The pomelo is round in shape, refreshing and sweet with a slightly bitter taste, making it a favorite among people and beneficial to health. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" describes the pomelo as being able to "aid digestion, clear the chest, and disperse stagnant qi." Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the pomelo is sweet and sour in taste, cool in nature, and has effects such as regulating qi, resolving phlegm, moistening the lungs, clearing the intestines, nourishing blood, and strengthening the spleen.
The pomelo's flesh is crisp, tender, juicy, and sweet. With 89 grams of water per 100 grams of flesh, it is a great hydrator. The pomelo is low in energy and fat, containing less than 1 gram of fat and 41 kilocalories per 100 grams. Moreover, the pomelo is rich in various nutrients such as vitamins B1, B2, C, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
The entire pomelo is valuable, and there are many ways to eat it. To minimize the loss of nutrients, you can simply peel off the thick outer rind and the white pith and eat the flesh directly. Making a pomelo salad is also a unique option. Combine the refreshing flesh with coconut milk, red curry paste, chili oil, and sugar, then add shrimp or shredded chicken. Top it with roasted coconut flakes or crushed peanuts to create an exquisite Thai-style pomelo salad.
After eating the flesh, people often discard the pomelo peel. In fact, the peel, with its slightly bitter and astringent taste, is also edible. For the best results, choose a Shatian pomelo from Guangxi, as its peel is thick, full, white, and fragrant. First, shave off the greenish-yellow outer skin, remove the spongy white pith that clings to the flesh, and keep the middle, softer sponge part. When cooked with meat, such as in Steamed Pork with Pomelo Powder, Steamed Pork Belly with Pomelo Peel, Pomelo Braised Pork Belly, or Steamed Pork Ribs with Pomelo Peel, the pomelo's fragrance and the meat's flavor infuse each other, creating a unique taste. It also reduces the fat content of the dish, helping to cut through grease and aid digestion. Furthermore, the pomelo peel contains flavonoids such as naringin and rutin, which have antioxidant properties, can reduce blood viscosity, decrease the formation of blood clots, and are effective in preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases like cerebral thrombosis and stroke.