If the skin sinks in, it means it's not firm and is of poor quality.
When choosing a pomelo, it's best to select a standard shape that is pointed at the top and wide at the bottom. The peel should be thin and smooth, and the color should be light green or light yellow. For pomelos of the same size, the heavier one usually has more juice. A softer one is even better.
There are Rules for Eating Pomelo
· Pomelos that are too bitter should not be eaten.
· Don't keep pomelos for too long. The longer you keep them, the less juice they will have. A pomelo without much juice is not tasty.
· People with a weak or "cold" constitution should not eat too many. Pomelo is "cold" in nature, and people with a weak spleen and tendency to have diarrhea may experience worsened symptoms. People with high blood pressure should eat it in moderation.
· You cannot eat too many pomelos at once, as it can damage the liver and affect its detoxification function. It may even lead to poisoning.
· It is best not to eat pomelos while taking medication, as many drugs can interact with pomelo. A slight mistake can lead to arrhythmia.