Grapefruit

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

The tree grapefruit reaches up to 4.5-6 meters and has a round crown of spreading upward branches. The fruit is almost round or flattened to slightly pear-shaped, up to 10-15 cm wide, with a smooth, finely cracked rind, which is up to 1 cm thick. The color of the grapefruit is pale lemon, sometimes slightly red on the outside and white, porous and bitter on the inside. Its interior consists of 11 to 14 segments, separated by thin, membranous and somewhat bitter walls, and their content is very juicy, sweet and sour and very fragrant.

For many years, grapefruit was considered a variety of pomelo, until in 1948, citrus experts began to claim that it was a random hybrid between pomelo and orange. Grapefruit was first described in 1750 by Griffith Hughes, who called it the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados. In 1789, Patrick Brown reported that this fruit grew in most of Jamaica. The popular name grapefruit is actually due to the incorrect classification of the fruit as a variety of grape by the English botanist John Lunan.

For commercial purposes, grapefruit is grown mainly in Jamaica and Trinidad, but soon spread to Brazil, South America and Israel. In 1945/46, the United States and mainly Florida produced a record 2,285,000 tons of grapefruit. Other countries involved in grapefruit production are Mexico, Argentina, Cyprus, Morocco, and some parts of South America.

Composition of grapefruit

100 gr. grapefruit contain 34-46 calories and 0.5-1.0 grams of protein. 100 g of grapefruit juice in turn contains 37-42 calories and 0.4-0.5 g of protein. Grapefruit is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin A. Grapefruit contains a large amount of vitamin C, vitamin B9, magnesium, potassium, lycopene / an important antioxidant /. If eaten with white skins, grapefruit is a great source of pectin fiber.

Types of grapefruit

Duncan - the fruit is round with a very light yellow rind, very fragrant, very juicy, with many seeds. It is grown for commercial purposes in India.

Foster - the fruit is flattened, medium-sized, the rind is light yellow but red in places, smooth, the inside is also pink, of good quality, despite the numerous seeds. It is not very popular and is grown in Florida, Texas, Arizona and India.

March - the leading grapefruit variety grown in Florida, California, Texas, Arizona, South America, Australia, South Africa, Israel and India. "Oroblanco" - a cross between grapefruit and pomelo, made in 1958 by geneticists.

Paradise Nevel - The fruit is flattened and smaller than a typical grapefruit. It is grown near Florida.

Red Blash - All types of red grapefruits are included here.

Grapefruit grows in warm subtropical climates. Temperature differences affect the length of the period from flowering to fruit maturity. The humidity of the climate contributes to the thickness of the bark, and in dry climates the bark is thick and rough.

Selection and storage of grapefruit

The color of the grapefruit can be very misleading. The red fruit inside does not always mean a well-ripened fruit. A more important criterion is the gloss - whether the bark reflects light or the color has a matte hue. Buy fruits that are heavy in size and give in to light pressure. Avoid soft fruits with damaged integrity.

Grapefruit should be stored at about 18 ° C for about a week or in the fruit compartment in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks. Both the fruit and its juice are subject to freezing.

Grapefruit in cooking

Grapefruit is eaten raw, sometimes slightly sweetened, and heat-treated. It is often used in fruit cakes, fruit salads, gelatin and pudding. Grapefruit is also often preserved in syrup. In Australia it is used to make marmalade, jelly.

Grapefruit juice available as a drink - fresh, canned, powdered, concentrated or frozen. It can be used to make excellent vinegar or wine, with careful fermentation.

Benefits of grapefruit

Grapefruit peel is sugary and is an important source of pectin for preserving other fruits. Bark oil, squeezed or distilled, is often used to flavor soft drinks. The main ingredient in this oil is nucaton, which added to grapefruit juice powder, enhances the aroma of the dissolved juice. Naringin, extracted from the inner peel of grapefruit, is used to impart a bitter taste to tonic drinks, bitter chocolate and some types of ice cream.

Grapefruit oil is dark and very bitter, but when refined it acquires a pale yellow color, soft and very similar to olive oil taste and has the same use. Due to the fact that these are unsaturated fats, its production increased significantly after 1960.

Grapefruit is good for the cardiovascular system - through naringin it helps remove old red blood cells. Grapefruit juice eliminates constipation, improves digestion by enhancing the secretion of gastric juices. Cholesterol is reduced by galacturonic acid and pectin, which are contained in grapefruit.

A glass of grapefruit juice improves sleep, calms the nerves and eliminates insomnia. The aroma of grapefruit has a beneficial effect on an upset stomach, effectively reduces nausea.

Harm from grapefruit

People who suffer from allergies to citrus fruits are almost necessarily allergic to grapefruit, so they should avoid it. A negative effect of grapefruit is its ability to reduce the action of about 50 types of drugs. This is because grapefruit juice destroys the action of a specific enzyme responsible for breaking down and absorbing these medicines.

When this happens, the concentration of certain drugs in the blood increases, which can lead to a number of toxic effects. Among the drugs whose action is altered by the citrus fruit are those intended for cardiovascular problems, hypertension, asthma, allergies, blood clotting, cough, infections, high cholesterol.

It's considered that grapefruit reduces the action of contraceptives, which can cause unwanted pregnancies.

Be very careful and tell your doctor if you have been taking any of these medicines in combination with grapefruit for a long time. To avoid unwanted side effects, always read the pill leaflets carefully.

Grapefruit diet

Grapefruit is one of the best fruits for the diet, as many nutritionists claim that citrus has the unique property of helping to break down fat, thanks to valuable enzymes.

There are many options for a grapefruit diet - from a light unloading regime within a day, to a few-day diet to lose a few extra pounds.

Although there is different diets with grapefruit, most unite around one basic rule - before eating to eat half a fruit to activate the enzymes that break down fats. In addition to the fruit, you can drink the juice from it.

However, it should be borne in mind that the acids in grapefruit can lower the pH of the stomach, which will cause discomfort.

An important point in the diet is to limit calories to 800 per day. Emphasis should be on lean meat, lean fish, unsweetened tea. Pasta and sugar, sweets in any form are prohibited.

The main advantage of weight loss with grapefruit is that it saturates the body with useful vitamins, restores the body's strength, especially during the winter and spring months. It is extremely rich in vitamin C, which helps the body to resist viruses. Regular consumption of grapefruit not only reduces excess weight, but also normalizes the digestive system, rejuvenates the skin and has a beneficial effect on the liver.

Undoubtedly, grapefruit is a real elixir of health that helps not only to lose weight, but also to strengthen overall health. Enjoy its beneficial properties and you will be fascinated by the beneficial effects of this fruit.