Botanical name: Grapefruit (Citrus paradise), genus Citrus, family Rutaceae.

Homeland of grapefruit: India, Asia, USA.

Lighting: photophilous.

The soil: fertile.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 15 m.

average life expectancy: more than 50 years.

Landing: seeds, cuttings.

Description of grapefruit and photo of its leaves

Grapefruit is a medium-sized fruit tree, reaching up to 5-6, sometimes up to 12 m in height. Belongs to evergreen plants. It has smooth, grayish-brown bark. The crown is dense, elliptical or spherical with strong, elastic branches that can support large, weighty fruits. Grapefruit leaves are oval, large, up to 17 cm in length, leathery, alternate, dark green. The flowers are white, up to 6 cm in diameter, with 5-6 petals, single or collected in racemes, and have a pleasant aroma. Flowering begins in May. The fruits are large, up to 16 cm in diameter, slightly flattened, covered with a smooth, shiny, thick light yellow peel with a reddish tint. The peel is difficult to separate from the pulp. The pulp of the fruit is aromatic, juicy, sweet and sour with bitterness, divided into segments. The color of the pulp ranges from yellow-red to deep red. The fruits hang on the branches singly or in clusters of up to 15 pieces. The weight of the fruit is 400-600 g. They ripen in December.

Externally, grapefruit resembles an orange, but it tastes sour and has a bitter aftertaste.

The crop is valued for its high yield and fruits, endowed with many beneficial properties. Up to 700 fruits are obtained from one tree per year.

The gallery below shows a photo of a grapefruit.

How and where grapefruit grows: photos of plants

The plant is not found in the wild. Widely grown in the subtropics and tropics. Countries where grapefruit grows: India, Asia, USA, Georgia, China, Brazil, Israel, southern Russia.

It is also interesting how grapefruit grows. This culture is warm and light-loving. Demanding on soil. It develops well on fertile humus fertilized with mineral salts and organic matter. Under favorable conditions, it begins to bear fruit at 4-5 years of age. The fruit ripening period lasts 9-12 months. The grapefruit consumption season is long. In some climatic zones it can last throughout the year. In regions where ripening occurs in September-October, the fruits are harvested until April.

How and under what conditions grapefruit grows can be seen in the photo below:

Fruit of the grapefruit plant

The fruits of the grapefruit plant are used as food. Possess medicinal properties. They contain water, sugars, potassium and other minerals, organic acids, vitamins C, D, B, P, and pectins. Bitter-tasting substances are contained in the peel, seeds and film of the fruit.

The fruit is consumed fresh and processed. Used in industry for the production of juices, jams, liqueurs. Fresh fruits are added to salads. Grapefruit juice is poured over the meat, giving the dish a special flavor.

The fruits of this plant are low in calories. 100 g of pulp contains 39 kcal. Therefore, grapefruits, which have a similar chemical composition to other citrus fruits, are an effective product for weight loss.

The zest is used in cooking to improve the taste of meat and fish dishes. It is also used in baking. In order to obtain the zest, it is necessary to thinly cut off the top layer of the peel.

The rind of the citrus grapefruit is quite thick and bitter. It contains a large amount of glycosides. It is added to tea and infusions are made by pouring boiled water over it for 2 hours.

Fruit seeds are valuable raw materials from which grapefruit extract is obtained. Seed extract is included in many medicines, designed to combat colds and fungal diseases.

Grapefruit is rich in vitamins. The main vitamins contained in its pulp: riboflavin (B2), ascorbic acid (C), niacin (PP), B-carotene, thiamine (B1), folic acid (B9). In addition, it contains many minerals, but very little protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Grapefruit oil, obtained from its seeds, is a yellowish liquid with a pleasant citrus aroma and a slight bitterness. Used in cosmetology, perfumery and medicine.

