Grapefruit, grapefruit, pomelo… these citrus fruits all look and taste similar. The terms pomelo and grapefruit are therefore often used synonymously. But there are more or less big differences between these three citrus species.

Grapefruit as the ancestor of many citrus species

There are a total of around 400 different varieties of the citrus family in the world, but only a few are known in this country. However, these are not always independent species, because many varieties are merely crosses or backcrosses, especially from the grapefruit, tangerine and citron-lemon species. These three citrus species are among the original varieties, as is the kumquat.

Grapefruit as the origin of grapefruit and pomelo

The grapefruit, on the other hand, is a hybrid of grapefruit and orange that probably originated in Barbados in the 18th century. Today, the grapefruit is cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean climates. The main growing areas are Florida, the Philippines, the Caribbean Islands, Israel and South Africa. The pomelo, on the other hand, was created by crossing the grapefruit and the grapefruit.

Grapefruit - The largest of all citrus fruits

The original grapefruit produces the largest fruits: they can weigh up to two kilograms. The flesh of the grapefruit can take on quite different colors, with reddish or pink colored fruits usually tasting sweeter. The striking color comes from the carotenoid lycopene, which accumulates in the flesh of the fruit at very high summer temperatures. Real grapefruits have a sweet and sour taste, but they are also significantly more bitter than grapefruit.

Confusing species names

Although the three citrus fruits mentioned are different varieties, it is still difficult to make an exact distinction - it is made more difficult by a motley jumble of languages. For example, the English term "grapefruit" is gradually replacing the originally Dutch name "pampelmuse", although it is not the same fruit. Confusion is also great in other languages:

  • In English, the grapefruit is not called grapefruit, but pomelo.
  • In Spanish, the grapefruit is called pomelo.
  • Likewise in French.

Healthy citrus fruits

But whether grapefruit, grapefruit or pomelo: all these fruits have something in common, in addition to the more or less sweet and sour to slightly bitter taste, depending on the variety: they all have comparatively few calories and a lot of vitamin C. Here are the nutritional values in direct comparison.

Nutritional values of grapefruit

100 grams of fresh grapefruit contain on average:

  • 46 calories
  • 9.44 grams of sugar
  • as well as fat and protein in negligibly small proportions
  • 61 milligrams of vitamin C
  • many B vitamins and folic acid
  • 270 micrograms of vitamin E
  • as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus

Nutritional Values Grapefruit

100 grams of fresh Grapefuit contains on average:

  • 50 calories
  • 8.95 grams of sugar
  • Fat and protein in negligible proportions (but slightly more than in the grapefruit)
  • 44 milligrams of vitamin C
  • many B vitamins (especially vitamin B3 with 240 micrograms and vitamin B5 with 250 micrograms)
  • folic acid
  • 250 micrograms of vitamin E
  • as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus (but less than in the grapefruit)

Nutritional values of pomelo

100 grams of fresh pomelo contain on average:

  • 48 calories
  • 8 grams of sugar
  • Fat and protein in negligibly small proportions
  • 41 milligrams of vitamin C
  • many B vitamins
  • as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorus

tips and tricks

Real grapefruits are hard to come by in German supermarkets and if you do find one, it will probably be sold under the name "Grapefruit". However, compared to the more orange-yellow grapefruit, grapefruits have a rather greenish or yellowish skin, and they can also be pear-shaped.

IJA

Category:

Vegetable garden