It is commonly called grapefruit…wrongly since real grapefruit is a large citrus fruit native to Asia, while the pomelo we eat comes from the Caribbean. If associated with the slimming diet, “it doesn’t have a magic effect, it doesn’t melt fat! »,laughs dietician Véronique Liesse. On the other hand, for a very small calorie intake, it provides a maximum of protective micronutrients.
Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants
Half a grapefruit covers almost half of our daily vitamin C needs, a fundamental vitamin especially in winter to strengthen the immune system and fight against fatigue. It also contains a great variety of antioxidants (beta-carotene, flavonoids, lycopene, etc.) which act in synergy. The more its flesh is colored, the more antioxidant pigments it contains. “Beta-carotene is valuable for fighting skin aging and protecting the eyes. Naringin, a flavonoid from pomelo, has an anti-inflammatory effect,”says our expert.
Pomelo also contains acid molecules that promote the proper functioning of the liver and digestion. Only problem : “It is the food which has the most drug interactions, either it boosts their effects, or it decreases them. Read the instructions carefully and never take medicine with pomelo juice»,emphasizes the specialist.
How to choose it?
There are more and more varieties with red flesh (star-ruby, sunrise, flame), which are juicier and sweeter, which tend to supplant the other varieties with pink and yellow flesh. It comes to us mainly from Spain, Israel and the United States. That of Florida is renowned for its quality, but, as Véronique Liesse points out, “the less it has traveled, the more likely it is to have been harvested at perfect maturity.”
- Entire : this is the best way to taste it to take advantage of all its freshness and benefits. We choose it heavy in the hand, a sign that it is very juicy, with a smooth and shiny skin.
- In juice: even if it is one of the fruit juices with the lowest sugar content and therefore the lowest calories, it should be drunk in moderation and occasionally. It’s better if he’s in a hurry.
- In essential oil : extracted from the zest, it has soothing properties. You can put 1 drop in a yogurt or on a tea bag to flavor them without adding sugar.
- In seed extract : it is an antimicrobial and antifungal. The seeds indeed contain flavonoids which preserve the fruit from pathogenic germs. To be taken as a cure at the change of seasons.
What goes well with pomelo?
The lawyer: the tangy and refreshing pomelo goes hand in hand with the creamy and sweet avocado. Both provide antioxidant vitamins (pro-A, C and E) and the lightness of one counterbalances the good fats (omega 9) of the other. In the kitchen :
- In the kitchen : we combine them in a salad sprinkled with seeds (squash, sesame, sunflower…). The combination of pomelo juice and avocado oil makes an excellent vinaigrette.
The shrimp : Originally from the Caribbean islands, the grapefruit likes fish, crustaceans and shellfish. Shrimp provides proteins that citrus fruit lacks and a wide range of minerals (iodine, selenium, magnesium, zinc, etc.).
- In the kitchen : we take the flesh of a pomelo, cut it into cubes, mix it with peeled shrimp tails, light liquid cream and chopped chives. And we put it all back in the pomelo peels.
Cinnamon: this spice softens the tart side of the pomelo without having to add sugar. It is also one of the foods most concentrated in antioxidants. It contains special flavonoids that help regulate glycemia (blood sugar levels).
- In the kitchen : they are combined in a fruit salad, a white cheese or, more original, on a pre-cooked shortcrust pastry. As a snack, we taste half a pomelo sprinkled with a veil of cinnamon.
>> If the pomelo can be kept for a week in the fruit basket, once cut it is eaten without delay to avoid oxidation of the vitamin C. Similarly, avoid overheating it so as not to destroy this fragile vitamin .
What is its nutritional CV?
For 100 g of pomelo: 40 kCal; Carbohydrates: 8g; Vitamin C: 42mg; Fibre: 0.8g
Our expert: Véronique Liesse, dietitian-nutritionist
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