Grapefruit selection

When choosing fruits, you need to pay attention to their appearance and weight. Preference should be given to intact, large fruits: the larger the fruit, the juicier it is. Taste qualities largely depend on the presence of beta-carotene in the pulp. The amount of this substance in grapefruit can be judged by the color of the peel: the yellower its color, the more beta-carotene the fruit contains, the tastier and sweeter it will be. The fruit should be heavy, soft, without any dark spots or dents on the surface. A juicy and ripe fruit will also be indicated by its aroma. Fully ripe citrus smells very strong. The red-skinned fruits contain large amounts of lycopene, which is an excellent antioxidant.

Use

The thick peel, which fits tightly to the grapefruit pulp, makes peeling it difficult. However, if you know how to remove the peel correctly, this process will not be difficult. Before cleaning citrus, you need to wash it well in running water. Using a sharp knife, make several longitudinal cuts. After this, prying the crust with a knife will easily remove it. The fruit is cut into slices and all white partitions are removed. If the partitions are left, the pulp will be bitter. It should be remembered that it is in the partitions that a large amount of useful substances is contained.

In order to eliminate bitterness, the core in each half is removed, sugar, honey or fructose is added in its place, left for 2-3 hours, after which the fruit is served.

You can remove the bitterness in another way. Remove the leathery, translucent film containing quinic acid and bitter glycosides from each slice.

Storage

Fresh, fully ripe fruits are not stored for a long time. The riper the fruit, the faster it will spoil. In order to extend the shelf life of grapefruit, it is stored in the refrigerator. The maximum storage period is no more than 10 days. After this, the citrus dries out and loses its taste and aroma.

The duration of storage of fruits in storage at a temperature of +7-12⁰С and air humidity of 85-95% reaches several months. To do this, the fruits are picked slightly unripe. As they ripen, the intensity of their color increases, and when it reaches its maximum, it begins to decrease. During the entire storage period, fruits retain their taste, aroma and valuable properties.

Grapefruit varieties

To date, about 20 varieties of this plant have been bred. They all differ in color, taste of the pulp, the presence of seeds inside the fruit and are divided into 3 groups: white with yellowish pulp, pink and red. Some varieties have a lot of seeds, while others have them completely absent. The red American variety “Ruby”, bred in 1929, is in high demand. In addition, the varieties “Rio Red”, “Flame”, “Duncan”, “Flame”, “Marsh” and many others have gained popularity on the market.

The most widely distributed variety in Russia is “Marsh”, the fruits of which contain from 0 to 8 seeds, and the variety “Pink Marsh” with pink flesh and 3-5 seeds.

On Black Sea coast The varieties “Gulripshsky” and “Yubileiny” are cultivated in the Caucasus.

The Duncan variety is suitable for growing indoors. The plant has a decorative, spreading crown, large, elongated leaves, white flowers, collected in clusters of 3-10 buds. The fruits are yellow, spherical, weighing up to 400 g. Their pulp is juicy, sweet and sour, with a slight bitterness. Fruiting begins 4 years after planting.

To grow the Duncan grapefruit tree, choose well-lit places. If there is a lack of light, energy-saving fluorescent lamps are used. In low light, the leaves stretch towards the light, while the branches bend and weaken.

IN good conditions homemade grapefruit grows up to 2 m in height.

In spring, the plant is transplanted into a larger pot and the soil is renewed. For a 5-7 year old individual, a container with a height of 40-50 cm and a diameter of 50 cm is required.

Grapefruit "Flame" is known all over the world for its taste. Its skin is smooth, yellow, with a reddish tint. The pulp is dark red, sweet, without any bitter taste.

Photos of the grapefruit tree and its varieties are presented below in the photo gallery.

The plant got its name from the English. grape (grapes) and fruit (fruit), which translated means “grape fruit”. The reason for this name was the fruits of this tree, collected in clusters, similar to bunches of grapes. Previously, grapefruit was considered a hybrid obtained by crossing a lemon and an orange. To date, it has been established that its ancestors are wild orange and pomelo. The basic properties and taste qualities were transferred from the pomelo to the “grape fruit”.

