Sweetie
Sweetie (lat. Citrus sweetie) is a citrus crop, which is a hybrid of white grapefruit with pomelo. In a number of countries, sweetie is called “pomelite”, some Europeans call it “oroblanco” or “white grapefruit”, and the Spaniards affectionately call the marvelous fruit “white gold”.
History
The name of this amazing fruit comes from the English word sweet, that is, “sweet” — this name was assigned to it by Israeli breeders, and this happened only in 1984, although the fruit itself was bred back in the 1970s in the Californian town of Riverside, in a local breeding laboratory. A patent for this hybrid was registered in 1981.
The breeders who developed the new hybrid had only one goal — to give the usual grapefruit a sweeter taste. And this goal was successfully achieved by them, however, in this case it was not without costs: the sweetie has a huge number of inedible parts: films between the lobules, too thick peel and seeds. For these very reasons, the new fruit did not gain much popularity — few people wanted to throw away almost half of its total volume.
Description
Sweetie differs from all other citrus fruits in that its thick peel remains green even after ripening. In general, this fruit is very similar to a pomelo, and its size is almost identical to the size of an average grapefruit.
Where does it grow
Sweetie is a heat-loving fruit, so it grows mainly in countries with a tropical climate. True, in recent years, scientists have also developed several cold-resistant varieties, which has made it possible to grow sweetie in the subtropics in southern Europe (Portugal, Spain and Italy), in a number of countries in Southeast Asia (Japan, China and India), as well as in the Hawaiian Islands, Israel and in the countries of South and Central America.
Application
Sweetie is used in the same way as pomelo or grapefruit. When purchasing this fruit, it is important to ensure that its peel is smooth, shiny and intact. And the high density of the fruits should give them a very impressive weight. Before enjoying the sweetie, you should thoroughly peel and remove all the skins and membranes from all the fruits, because these fruits are quite bitter.
The fruits of sweetie can be eaten fresh, or you can add them to delicious exotic salads and a whole range of different dishes: sweetie goes well with vegetables and mushrooms, as well as with fish or meat dishes.
Sweetie fruits are similar to grapefruits in vitamin content and calorie content. They are an excellent general tonic and a wonderful preventative against viruses and colds. Sweetie is also renowned for its excellent dietary properties, as its pulp is rich in substances that promote the breakdown of proteins and fats.
Sweetie can help normalize blood pressure and significantly improve cardiovascular function—this property makes these vibrant fruits indispensable for those with heart disease and hypertension. Furthermore, sweetie has the ability to reduce swelling, significantly easing kidney function and promoting the restoration of fluid and electrolyte balance. And the beautiful sweetie is even better at lowering cholesterol than its cousin, grapefruit. It”s worth noting that sweetie fruits are also very rich in essential oils, making them an excellent antidepressant, helping not only cope with low mood, depression, apathy, and nervous exhaustion, but also promoting improved brain function. Freshly squeezed sweetie juice is an excellent tonic, and it also helps improve the functioning of the digestive organs—the intestines, gallbladder, and liver.
Some women make wonderful masks from the peel and pulp of sweetie, which perfectly nourish and moisturize the skin.
Contraindications
Sweetie is not recommended for those with high gastric acidity. And if consumed in excess, it can irritate the kidneys, stomach lining, and intestines. Therefore, people with ulcers should exercise extreme caution when consuming these fruits.
Sweetie — A Diet Fruit. Benefits and Harms
