Traditional Chinese medicine classifies grapefruit as sweet and sour in taste, cold in nature. It regulates qi, transforms phlegm, moistens the lungs, cleanses the intestines, nourishes blood, and strengthens the spleen. This makes it an excellent winter fruit for lung nourishment and alleviating post-cold coughs. However, grapefruit consumption carries contraindications. It should not be taken concurrently with certain medications, particularly by patients with hyperlipidemia. Neglecting this precaution may lead to poisoning, manifesting as muscle pain or even kidney disease.
Pomelos boast exceptional nutritional value, containing abundant protein, organic acids, and essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium—qualities unmatched by most other fruits. Their flesh is also rich in vitamin C and insulin-like components, offering benefits such as lowering blood sugar and lipids, aiding weight loss, and enhancing skin health.Regular consumption offers auxiliary therapeutic benefits for hypertension, diabetes, and vascular sclerosis, while also promoting physical fitness and skin health for overweight individuals. Furthermore, grapefruit contains bioactive compounds like hesperidin, which reduces blood viscosity and inhibits thrombus formation, thereby providing effective prevention against cerebrovascular diseases.
For those prone to frequent colds, coughs, or sensitive airways, prepare a remedy using one fresh pomelo: remove seeds while retaining peel and flesh. Combine with 50g each of Northern apricot kernels, fritillary bulb, and unbleached snow fungus (or yellow fungus). Simmer over low heat with 1000-1500g honey for 5-6 hours, then seal and store. Daily consumption strengthens lung health.
Key tips for selecting pomelos: generally involve two steps—smelling and tapping. Smell the fragrance; fully ripe pomelos emit a rich, aromatic scent. Tap by pressing and tapping the outer skin; if the skin indents without springing back, the quality is inferior.Select standard-shaped pomelos with a pointed top and broad base. The skin should be thin, smooth, and glossy, with a pale green or light yellow hue. Newly purchased pomelos benefit from resting indoors for about two weeks. This allows moisture to gradually evaporate, enhancing sweetness and flavor.Grapefruit interacts with various medications. Beyond differing physiological properties affecting drug applications, daily diets can also influence medication efficacy. Xu Xiaohua notes that grapefruit, for instance, is a beneficial food that clears heat, supplements vitamin C, beautifies the skin, and aids weight loss.
However, caution is needed when consuming grapefruit alongside certain medications. Some drugs should not be taken with grapefruit, particularly statins (commonly used by the elderly to regulate blood lipids), clopidogrel (used to thin blood viscosity), and antifungal medications for treating nail fungus.
Substances in grapefruit can interfere with normal drug metabolism, leading to elevated blood concentrations, intensified adverse reactions, and increased drug toxicity, causing unnecessary harm to patients. Experts emphasize that this warning applies to both imported grapefruit and Chinese pomelo.
Oranges lower lipids, pomelos clear heat
Citrus fruits moisten lungs and resolve phlegm
Sugar oranges and Nanfeng honey oranges are renowned varieties of citrus. Notably, loquats (referred to as such in Fujian and other regions, while Zhejiang and Guangdong call them "pomelos") belong to the citrus family, not the mandarin family.Oranges are rich in citric acid, vitamins, and essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium. They promote saliva production and relieve coughs, making them suitable for gastrointestinal heat conditions. They also harmonize the stomach and promote urination, addressing abdominal discomfort and urinary difficulties. Additionally, they moisten the lungs and dissolve phlegm, benefiting those with lung-heat coughs. Oranges have a neutral nature, allowing even patients to consume them in moderation.
Blood Lipid-Lowering Oranges
Common varieties include sweet oranges, navel oranges, and blood oranges. Oranges contain substantial sugar, citric acid, and abundant vitamin C, offering high nutritional value. Studies indicate that drinking three glasses of orange juice daily can reduce cholesterol levels.The citrus fruits we commonly know, such as Wenzhou mandarin, banana orange, and red pomelo, are mostly hybrids of oranges and tangerines. Their peels are harder to peel than tangerines but easier than oranges, which require a knife. These citrus fruits are juicy, moderately sweet and sour, and rich in nutrients like sugars, organic acids, and minerals.
Pomelos are cooling and help reduce internal heat
Notable varieties include Guanxi honey pomelo, Shatian pomelo, and Yuhuan pomelo. Pomelos are fragrant, sweet-tart, refreshingly cool, and nutritionally rich with high medicinal value. They are packed with carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, and various minerals. Pomelos have a cooling nature, so consuming them can help reduce internal heat.
Avoid excessive consumption of pears, pomelos, and oranges during menstruation
Women know it's inadvisable to eat ice during menstruation, but this principle extends beyond just ice—foods with cooling properties should also be consumed sparingly. Why is this?What should you do if you've already eaten them?……
Dr. Liu Liangyin, attending physician at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Banqiao Yadong Memorial Hospital, explains that women should avoid ice during menstruation. To ensure menstrual blood is fully expelled, the blood must be kept in a "warm" state to flow smoothly.Consuming cold foods subjects the blood to temperature shock, impairing circulation. This can lead to blood clots and menstrual cramps.
Foods to Avoid During Menstruation
Dr. Liu notes that beyond ice, other cooling foods should be limited. These include ice cream, winter melon, eggplant, loofah, cucumber, crab, snails,kelp, bamboo shoots, oranges, pears, grapefruit, watermelon, etc., as well as sour and astringent foods like sour plums, unripe sour fruits, or pungent and hot foods such as fried foods, chili peppers, pepper, mustard, etc., should also be avoided during menstruation to prevent blood stagnation.
Traditional Chinese medicine discourages women from eating ice during menstruation, while Western medicine sees no restrictions.Dr. Zhou Longsheng, attending physician at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yadong Memorial Hospital, explains that menstrual blood consists of shed uterine lining expelled through uterine contractions. Consuming ice lowers gastrointestinal temperature, impairing uterine contractions and hindering blood flow. This leads to blood clotting, forcing the uterus to contract more forcefully to expel clots—a potential cause of menstrual cramps.
Does eating too much pomelo cause internal heat? Now you should have a clear answer.