Grapefruit was first found on the island of Barbados, from where it was transported to America. In the 20th century, it began to be widely cultivated in European countries. It was first grown as an ornamental tree with beautiful, fragrant flowers and glossy leaves. It was not used for food due to its bitter taste. After ripening, the fruits fell to the ground. Interest in grapefruit as a fruit crop appeared only at the end of the 19th century. The first ships with fruit were sent to New York and Philadelphia. Gradually, citrus gained popularity in other countries.

Grapefruit does not often appear on the menu of most Russians, which is completely in vain - it contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements, helps strengthen the immune system, improve digestion and lose weight. And the characteristic bitterness, which many people don’t like, is easily neutralized with proper cleaning and preparation of the fruit.

What is it and where does it grow?

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit, a hybrid (pomelo crossed with an orange). The fruits ripen on evergreen trees of the Rutaceae family. Ripe fruits are arranged on the branches in such a way that they resemble bunches of grapes. It was this fact that formed the basis for the name of the fruit, because in translation from English grapefruit means “grape fruit”.

The fruit was first discovered on the island of Barbados in 1750 and was called the “forbidden fruit.” China is considered the probable homeland of the fruit. Today, trees with these fruits are cultivated in many countries with a subtropical climate. The main importers of fruits are the USA, Georgia, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, and Brazil. In Russia, grapefruit is grown in the south.

Today, there are about 20 varieties of grapefruit, but this diversity can be reduced to three main groups - white, red and pink grapefruits. The weight of one fruit reaches 500-600 g, which is slightly larger than an orange. The diameter of the first usually reaches 40-45 cm. Grapefruit has an orange tint, which may be closer to yellow or red depending on the variety. The pulp is bright orange and juicy. The fruits have a familiar citrus aroma, which is so strong that it can be felt even through intact peel.

In general, these two citrus fruits are similar. True, grapefruit has a thicker skin, and its taste is more sour, with a characteristic bitterness. Grapefruit differs from pomelo in its lighter weight and brighter color of the peel and pulp. Pomelo usually has a more sour taste, but less bitterness.

The difference between sweetie and grapefruit is that the former has a much sweeter taste. This is not surprising, because the task of the breeders was precisely to obtain such a citrus fruit. Sweetie is the result of crossing a sweet variety of grapefruit and pomelo. In addition, sweetie does not have the bright color characteristic of grapefruit. Even in mature sweetie fruits, it remains pale greenish-yellow.

Fruit ripening is long, sometimes it takes 10-11 months. The trees begin to bloom in late May-early June.

Calories and nutritional value

Among fruits, grapefruit has a low calorie content, which is due to the high moisture content in the fruit (its volume reaches 90%). Nutritional value is 30-35 kcal per 100 g of fresh product. The BZHU balance is as follows - 0.7/0.1/6. Pink fruits contain slightly more carbohydrates and fewer protein compounds.

Pink varieties are the highest in calories, while white varieties have the fewest calories. However, the latter also contain less fiber.

A peeled fruit weighing 400 g contains about 120-140 kcal. Freshly squeezed juice contains from 30 to 38 kcal, depending on the degree of extraction, and zest contains 29 kcal per 100 g.

The glycemic index of the fruit is 25, which is not much. In this regard, the fruit is not prohibited for people suffering from diabetes and obesity. In addition, grapefruit is easily digested, carrying with it toxins and fatty compounds from the intestines.

Chemical composition

Grapefruit fully lives up to its title as a “vitamin bomb”. It can be called a champion in ascorbic acid content. It is enough to consume 100 g of fruit per day to meet the body's daily need for vitamin C.

Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant and has a strengthening and immunostimulating effect. In addition to vitamin C, the fruits contain vitamins B, P, A (retinol), as well as the provitamin beta-carotene (it provides the bright sunny color of the fruit).

Microelements are represented by calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium. The fruits also contain useful acids - folic, pantothenic, nicotinic.

