Does eating pomelos cause internal heat? Pomelos, with their juicy flesh, delicious taste, and high nutritional value, are a beloved fruit for many. However, many people worry that eating pomelos can cause internal heat. So, do pomelos increase or decrease internal heat?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pomelos are considered sweet and sour in flavor and cold in nature. They are believed to have effects such as regulating qi, resolving phlegm, moistening the lungs, clearing the intestines, nourishing the blood, and strengthening the spleen. They are an excellent fruit for nourishing the lungs in winter and for relieving coughs and internal heat after a cold.
In addition to reducing internal heat, pomelos also have the following nutritional benefits:
1. Pomelos contain natural potassium, an essential trace element for patients with high blood pressure, and are almost sodium-free. Therefore, they are the best dietary fruit for people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and kidney disease patients (unless they have renal insufficiency with hyperkalemia, in which case consumption is strictly prohibited).
2. Pomelos are rich in vitamin C, which can lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
3. The pectin in pomelos can not only lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels but also reduce the damage to arterial walls.
4. Pomelos can also enhance physical fitness. They help the body more easily absorb calcium and iron. The natural folic acid they contain can prevent anemia in pregnant women and promote fetal development.
5. Fresh pomelo pulp contains a component called chromium, which has an insulin-like effect and can lower blood sugar.
Pomelos should not be taken with medication
Clinical studies have found that when a patient with hyperlipemia drinks a glass of grapefruit juice to take one tablet of a lipid-lowering drug, the effect is equivalent to taking 12 to 15 tablets of the same drug with water. This can cause muscle pain and even kidney damage. Some patients who take the antihistamine terfenadine may experience dizziness, palpitations, arrhythmia, and in severe cases, sudden death if they consume pomelos or grapefruit juice. Other drugs that can have adverse interactions with pomelos include cyclosporine, caffeine, calcium channel blockers, and cisapride. The interaction between a glass of grapefruit juice and medication can last for 24 hours. Therefore, patients taking medication, especially the elderly, should avoid eating pomelos or drinking grapefruit juice.
People who should not eat pomelos:
Women taking birth control pills should avoid them
A US study shows that the effect of pomelos on birth control pills is particularly prominent. Experts state, "If a woman taking birth control pills eats one to two pomelos after sexual intercourse, or takes the pill with a large glass of grapefruit juice, she could become pregnant. This is because pomelos interfere with the body's absorption of the contraceptive."
People with a weak and cold constitution should not eat too many
Pomelos are cold in nature. People with a weak spleen and tendency to have diarrhea may experience worsened symptoms after eating them. Therefore, individuals with a weak and cold constitution should not consume too many.
People with poor liver function should not eat pomelos
Pomelos contain an unknown active substance that inhibits an enzyme in the human intestine, interfering with the normal metabolism of drugs and causing a significant increase in blood concentration. This affects the liver's ability to detoxify, damages liver function, and may cause other adverse reactions or even poisoning.
People with kidney disease should not eat pomelos
Additionally, pomelos are high in potassium. Patients with kidney disease should only consume them under the guidance of a doctor.