What kind of fruit is pomelo? We will devote today's article to these and other questions concerning the presented product.
Biological description
Before you figure out what kind of fruit pomelo is, you should find out exactly how this product looks and where it grows. As you know, such a citrus is the fruit of an evergreen tree, which has a similar name. The height of this plant reaches 15 meters, and the crown has a spherical shape with large leaves and white flowers with a diameter of 3 to 7 centimeters.
Pomelo is a fruit (a photo of the fruit is presented in this article), covered with a thick peel and divided into large segments, which are sealed with a harsh partition. Inside this citrus, seeds can often be found. The size of such fruits is almost twice the size of a large grapefruit. The color of a mature pomelo can be pale green or yellow. As for the mass of the fetus, it often reaches 10 kilograms (with a diameter of 30 centimeters).
Where does pomelo (fruit) grow?
Originally, such citrus appeared in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, and also grew on the islands of Fiji and Tonga. In China, the presented fruit was known as far back as 100 BC. However, in Europe, it appeared only in the XIV century thanks to sailors.
Currently, pomelo is actively grown in Thailand, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, southern Japan, India, the Tahiti islands, Indonesia and Israel. In small quantities, this citrus grows in other warm countries (for example, in the USA, and more precisely, in California).
The main varieties of fruit
Answering the question about what kind of fruit the pomelo is, one cannot ignore the fact that this citrus has many varieties. We list the main ones that you can find on store shelves.
- Khao horn. The flesh of this fruit is white and sweet, and the skin color is yellowish-green.
- Khao namphung. This citrus is distinguished by a pear-shaped, yellowish-green peel and sweet white flesh.
- Khao paen. Such a pomelo is a flattened ball with a yellowish-green peel, white flesh and sour taste.
- Khao phuang. This fruit also has a pear shape with a greenish-yellow peel, yellowish-white flesh and a sweet and sour taste.
- Thongdi. The presented variety is distinguished by its spherical shape, dark green peel, pink and sweetish pulp.
Useful properties of pomelo fruit
The presented product is very useful for the body. This is because it includes a huge amount of minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium) and vitamins (A, C, beta-carotene, B1, B2 and B5). In addition, the pomelo contains essential oils and limonoids. Due to this composition, this citrus has a pronounced anticancer activity, has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart muscle, strengthens the immune system, and also tones up and energizes. It should be noted that the pomelo contains quite a lot of ascorbic acid, which makes the use of this fruit especially useful during viral and infectious diseases.
By the way, such citrus is actively used for weight loss. After all, it contributes to the rapid breakdown of fats and proteins. That is why, if you are overweight, then you should definitely include a pomelo in your daily diet.
Another useful property of this wonderful fruit lies in the fact that it quickly normalizes blood pressure. In this regard, doctors very often recommend their patients to use this product.
The right fruit choice
What kind of fruit is pomelo? Not everyone knows the answer to the question, not to mention the fact that few people imagine how it should be chosen. After all, today there is an incredible number of supermarkets where such citrus can be sold at completely different prices. So what is the reason for this? And with that pomelo can grow in different countries and imported to us from China, Thailand, and even from America. Moreover, the cost of this product is significantly different depending on a particular variety.
So how to choose a pomelo (fruit)? To acquire citrus suitable for you, you should first pay attention to its aroma. It should be pronounced and felt at a short distance. In addition, it is recommended to inspect the fetus from all sides and note the uniformity of its color. If you see any spots on the skin of the fruit, it is best not to take it.
When acquiring a pomelo, it is very important to feel it. In this case, you should note the uniform thickness of the peel throughout the fetus, without any seals. If they are still available, then this indicates that citrus was grown under the wrong conditions. Such a fruit should not be bought, as it will be fresh, dry, tasteless and with lots of seeds.
What should be a sweet and ripe product?
If you want to feast on citrus, then the fruit with stains on the peel, as well as with an uncharacteristic color (burgundy, red or brown) is better to put aside. After all, such signs indicate that the fruitful plant was sick during pomelo ripening. Of course, these diseases are not dangerous for humans, but there will be no benefit from such a fruit, and its taste is unlikely to please you.
To buy a sweet and ripe product, you need to check the top of the fruit, which should be dense, but in diameter not exceed 1 centimeter. You should also pay attention to whether there are any lesions or growths on the fruit peel.
Choosing the right citrus, you will provide yourself with a mass of nutrients and vitamins, as well as get rid of bad mood and many diseases.
How to clean the fruit?
Pomelo should be cleaned just like an orange or grapefruit. But in view of the fact that such a product has a thick skin, this process is greatly complicated. Thus, in order to quickly release citrus from its shell, several longitudinal incisions should be made to a depth of 1 centimeter. Next, you need to pry a peel with your finger at the base and literally pull it into segments. As a result of such actions, you should get a fruit that is completely covered with a film. It must be carefully separated from the pulp and start eating a tasty and healthy product.
Application methods
How to eat pomelo? Fruit with a dry flesh and a small bitterness is most often consumed fresh. However, some housewives use this product during the preparation of second courses. To do this, it is completely cleaned of thick peel and hard films, and then cut into small pieces and added to stewed or fried meat a few minutes before turning off the stove. It should also be noted that pomelo is often used for the preparation of various salads. For example, a dish of citrus pulp, boiled shrimp and celery greens seasoned with greasy sour cream and seasoned with spices is quite popular. In addition, such a fruit can be included in a dessert made from kiwi, banana, apples and pears. Refilling this delicacy is recommended either with melted creamy ice cream (ice cream) or with sweet and tasty yogurt.
As you can see, there are quite a lot of recipes where the pomelo fruit is used. Use them - and your guests will never forget the festive table you set!