A substance called naringin was found in the white film, which is why the fruit has a slight bitterness. The purpose of naringin is to improve intestinal motility; in addition, it provides a bactericidal effect. The beneficial effect of the fruit on the intestines is also explained by the presence of dietary fiber and fiber in the composition.

The sweetness of the fruit is provided by natural sugars. The composition also contains biologically active substances - phytocindes.

Benefit

The high content of vitamin C in the fruit in combination with others, as well as the presence of trace elements and acids, make grapefruit a powerful assistant in supporting the immune system. By stimulating and strengthening immune cells, these components help increase the body's resistance to viral and colds, and the negative effects of environmental factors. The pulp and juice of the fruit provide a tonic effect; they should be included in the diet of people experiencing increased physical, sports and intellectual stress. Consumption of fruits will also be useful during the period of colds and spring vitamin deficiency.

Dietary fiber and naringin improve intestinal activity, allowing food to be digested faster and better. This, in turn, helps prevent the feeling of heaviness and bloating. These same components accelerate metabolism, which, taking into account the low nutritional value of the fruit, makes it one of the recommended products for weight loss.

The acids contained in the composition help increase the acidity of gastric juice, so the fruit should be included in your diet for those who have a low level of acidity.

Grapefruit, thanks to the iron it contains, helps improve hematopoietic function and allows you to maintain hemoglobin within normal limits. This, in turn, indicates that organs and tissues receive sufficient oxygen. The components of the fruit fight cholesterol plaques, increasing the elasticity of blood vessels - excellent prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

Consuming grapefruit is also beneficial for the liver. It is believed that it protects the organ from cancer. The fruit ensures the removal of toxins and waste from the body, which means a reduction in the load on the liver.

The fruit copes with bleeding gums, and also removes skin pigmentation, freckles, prevents the appearance of fungi, and has an antibacterial effect. It is also recommended for use for hypertension, as it lowers blood pressure.

The fruit is often called the fruit of beauty, which is completely justified. In addition to its low calorie content and the ability to speed up metabolism, which is actively used for weight loss, it contains antioxidants. The latter are natural components that slow down the aging process. Using the fruit internally and externally can improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails, slow down the appearance of wrinkles, and increase skin tone.

For cosmetic purposes, the juice of the fruit is usually used, which, when mixed with other components, allows you to whiten the skin, get rid of age spots, rashes and oily sheen. Grapefruit zest and juice are widely used in the fight against cellulite.

Providing a slight diuretic effect, the fruits help remove excess fluid from the body. For this reason, it is recommended to include them in your diet during menstruation.

During pregnancy, the fruit is not only not prohibited, but also allowed for consumption. A large number of vitamins and minerals strengthen the body of the mother and fetus, improve its resistance to viruses and bacteria.

This fruit is no less useful for men's health, since its regular consumption prevents the occurrence of prostate cancer. The lycopene contained in the composition protects against prostatitis.

Grapefruit juice has the same positive effects on the body as the fruit as a whole. It is not particularly sweet, but can significantly improve digestion processes. To do this, drink half a glass of juice 30 minutes before your meal. This will awaken your metabolism and prepare your digestive organs for processing food.

Grapefruit juice is indicated for insomnia, chronic fatigue, decreased immunity, and lack of sun.

The benefits of grapefruit are comparable to beneficial properties pulp. An important point - not the entire peel is called zest, but only its top layer, up to the white film. The zest is rich in pectin, as well as B vitamins (primarily B 2.9), vitamins A and C, as well as essential oils. It is especially useful for strengthening the immune and nervous systems.

The fruit seeds also contain these vitamins, as well as flavonoids. The latter are considered a natural antibiotic and have antibacterial properties.

Harm

Consuming the fruit should be avoided if you have an individual intolerance or allergy to the fruit. Signs of allergies are skin rashes, cough, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rhinitis, suffocation. If at least one of these signs is detected, the victim should be given an antihistamine; if the injury is severe, call an ambulance.

