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    Home » Ingredient feature

    Ingredient feature: grapefruit

    Published: Jan 24, 2020 · Modified: Mar 12, 2024 by Trish Bozeman · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    A beginner’s guide to grapefruit! How to choose, cut, and eat grapefruit. grapefruit nutrition and benefits plus recipe ideas!

    grapefruit

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    Hey, Rhubarbarians. It's grapefruit season!

    We LOOOOOVE grapefruit. So fresh and vibrant and the perfect food for lifting you out of those winter doldrums. YES.

    Today, we are putting a magnifying glass on this glorious citrus fruit.

    Jump to:
    • What is grapefruit?
    • Grapefruit varieties
    • Grapefruit season
    • Choosing the perfect grapefruit
    • Storing and freezing
    • Benefits and nutrition
    • Grapefruit nutrition information
    • How to cut grapefruit
    • How to eat grapefruit
    • Grapefruit juice
    • Grapefruit recipes
    • Comments and reviews

    What is grapefruit?

    Grapefruit is well... a fruit! It's a globe shaped citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is a hybrid of a sweet orange and pomelo, and has a somewhat bitter flavor. The name stems from the way it grows in clusters on a tree, similar to grapes!

    Grapefruit varieties

    The main grapefruit varieties are:

    • White grapefruit: white grapefruit has a pale, almost yellow flesh and is the most bitter of the grapefruit varieties.
    • Pink grapefruit: pink grapefruit is a hybrid of a white and a red grapefruit! It has a pink (hence the name) flesh and is somewhat bitter.
    • Red grapefruit: red grapefruit has a ruby red flesh and is the sweetest of the grapefruit varieties

    Grapefruit season

    Grapefruit is a cold weather plant, peaking in the winter. Growing seasons will vary from state to state, but grapefruits will continue to grow until the temperatures start to rise.

    You can read all about grapefruit season here!

    Hand holding a grapefruit

    Choosing the perfect grapefruit

    Grapefruits should be a globe like shape, but should have a slightly flat bottom and top or oblong sides to them. If they are perfectly round, they may be unripe.

    They resemble very large oranges and may have a reddish hue to the skin. The skin should be firm, with no soft softs or blemishes and shouldn't be too easy to squeeze.

    Feel the grapefruit and make sure that it feels heavy for it's size. There should be a lot of juice in there!

    Storing and freezing

    Grapefruits can be stored (uncut) on the counter for about a week. This is recommended if you're going to eat the fruit within this time, as room temperature citrus is always the juiciest.

    They will keep in your refrigerator (in the crisper) for up to 3 weeks if you need a longer time frame.

    Freezing grapefruit is a great option! You will want to seed and segment the grapefruit, then space the segments out on a baking sheet. Freeze them this way and then transfer the frozen segments to a container of your choice. Grapefruit will keep in the freezer for up to 12 months.

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    Ruby grapefruit on a black plate

    Benefits and nutrition

    Grapefruit is a citrus powerhouse and is loaded with vitamins and nutrients! It's low in calories and a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

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    Grapefruit nutrition information

    Grapefruit nutrition information
    Prep Time1 minute min
    Cook Time0 minutes mins
    Total Time1 minute min
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: produce
    Servings: 1 grapefruit
    Calories: 108kcal
    Author: Trish Bozeman

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium grapefruit

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1grapefruit | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.4g | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 2944IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
    How to eat grapefruit

    How to cut grapefruit

    • In half: This is probably the most common way to cut a grapefruit. Just cut it in half, with the ends (small circles) on both sides (not up and down). Use a small spoon to scoop out the segments while you eat it.
    • Segment it: Segmenting is when you take a knife and cut away the skin and pith. Then remove the segments from their skin carefully. This takes some work, but is great if you are adding grapefruit to salads or drinks.
    • Slices: Cut the grapefruit into ½" slices! Again, make sure that the ends are on the sides and not the top and bottom. Slice into circular slices. You can then slice those into smaller triangles for a great snack or garnish.

    How to eat grapefruit

    • Peel it and eat the segments: Just like an orange! Just peel away the rind, peel the fruit into two, and then peel away individual segments and eat them.
    • Cut it in half: See above for how-to. Sprinkle a bit of sugar or honey onto the grapefruit flesh and scoop the segments out with a spoon.
    • Segment it: See above for how-to. Add the segments to salads, salsas, cocktails, or other dishes!
    • Broil it: Cut it in half with the ends on each side. Rub a bit of brown sugar into the flesh of the fruit and broil! See how on Simply Recipes.
    Fresh grapefruit juice

    Grapefruit juice

    One of the most amazing things about grapefruit is the juice! Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice has an amazing citrus flavor and is an immunity boosting powerhouse.

    Ways with fresh grapefruit juice:

    • Drink it on it's own.
    • Squeeze some into your water.
    • Make a cocktail.
    • Make a salad dressing.
    • Make grapefruit-ade (like lemonade).
    • Make a smoothie or slushie.
    Grapefruit avocado salad

    Grapefruit recipes

    Avocado grapefruit salad with strawberry and manchego
    Avocado grapefruit salad recipe! A flavorful yet simple spring salad with strawberry and mint. Topped with a simple grapefruit vinaigrette.
    Check out this recipe
    avocado grapefruit strawberry salad
    Grapefruit quinoa salad with herbs and walnuts
    Protein packed grapefruit quinoa salad recipe! A bright, vegetarian quinoa bowl with chickpeas, walnuts, grapefruit, and lots of herbs.
    Check out this recipe
    Grapefruit quinoa salad
    Grapefruit strawberry mojito
    Refreshing and delicious grapefruit strawberry mojito recipe! Learn how to make a mojito with fresh strawberries, grapefruit, and mint. An amazing spring cocktail!
    Check out this recipe
    grapefruit strawberry mojito
    Honey sweetened ruby grapefruit mimosa
    A sparkling ruby red grapefruit mimosa with honey! Naturally sweetened and only 3 ingredients. Your new favorite brunch cocktail!
    Check out this recipe
    A sparkling ruby red grapefruit mimosa with honey! Naturally sweetened and only 3 ingredients. Your new favorite brunch cocktail! // Rhubarbarians / champagne / #mimosa #grapefruit #brunch #cocktail #champagne
    Grapefruit vinaigrette recipe
    Simple, 3-ingredient grapefruit vinaigrette recipe! This zesty grapefruit salad dressing is bursting with citrus flavor and is perfect for brightening up your salads.
    Check out this recipe
    A photo of pouring grapefruit vinaigrette onto salad.

    If you love grapefruit as much as we do, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians

    LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? GET FREE WEEKLY RECIPES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX! SIGN UP HERE!

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    Trish Bozeman is a vegetarian mom with a passion for cooking meatless meals with seasonal produce. She will help you create vegetarian recipes that your whole family will love. Read More…

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