Pink or Ruby Red Grapefruit
(Scientific Binomial Name: Citrus x paradisi)
Selection Information
Usage: Eaten fresh, in salads, desserts, and cooking. The oil from the peel of the grapefruit is used in aromatherapy and is prized for its aroma.
Selection: Good quality Pink or Ruby Red Grapefruit will have smooth, firm and shiny skin. Pick fruit that is medium to large and heavy for its size. Most red or pink grapefruit will have a rich yellow coloring and a slight rose colored blush to the skin, while others will be yellow. Some varieties will "re-green" if they remain on the tree long enough. This means that color does not indicate ripeness, nor does it affect the flavor or quality of the fruit.
Avoid: Avoid product that is soft, or that has dull or wrinkled skin with deep folds.
Seasonal Information
Available year-round with the peak from January through April. Florida and Texas provide the bulk of the winter crop while Arizona and California produce the bulk of the spring and summer supply.
Pink Grapefruit Nutritional Information
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Pink Grapefruit is very low in Cholesterol, Saturated Fat, and Sodium. It's also a great source of Dietary Fiber, and an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Juicing
Pink Grapefruit is an excellent fruit to juice.
Grapefruit Tips & Trivia
- The principal ancestor of this subtropical evergreen was called pomelo, brought by a captain Shaddock to Barbados from the Malay Archipelago. The pomelo fruit, borne in clusters that gave rise to the name grapefruit, was also called shaddock, and is quite different from the grapefruit we know today.
- In the mid-1700's, grapefruit was called, "Forbidden Fruit."
- The West Indies were the point of origin for grapefruit, probably as a cross between the pomelo and an orange. It came to Florida in 1840 where a seedless fruit was found fifty years later and propagated to give us the Marsh Seedless variety.
- Grapefruit keeps at room temperature for at least a week. For longer storage, refrigerate in a plastic bag or in the covered vegetable crisper.
How to Properly Cut and Eat a Ruby Red Grapefruit
Suggested Reading About Grapefruit & Citrus Fruits from Amazon.com:
- Healing Power of Grapefruit Seed
- The Lemon & Lime Cookbook
- Citrus: Complete Guide to Selecting & Growing More Than 100 Varieties for California, Arizona, Texas, the Gulf Coast and Florida
- The Biology of Citrus (The Biology of Horticultural Crops)