Due to the high acid content, grapefruit should not be consumed if the acidity of gastric juice is also high. This will only make the situation worse. You should also avoid it if you have peptic ulcers, gastritis, or pancreatitis.

Grapefruit fruits have the ability to react with medications and neutralize them or, on the contrary, enhance the effect. As a result, the drug does not work or cases of overdose occur. Grapefruit neutralizes oral contraceptives, drugs prescribed for hypotension and some other medications. If this fruit regularly appears in your diet, you should find out how much it affects the particular drug you are taking.

Citrus fruits are the strongest allergens, so they should not be consumed in large quantities. An overabundance of grapefruit on the menu can cause itchy rashes on the skin, sore throat and cough, and abdominal pain.

Hypotensive patients should eat the fruit with caution, as it lowers blood pressure. If it is so low that you have to increase it with the help of medications, then grapefruit is contraindicated. Not only does it lower blood pressure in itself, but it also neutralizes the effect of drugs that increase blood pressure.

If there are cracks or ulcers in the mouth and around it, grapefruit will increase irritation, so it is better to avoid taking it until the skin and mucous membranes are completely healed.

How to choose?

The most delicious, sweet and most healthy are grapefruits with a red tint of pulp. Moreover, the darker it is, the sweeter the fruit will be. It has almost no seeds and is characterized by a strong aroma. The ripening season lasts from late July to early September. This is the best time to buy this variety.

White grapefruit has a pale yellow peel, it is quite thick and tastes sweet. The number of seeds is average, they are large. The pulp of such fruits contains less sugar, so the fruit of this variety is slightly more sour. It is actively included in the diet menu and is used for weight loss. One of the most famous white-fleshed grapefruits is Duncan.

It's easy to understand why the next grapefruit variety is called pink if you cut the fruit. You will see pink flesh. It is very sweet and not bitter. The peel of the fruit of this variety is dense, with characteristic red specks, and a strong citrus aroma. One of the popular varieties is “Flame”.

It is right to start choosing a fruit by assessing its aroma. Fresh and ripe, it emits a strong citrus aroma that can be felt even from a distance of several meters. If, even when you sniff specifically, you can barely discern a citrus aroma, you have a stale fruit in front of you.

Red spots on the peel are evidence of the sweetness of the fruit. The more there are, the higher the sugar content. The peel itself should be elastic, without dents or damage. The shade should be uniform over the entire surface. But dark spots and dents, especially at the base of the fruit, indicate that it is not the first freshness. The fruit itself should have a spherical or slightly flattened shape.

It is important to correlate the size and weight of the fetus. Ripe and fresh grapefruit is always heavy, even if it is small in size. If the fruit itself is large but quite light, this means that during long-term storage it has lost most of its moisture. This fruit is not the best the best option for purchase and consumption.

If you have the opportunity to evaluate the inside of the fruit, remember that bright pink and dark orange flesh and a small number of medium-sized seeds usually indicate sweetness of the pulp.

Storage rules

If stored improperly, the fruit will lose moisture and become dry and bitter. The optimal storage temperature is 2-7 degrees. The bottom shelves of the refrigerator are good for these purposes.

You should not buy fruit for future use, because even in the refrigerator it is stored for a little more than 10 days. In this case, it is better to first wrap the fruits in food paper to prevent active loss of moisture. It is important that the fruits do not touch.

The peeled fruit can be stored covered in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days. During the same period, you can store the fruit whole, without damaging the peel, at room conditions.

If the temperature allows, the balcony can also be used as a storage area for grapefruits. The shelf life in this case will be 7-10 days. It is important that the humidity level on the loggia is not high, and that direct sunlight does not fall on the fruits. They should also be stored wrapped in paper.

What can you cook?

Unlike orange and lemon zest, which is actively added to baked goods, grapefruit zest is used much less frequently for these purposes, due to its bitter taste. You can neutralize the bitterness by combining the fruits with honey or sugar.

