The other day while grocery shopping I picked up some grapefruit and couldn’t wait to get home and try it.  Florida grapefruit is currently in season and it’s absolutely delicious.  We all know that grapefruit is packed full of Vitamin C, but Vitamin C isn’t the only thing grapefruit has to offer. Grapefruit is also a good source of potassium, vitamin A, phytonutrients and fiber.

Vitamin C. Grapefruit is bursting with vitamin C, it is an excellent source of this antioxidant; providing about 52 percent of Daily Recommended Intake (RDI). Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant and helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and helps keep harmful free radicals at bay. It is also required for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue and aids in early wound healing.  It also helps our body absorb more iron from our food.

Potassium. In just a 100 gram serving (half of a medium sized grapefruit) of fruit there contains about 135 mg of potassium. Potassium helps regulate your body’s fluid balance and also helps control heart rate and blood pressure by countering the effects of sodium.

Vitamin A. Grapefruit is a very good source of vitamin A. There are about 1159 IUs in a 100g serving of fruit. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also necessary for healthy vision. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin A, and flavonoids can help protect against lung and oral cavity cancers.

Phytonutrients. Red varieties of grapefruits are especially rich in one of the most powerful flavonoid, lycopene.  Studies have shown that lycopene protects skin from damaging ultra violet rays and also offers protection against prostate cancer.

Fiber. Grapefruit is a good source of insoluble fiber, pectin in particularly. Pectin acts as a bulking laxative, adding bulk to the stool and increasing transit time. This increased transit time helps protect the colons mucous membrane by decreasing exposure of toxic substances as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids.

In the stores, buy fresh fruits featuring bright colors, firm to the touch and free of noticeable burses or wrinkles on the skin.  The heavier the grapefruit the more juice it will contain and it should have a sweet aroma. Avoid, overtly soften fruits with spots as they tend to perish early.

Although you can store your grapefruit on the counter, the best place for the grapefruit is in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Here the grapefruit can stay fresh up to two weeks!

Wash grapefruits under cool running water before eating in order to rinse any dirt or pesticide residues away. Though you are not going to eat the peel it’s wise to rinse it off first since cutting into unwashed fruit may transfer dirt or bacteria that residing on the skin into flesh.

Though the most popular way to eat a grapefruit is cutting it horizontally into two halves and scooping out its sections with a spoon, it can also be eaten in a variety of recipes.  The following recipe comes from the Florida Department of Citrus.  It’s fun to experiment with this inexpensive seasonal fruit.

Fruit Salad with Grapefruit-Poppy Seed Dressing

If you’re making this salad ahead, brush a little grapefruit juice on the avocado slices to prevent darkening.

Serves about 8

For the salad:

Lettuce leaves

Shredded fresh spinach and/or lettuce

2 Florida Red Grapefruit, peeled, sectioned, and seeded

2 Florida White Grapefruit, peeled, sectioned, and seeded

2 cups strawberries, slices or halved

2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

For the dressing:

1 cup honey

1 teaspoon Florida Grapefruit peel, finely shredded

1 cup Florida Grapefruit Juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seed

Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Top with shredded spinach or lettuce. Arrange red and white grapefruit sections, strawberries, and avocados on lettuce. Sprinkle red onion rings on top of fruit. Serve with Grapefruit-Poppy Seed Dressing. Store remaining dressing, covered, in the refrigerator.

Lisa Eisele, RD, CSO, LD is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She also holds a Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. Lisa and her partner Stacy Paine, RD, LD own Oconee Nutrition Consultants, LLC. Both Lisa and Stacy are also Certificated Specialist in Adult Weight Management. 706-473-5801