pomelo
Fruit
Is pomelo high in salicylates?
Is pomelo high or low in salicylates? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why salicylates food checker matters
Salicylates are natural chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. They're related to aspirin and can cause reactions in sensitive individuals including hives, asthma symptoms, nasal congestion, and digestive issues.
- Start by eliminating the highest sources: spices, herbs, and concentrated products
- Peel fruits and vegetables when possible to reduce salicylate content
- Fresh is usually better tolerated than dried or concentrated
- Build up tolerance slowly by reintroducing foods one at a time
- Sensitivity often improves with gut healing over time
Sensitivities
What pomelo contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where pomelo fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about pomelo
If you have been told to avoid grapefruit because of a medication, that warning covers pomelo, and hardly anyone is told so. Pomelo is the largest citrus and the direct ancestor of grapefruit (grapefruit is a pomelo crossed with a sweet orange), and the trait it passed down is the furanocoumarin content that inhibits intestinal CYP3A4. There is a published case of a kidney transplant patient whose tacrolimus level climbed after eating slightly under 100g of pomelo, and animal work found the inhibitory effect from a single dose of pomelo juice still present three days later. Our grapefruit juice entry sets out how that mechanism works, and the same reasoning applies here. On the food-chemistry side pomelo is actually the gentler fruit of the two: salicylates C against grapefruit D, oxalates C against grapefruit E, FODMAPs B against grapefruit D.
Watch for
- Furanocoumarins are the headline.Pomelo carries the CYP3A4-inhibiting compounds behind the grapefruit effect, which raise blood levels of drugs including some statins, tacrolimus, ciclosporin and certain calcium channel blockers. Because the enzyme has to be replaced rather than merely freed up, spacing the fruit away from your dose does not fix it. Raise it with a pharmacist rather than guessing.
- Salicylates C and oxalates C.Borderline on both, but pomelo is eaten as fistfuls of large segments rather than in wedges, so a casual portion is far bigger than a portion of any other citrus.
- FODMAPs B and excess fructose B.Better than grapefruit at D, though half a pomelo in one sitting is a substantial fructose load for a sensitive gut.
- Nickel B and glutamates B: mild, but worth logging if either is on your list.
- Peeling away the thick rind and the bitter membrane does not remove the interaction.The drug interaction work has been done on juice and pulp, which is exactly the part you eat.
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Salicylates Guide
Everything you need to know about salicylates sensitivity and smart food choices.
Salicylates are natural chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. They're related to aspirin and can cause reactions in sensitive individuals including hives, asthma symptoms, nasal congestion, and digestive issues.
Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.
These foods are generally well-tolerated for Salicylates sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in salicylates and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Salicylates, consider these strategies:
- 1Start by eliminating the highest sources: spices, herbs, and concentrated products
- 2Peel fruits and vegetables when possible to reduce salicylate content
- 3Fresh is usually better tolerated than dried or concentrated
- 4Build up tolerance slowly by reintroducing foods one at a time
- 5Sensitivity often improves with gut healing over time
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
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Get the AppFAQ
Is pomelo high in Salicylates?
Salicylates: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat pomelo if I'm sensitive to Salicylates?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Acidic Foods, Reflux Diet, and Oxalates next for a fuller picture.