Fruits and vegetables are not just important to your health, they\u2019re critical \u2013 in fact, health experts and organizations the world over recommend a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.<\/p>\n
Because many varieties of fruit tend to be higher in calories and natural sugars than vegetables, some health experts place an emphasis on vegetables (the American Heart Association, for example, asserts that two servings of fruit and three servings of veggies make up the \u201cright\u201d five-a-day mix.<\/p>\n
Grapefruit is lower in sugar than many fruits, and lower in calories, too \u2013 in fact, a half-cup serving of grapefruit sections contains fewer than 50 calories. Additionally, grapefruit is not just a healthy food, it\u2019s a superfood \u2013 high in vitamins C and A, rich in potassium and loaded with fiber, grapefruit strengthens your immune system, lowers your risk of infection, helps your body heal from cuts and wounds, improves eye health, reduces your cholesterol and even relieves stress. Plus, pink and red varieties (like our famous Rio Ruby\u2122 Red Grapefruit<\/a>) also contain lycopene, a proven cancer fighter. Grapefruit has also been shown to regulate digestion and, famously, aid in weight loss.<\/p>\n Despite all these wonderful health benefits, grapefruit remains one of the least-purchased citrus varieties. Why? Because of its reputedly bitter taste. This is due to the fruit\u2019s high amounts of naringin, a flavonoid that has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but also a bitter flavor.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t let grapefruit\u2019s bitter reputation deter you from trying this healthy living fruit\u2026there are ways to slip the superfood into your daily diet with nary a hitch!<\/p>\n Have you ever seen someone sprinkle sugar over a grapefruit half before digging in and figured there was no point in adding a healthy food to your diet it you had to cover it in sugar to make it palatable? We get it \u2013 while a little brown sugar can add delightful sweetness to a sour grapefruit, it might seem strange to add it to a plain fruit.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a tip\u2026when folks add sugar to fresh grapefruit, it\u2019s usually to sweeten a white<\/em> grapefruit, the most bitter variety. Red grapefruit varieties (like our own Rio Ruby Grapefruit<\/a>) tend to be much sweeter!<\/p>\n A hybrid citrus fruit made from crossing a pomelo (one of the original citrus fruits) and a sweet orange, grapefruit first appeared during the 1700s in the Caribbean. Larger than an orange with a pale yellow skin and pale yellow, almost white flesh, white grapefruit groves began to be cultivated in South Texas, where the growing conditions were ideal. It was in the Rio Grande Valley that a spontaneous mutation appeared on an ordinary grapefruit tree \u2013 grapefruit with a rosy blush to their thin skins, and flesh that was bright red with a sweetness that toned the sourness down to refreshingly tangy.<\/p>\n Rio Ruby\u2122 Red Grapefruit<\/a> are much lower in naringin than their white-fleshed cousins, and they quickly became the most popular grapefruit in the world. You won\u2019t need to add sugar to these gem-colored beauties!<\/p>\n Rio Ruby\u2122 Reds<\/a> are so sweet and good, you\u2019ll have no problem eating them plain. There are few things more refreshing and satisfying than half a grapefruit with your morning breakfast, but if your grapefruit is still a little too tart for your taste, bypass the sugar bowl and reach for the saltshaker instead. It might seem counterintuitive, but a pinch of salt will actually make your grapefruit taste sweeter because the salt will block the bitter-sensing tastebuds on your tongue, so the fruit\u2019s sweetness stands out without becoming too<\/em> sweet. (And unlike sugar, the salt won\u2019t add any calories!)<\/p>\n Here are some other quick and easy ways you can enjoy grapefruit as a part of a healthy diet:<\/p>\n While grapefruit has many health benefits, it can interact negatively with some medications. Both grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect the way some drugs are metabolized, causing them to lose their effectiveness or increase side effects. Check with your doctor before making grapefruit a regular part of your diet if you take medication for the following conditions:<\/p>\n Fruits and vegetables are not just important to your health, they\u2019re critical \u2013 in fact, health experts and organizations the world over recommend a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Because many varieties of fruit tend to be higher in calories and natural sugars than vegetables, some health experts place an emphasis on vegetables (the American Heart Association, for example, asserts that two servings of fruit and three servings of veggies make up the \u201cright\u201d five-a-day mix. Grapefruit is lower in sugar than many fruits, and lower in calories, too \u2013 in fact, a half-cup serving of grapefruit sections contains fewer than 50 calories. Additionally, grapefruit is not just a healthy food, it\u2019s a superfood \u2013 high in vitamins C and A, rich in potassium and loaded with fiber, grapefruit strengthens your immune system, lowers your risk of infection, helps your body heal from cuts and wounds, improves eye health, reduces your cholesterol and even relieves stress. Plus, pink and red varieties (like our famous Rio Ruby\u2122 Red Grapefruit) also contain lycopene, a proven cancer fighter. Grapefruit has also been shown to regulate digestion and, famously, aid in weight loss. With Everything Going for It, Why Does Grapefruit Get a Bad Rap? Despite all these wonderful health benefits, grapefruit remains one of the least-purchased citrus varieties. Why? Because of its reputedly bitter taste. This is due to the fruit\u2019s high amounts of naringin, a flavonoid that has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but also a bitter flavor. But don\u2019t let grapefruit\u2019s bitter reputation deter you from trying this healthy living fruit\u2026there are ways to slip the superfood into your daily diet with nary a hitch! Not all Grapefruits are Created Equal Have you ever seen someone sprinkle sugar over a grapefruit half before digging in and figured there was no point in adding a healthy food to your diet it you had to cover it in sugar to make it palatable? We get it \u2013 while a little brown sugar can add delightful sweetness to a sour grapefruit, it might seem strange to add it to a plain fruit. Here\u2019s a tip\u2026when folks add sugar to fresh grapefruit, it\u2019s usually to sweeten a white grapefruit, the most bitter variety. Red grapefruit varieties (like our own Rio Ruby Grapefruit) tend to be much sweeter! A hybrid citrus fruit made from crossing a pomelo (one of the original citrus fruits) and a sweet orange, grapefruit first appeared during the 1700s in the Caribbean. Larger than an orange with a pale yellow skin and pale yellow, almost white flesh, white grapefruit groves began to be cultivated in South Texas, where the growing conditions were ideal. It was in the Rio Grande Valley that a spontaneous mutation appeared on an ordinary grapefruit tree \u2013 grapefruit with a rosy blush to their thin skins, and flesh that was bright red with a sweetness that toned the sourness down to refreshingly tangy. Rio Ruby\u2122 Red Grapefruit are much lower in naringin than their white-fleshed cousins, and they quickly became the most popular grapefruit in the world. You won\u2019t need to add sugar to these gem-colored beauties! How to Eat More Grapefruit Rio Ruby\u2122 Reds are so sweet and good, you\u2019ll have no problem eating them plain. There are few things more refreshing and satisfying than half a grapefruit with your morning breakfast, but if your grapefruit is still a little too tart for your taste, bypass the sugar bowl and reach for the saltshaker instead. It might seem counterintuitive, but a pinch of salt will actually make your grapefruit taste sweeter because the salt will block the bitter-sensing tastebuds on your tongue, so the fruit\u2019s sweetness stands out without becoming too sweet. (And unlike sugar, the salt won\u2019t add any calories!) Here are some other quick and easy ways you can enjoy grapefruit as a part of a healthy diet: Add the fruit or the juice to your morning smoothie. Grapefruit adds a nice refreshing flavor and complements the sweetness of many other fruits. Broil it. If you slice a grapefruit in half and put it under the oven broiler for five minutes, the heat will caramelize the flesh and bring out its natural sugars. Great for breakfast, a snack or even a healthy dessert! Add the fruit or the juice to your morning smoothie. Grapefruit adds a nice refreshing flavor and complements the sweetness of many other fruits. Spread soft cheese over fresh grapefruit segments. Looking for a light lunch or quick snack idea? Apples and pears aren\u2019t the only fruits that go well with cheese! Try grapefruit with brie, feta, cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, gorgonzola and more. Chop fresh grapefruit into salads. Grapefruit goes well in green salads, particularly when paired with bitter greens such as radicchio or dandelion greens or when the salad includes salty ingredients such as smoked salmon or feta cheese. Swap out soda for grapefruit juice. Juice your Rio Ruby\u2122 Red Grapefruit and pour it into a reusable bottle you can take with you. It\u2019s a perfect pick-me-up after a workout, and not only is it lower in sugar content than soda, it\u2019s also caffeine-free and full of vitamins and minerals. Use grapefruit with meat and fish dishes. Slices of grapefruit work just as well as lemon slices with fish and poultry dishes. You can also bake a citrus-flavored breading for meat and fish fillets using fresh breadcrumbs dunked in grapefruit juice. Make grapefruit candy. There\u2019s a lot of nutrition in the grapefruit\u2019s peel, and it\u2019s easy to candy it with organic sugar as a high-energy treat to take along on a hike (or to dip in antioxidant-rich dark chocolate as an elegant dessert). Speaking of dessert\u2026Grapefruit works as well as any other fruit when it comes to desserts. Add fresh grapefruit chunks to your favorite Jell-O flavor for a lighter dessert, or use them in place of strawberries in shortcake for an interesting twist. When to Be Wary of Grapefruit While grapefruit has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5763,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fruit-information"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3545"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5764,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3545\/revisions\/5764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog2.pittmandavis.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}With Everything Going for It, Why Does Grapefruit Get a Bad Rap?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Not all Grapefruits are Created Equal<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How to Eat More Grapefruit<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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When to Be Wary of Grapefruit<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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