Calories in Pomelo

Pomelos or pummelo is the largest fruit of the citrus family that is native to countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, Tahiti, New Guinea, and Fiji. The fruit is known by several other names like Chinese grapefruit, jabong, lusho fruit, pompelmous, papanas, and shaddock. Pomelo trees are mostly grown in tropical climates and the fruits ripen in winters.

Pomelos are often confused with grapefruits because of the similarity in appearance between the two varieties of fruit. Grapefruits are hybrid fruits that were formed as a result of natural cross-fertilization between pomelos and Jamaican sweet oranges. While grapefruits have only 12 segments, pomelos have about 14-16 segments.

The pomelo is larger than a grapefruit; it has a diameter of about 15-25 cm and it usually weighs around 1-2 kg. It is also characterized by extremely thick skin. The rind of this pear-shaped fruit is generally pale green in color which turns yellow when it is fully ripe.

The flesh of the fruit is white and in rare cases, pink or red. It is a favorite with people who are on a diet. This is mainly because the calorie content is very low.

Chinese cuisine often uses pomelo, especially in desserts. When used in sweet dishes, it is normally used in its candied form. The rind of the fruit is used as a flavoring. In Britain, the peel of the fruit is used in marmalade. Because of its low calorie content, it is a very good substitute for rich, fattening desserts.

The information given below will help you learn how many calories the fruit has.

• One cup of pomelo sections has approximately 72 calories.
• If you make a salad using pomelos, then you will probably consume 30 calories per serving.
• A 100 gram serving of pomelo contains about 37 calories.

• If you consume 150 grams of a pomelo (approximately one-fourth of the fruit) every day, then your calorie intake will be about 60 calories.
• A mid-sized pomelo that weighs about 500 grams contains about 225 calories.

Not only is pomelo low in calories, it also has an exceptionally high nutritional value. It is especially rich in vitamin C with a 150 gram portion of pomelo providing an individual with 130% of his daily required intake of the vitamin. Given below is a table which lists out the amount in which different nutrients are present in one cup of pomelo sections.

Nutrients                    Value
Calories                       72.2

Total fat (g)                  0.07

Saturated fat (g)            0

Mono-
unsaturated fat (g)        0

Poly-
unsaturated fat (g)        0

Dietary fiber (g)           1.90

Nutrients                   Value

Protein (g)                   1.44

Carbohydrate (g)       18.27

Cholesterol (mg)          0

Potassium (mg)       410.40

Vitamin C (mg)        115.90

Sodium (mg)              1.90

Not only does pomelo have a high nutritional value, it is also believed to have medicinal value, with studies and research suggesting that it was used to cure seizures and cough in ancient China. The leaves of the tree are also used in alternative medicine to cure swellings on skin and ulcers.

The flowers of the tree are used to make perfumes and fragrances. The fruit can remain edible at room temperature for as long as two weeks. If stored in the refrigerator, its shelf life increases to three weeks. You can also choose to freeze the zest and juice of the fruit to store it for a longer period.

As you must have learned from this story, the pomelo is a fruit with high nutritional value and low calorie content, making it a perfect option for a quick snack when you are suffering from a hunger pang.