Grapefruit, Fruit
The grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) is a subtropical fruit with a tart, tangy and an underlying sweetness. It is a large citrus fruit related to orange, lemon and pomelo, and can be categorized as white (blond), pink or ruby. The color is reflecting the flesh color and not the skin color which is either yellow or pinkish-yellow. Grapefruit was discovered in Barbados in the 18th century, and was brought to Florida in 1823. The top producers of grapefruit are United States, China and South Africa. Grapefruit is known as toronja or pomelo in Spanish. Grapefruit tree is an evergreen tree, growing up to 13 m tall, with dark green leaves of 15 cm long. It bears white, four-petaled flowers, 5 cm in diameter. The fruit, 10-15 cm in diameter, is an oblate spheroid, yelllow-orange skinned, including both seed and seedless, pink and white varieties. The flesh of the grapefruit is segmented and acidic, with color and level of sweetness depending on cultivars. The taste and smell of grapefruit is strongly influenced by grapefruit mercaptan, a sulfur-containing terpene. The rich pink and red colors of grapefruit is largely due to the lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient that help fight oxygen free radicals. Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source for dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, calcium, and potassium. Grapefruit helps lower cholesterol, and grapefruit seeds have antioxidant properties.  Grapefruit Author: johannrela (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic) | ||
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