Grapefruit
Maybe grapefruit’s reputation as a “diet food” has you reluctant to give this citrus superfood a try. (After all we’ve all heard of the infamous “grapefruit diet,” after all, which likely was spawned by the scarcity of how many calories in a grapefruit.) Or maybe it’s the fruit’s notoriously tart and bitter taste. Regardless, with all the health benefits grapefruit has to offer, combined with the sweet taste of different varieties, it may be time for you to give grapefruit another shot. But what is grapefruit, and is grapefruit good for you? In short, grapefruit is a tropical citrus fruit known for its sweet and somewhat sour taste. It is rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fiber, making it one of the healthiest citrus fruits you can eat.
If you think of grapefruit as tasting unpleasantly bitter, you’re probably thinking of traditional white grapefruit. While some people find the tartness unappealing, many others do not. Never fear! Some varieties of grapefruit tone down the bitterness so grapefruit’s unique flavor shines through, and others are downright sweet. Not to be confused with pink grapefruit (which are just as tart as white), red grapefruit are mild and sweet due to their lower acidity. The rule of thumb is, the redder the flesh, the sweeter the grapefruit. Ruby Red Grapefruit is one of the sweetest grapefruit varieties available, and even healthier for you than white grapefruit as it contains lycopene and beta-carotene (which are what make the flesh red).
Grapefruit is known for its powerful health benefits, including helping you to lose weight and lowering your risk of heart disease. Grapefruit is low in calories (only 52 grapefruit calories per serving), but provides a significant amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in every serving. A single serving of grapefruit gives you a whopping 64% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties known to protect your cells from harmful bacteria and viruses as well as helping you to recover more quickly from the common cold. In addition to how grapefruit benefits your immune system, its reputation as a weight-loss aid is well-deserved: grapefruit contains fiber and a high-water content, both of which help with appetite control by promoting fullness (not to mention aiding in keeping you hydrated).
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice benefits also include the following:
After reading all that, you’re convinced that adding grapefruit to your diet would be a good thing. But how to start? And what is grapefruit good for besides eating out of hand? After all, you don’t even have a funny-shaped grapefruit knife or grapefruit spoon! Well, you don’t need one – adding grapefruit to your diet is easy. And delicious! Here are some ideas:
If you think of grapefruit as tasting unpleasantly bitter, you’re probably thinking of traditional white grapefruit. While some people find the tartness unappealing, many others do not. Never fear! Some varieties of grapefruit tone down the bitterness so grapefruit’s unique flavor shines through, and others are downright sweet. Not to be confused with pink grapefruit (which are just as tart as white), red grapefruit are mild and sweet due to their lower acidity. The rule of thumb is, the redder the flesh, the sweeter the grapefruit. Ruby Red Grapefruit is one of the sweetest grapefruit varieties available, and even healthier for you than white grapefruit as it contains lycopene and beta-carotene (which are what make the flesh red).
Grapefruit is known for its powerful health benefits, including helping you to lose weight and lowering your risk of heart disease. Grapefruit is low in calories (only 52 grapefruit calories per serving), but provides a significant amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in every serving. A single serving of grapefruit gives you a whopping 64% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties known to protect your cells from harmful bacteria and viruses as well as helping you to recover more quickly from the common cold. In addition to how grapefruit benefits your immune system, its reputation as a weight-loss aid is well-deserved: grapefruit contains fiber and a high-water content, both of which help with appetite control by promoting fullness (not to mention aiding in keeping you hydrated).
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice benefits also include the following:
- Grapefruit may help reduce insulin resistance, which can lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
- Grapefruit contains nutrients and antioxidants shown to help protect your heart by regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Grapefruit contains several types of antioxidants that may help prevent the development of some chronic conditions, including heart disease and cancer.
- The citric acidity in grapefruit may help reduce the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.
After reading all that, you’re convinced that adding grapefruit to your diet would be a good thing. But how to start? And what is grapefruit good for besides eating out of hand? After all, you don’t even have a funny-shaped grapefruit knife or grapefruit spoon! Well, you don’t need one – adding grapefruit to your diet is easy. And delicious! Here are some ideas:
- Eat a whole grapefruit before you eat the rest of your breakfast
- Drink an 8 oz. glass of 100% grapefruit juice
- Peel grapefruit sections and add the fruit to a yogurt parfait
- Dice grapefruit and add it to a fruit smoothie
- Mix grapefruit sections into a fruit bowl
- Instead of traditional berries, add grapefruit to your green salad
- Top broiled or baked fish with grapefruit instead of lemon for a zing of flavor
- Slice a grapefruit in half, top with a sprinkle of brown sugar and broil for a healthy dessert
- Stir grapefruit into vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt