Grapefruit Find great tips on how grapefruit can add a modern twist to your next meal
Best to buy
Available year-round, Arizona and California grapefruits are best from January through August, while Florida and Texas arrive in October through June.
Slice it for salads
Grapefruit sections add delicious flavor to delicate greens—pair with almonds or walnuts for a well-rounded meal.
Power food
Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C.
Quick & easy recipe
Most of us think of eating a grapefruit raw, but a light brush with olive oil and a quick sear on the barbecue makes a tangy side dish.
Also indexed as: Pink Grapefruit, Pummelo, Texas Red Grapefruit, White Grapefruit
Preparation, uses, and tips
While grapefruits are often served cut in half to be eaten raw or juiced, they can also be sliced and grilled as a side dish to serve with an entrée. Grapefruit sections or pieces can be added to fruit salads and used in desserts.
Buying and storing tips
Fresh grapefruits are available year-round, though they are traditionally a winter fruit. Those grown in Arizona and California are available January through August, and grapefruit grown in Florida and Texas arrive in October and last through June.
Choose grapefruits that feel heavy in the hand. Although the skin may appear irregularly colored, this is not generally an important factor. Avoid fruits that have soft or wet spots. Thinner-skinned fruits are usually juicier but not necessarily tastier. Grapefruits ripen when picked, and are best when stored loose at a cool room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
Varieties
Grapefruit can be white (really a pale yellow), pink, or red. The white variety is usually smaller and more tart than the pink. Large, ruby-red grapefruits were discovered growing in Texas in 1929. Some grapefruits are seedless.
Nutrition Highlights
Grapefruit (pink and red, raw), 1 cup (sections) (230g)
Calories: 97
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 25g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 4g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (2,645IU), and Vitamin C (71.76mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.
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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2009.