What Are the Health Benefits Of Eating Pomelo?

With its wide range of nutritional and medicinal properties, pomelo may help in treating many ailments. It is said to improve your immune system and promote hair health. Scroll down to know more.

1. May Boost Immunity-Pomelo fruit is rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and attacks free radicals. It enhances microbial killing and phagocytosis. It can also treat and prevent systemic infections and many respiratory problems. Therefore, adding pomelo to your diet may improve your immune system.

2. May Aid Digestion-Pomelo is filled with dietary fibre. Dietary fibre assists in preserving normal bowel movement, preventing constipation, and avoiding haemorrhoids.

3. May Promote Weight Loss-This is another area where the dietary fibre in pomelo comes into play. Foods high in fibre stay in the stomach for a longer time and reduce regular hunger pangs. They also require more chewing time, thus giving the body a long time to feel satisfied and reducing the risk of eating too much. However, more long-term research focused on the weight-loss effect of pomelo is required.

4. May Improve Bone Health-Pomelo contains minerals like calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese. These minerals are essential for improving and maintaining bone health. Adding pomelo to your diet and physical exercise to your daily routine may help your bones become healthy and strong.

5. May Regulate Blood Pressure-Pomelo juice contains potassium, which is a key nutrient for regulating blood pressure. Potassium is a vasodilator that releases the tension in the blood vessels to maintain blood pressure. Drinking pomelo juice and eating pomelo at night time helps keep your blood pressure in check and prevents hypertension.

6. May Boost Heart Health-Pomelo contains antioxidants like polyphenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid that have been found to reduce the levels of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol and cardiac risk in rats. However, more research is required to understand this benefit on humans.

7. May Fight Aging-Pomelo, like grapefruits, is claimed to contain spermidine. Spermidine protects the cells from processes related to aging and cell damage. Thus, it may help combat wrinkles and skin aging to make your skin appear youthful, fair, and soft. However, there is very little scientific evidence supporting the effect of spermidine in pomelo and its effect on skin aging. Pomelo fruit extract has also been found to help in preventing advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-mediated diabetic complications.

8. Fights Infections-Pomelo has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help in treating certain types of infections. A study conducted by the Vietnam National University found pomelo essential oil to be effective against the fungus Penicillium expansum. A study conducted by the University of Bucharest found that pomelo essential oil inhibits the development of bacterial biofilm on soft contact lenses.

9. May Prevent Cramping-Deficiency of fluids, dehydration, and lack of electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium) are the root causes of muscle cramp. Pomelo is a rich source of potassium. Therefore, it is possible that drinking pomelo juice may supply your body with the fluids and electrolytes needed to prevent muscle cramps.

10. May fight cancer cells-The polysaccharides present in pomelo peels may help in fighting cancerous tumours. The leaves of pomelo fruit also possess anticancer and antitumor properties.Naringenin, an antioxidant found in citrus fruit, has been found to inhibit the growth of lung cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer cells in experimental studies. However, more research is required to understand the real-world application of this anticancer effect of pomelo on cancer.

11. May Help Manage Diabetes-Pomelo may help in managing diabetes. A study conducted on 20 people with diabetes found that though pomelo has a high glycaemic index (Gi), it can serve as a low glycaemic load (GL) fruit if consumed in limited amounts. Thus, it may help in maintaining blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

12. May Promote Healthy Gums-Pomelo fruit is a great source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Ascorbic acid deficiency has been found to be associated with the development of gingivitis. Therefore, you may start eating pomelo to strengthen your gums and keep dental problems at bay.

13. May Improve Hair Health-Pomelos are rich in some minerals like zinc, iron, and vitamins A, B6, B12, and E. All of these nutrients and minerals help in improving hair health.