4 Fun Facts About Grapefruit

By: The Hale Groves Team | On: February 1, 2021 | Category: Fruit Facts

Does grapefruit’s tart taste and diet-food reputation put you off? If so, it might just be time for you to give this citrus powerhouse another try – in addition to being one of the healthiest fruits you can eat (grapefruit is rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fiber), it also comes in some pretty sweet varieties!

Here are some interesting facts you may not know about grapefruit:

“Grapefruit” gets its name from grapes.

It’s difficult to imagine two fruits more dissimilar than grapes and grapefruit. Apart from their radically different flavors, grapefruit are citrus fruits that range in size from ten to fifteen centimeters, while a single grape (which is technically a berry) is about three centimeters in circumference. Plus, grapes grow on vines while grapefruit grow on trees.

But one thing the two fruits have in common is the fact that they both grow in clusters. Grapefruit clusters can’t quite compete with grape clusters when it comes to sheer numbers (there can be as many as 100 grapes per cluster), but a cluster of 25 grapefruit can look pretty impressive!

Is grapefruit good for you? Yes – but dark pink and red grapefruit are even more nutritious than yellow or white grapefruit.

No matter what color it is, grapefruit benefits your immune system because it’s a great source of vitamins C and A. Your body needs these vitamins to stay healthy and recover after an illness (like a cold). But ruby red grapefruit has significantly higher levels of vitamin A than the white, providing 50% off your daily-recommended intake in just one cup. And then there’s lycopene, an antioxidant that has been linked to benefits ranging from heart health to protection from certain types of cancer. White grapefruit doesn’t contain this all-important antioxidant, but red and dark pink grapefruit does – in fact, it’s what gives them their impressive color (and sweeter taste).

Whatever type you prefer, the health benefits of grapefruit in all its varieties are impressive, making the fruit well worth adding to your diet no matter what color it is.

Grapefruit is 92% water.

When considering what is grapefruit good for, keeping hydrated might not be the first thing that comes to mind! But the high water content does indeed help you stay hydrated.

Grapefruit’s high water content (along with its high fiber content) also help you to feel full; combined with grapefruit calories equaling just 52 per serving, this is probably part of what gives grapefruit “diet” status. Regardless, studies have shown that including grapefruit in your diet may help boost weight loss, as well as reduce cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, making it a guilt-free, healthy, and tasty addition to your food plan.

There are utensils made especially for eating grapefruit.

Wondering how to eat grapefruit? Sure, you can peel and eat it just like you can an orange, but it’s a bit messier than eating an orange (grapefruits are 75% juice, and just a single grapefruit can provide you with two-thirds of a cup of grapefruit juice benefits). Using a grapefruit knife can help you cut through the thick, waxy peel and separate it from the fruit in a way that keeps you from getting splattered thanks to the utensil’s serrated edges that are designed to “hug” the fruit’s curves.

Another neat way to consume grapefruit is to cut a whole fruit in half and use a grapefruit spoon. A grapefruit spoon looks like a regular spoon, but has serrated edges that are good for cutting through the flesh of the fruit, while you use the “bowl” of the spoon to scoop it into your mouth.

These are just a few unique facts about this very interesting fruit. So, if grapefruit has left you feeling “bitter” in the past, give it another try…you may just find your attitude towards it (as well as the fruit itself) growing sweeter!

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