Thanks to its sweet and sour taste with a slight bitterness, grapefruits are good in salads and when baking meat dishes. They are suitable for glazing meat and poultry, imparting their flavor to them, and protect the dish from drying out.

You can prepare the fruits for future use by making jam or jam from them. Freshly squeezed juice from the fruit is a real drink of vigor, beauty and health. True, it is better to dilute it with water before use. You can also make grapefruit lemonade, cocktails, smoothies, fresh juice and compote from the juice.

The fruit goes well with vegetables, fish, shrimp, and chicken. A successful combination of fruits with orange, peaches, pineapples, plums, pears, and currants. From fermented milk products - cottage cheese, yogurt without additives, curd cheese. Lemon juice, honey, nuts, mint, and rosemary can highlight the taste of grapefruit. True, there is an important nuance here - you need to completely remove the white films, otherwise the finished dish will be unpleasantly bitter.

The combination with starch-containing foods - potatoes, legumes, cereals, pasta - is not the most successful. Moreover, such combinations are difficult to digest and cause stomach problems.

Before we begin describing the most interesting proven recipes, let’s focus on methods for cleaning fruits. To peel the fruit, you need to place it on a cutting board and, holding it with one hand, cut off the top part of the peel with a knife. The cut should be deep enough to expose the flesh without damaging it.

Now you should pull the peel down and slightly to the side, peeling it off and trying to damage the pulp as little as possible. The next step is to cut off the layer of white film with a knife.

All that remains is to extract the slices from the white film, for which the slice is cut along the film and the pulp is carefully removed from it. As a result of such manipulations, the same slice should remain, but without the white film. In the same way, you should get all the slices.

Next, they should be placed in a deep plate and, squeezing the remaining pulp with pieces of pulp on it into a fist, squeeze the juice out of it, pouring it over the grapefruit pulp. You can eat grapefruit in this form, and if you close the container with a lid and put it in the refrigerator, you can store it for up to 4 days.

You can also use a special spoon and fruit knife that have serrations at the end. The fruit is cut in half, after which you can scoop out the pulp with a spoon, being careful not to stick the device into the area of ​​the white films. In a similar way, the fruit is served and eaten in restaurants and guests.

Another easy way to get grapefruit pulp is to cut it in half and then into slices. Now you need to cut off the white film and cut off the peel layer.

Grapefruit zest is also used in cooking. You need to remove it with a fine grater, without touching the white film. You can add zest to tea and baked goods.

As is known, vitamins and some microelements are partially or completely destroyed during heat treatment. You can fully preserve the benefits of the fruit without exposing it to heat above 45-50 degrees.

Salad with shrimp

Grapefruit goes well with seafood, giving fairly bland-tasting white fish, shrimp and crabs a special piquancy. This salad is suitable for those who play sports and watch their figure. Protein-rich shrimp will allow you to build muscle mass, grapefruit will start your metabolism and provide the body with essential vitamins for life.

Preparation:

• 400 g of peeled fresh frozen shrimp (unpeeled shrimp will also work, but in this case they will need to be peeled and blanched in boiling water for a couple of minutes);
• 8 slices of toast bread;
• 1 grapefruit weighing 400-450 g;
• 100 g breadcrumbs;
• a bunch of lettuce;
• dried garlic on the tip of a knife;
• 50 g hard cheese;
• 1 tomato;
• 100 g sour cream;
• a teaspoon of mustard;
• 1 lemon;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

IN this recipe It is supposed to use baked shrimp in batter. To do this, beat an egg and add dried garlic to it. Dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes at 200 degrees.

At this time, you can peel the grapefruit and cut the resulting slices into 2-3 pieces. It is also better to prepare the dressing in advance so that its components turn into a single mass. For dressing, mix sour cream and mustard, squeeze in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly.

All that remains is to assemble the salad. Place lettuce leaves washed and dried with a paper towel as the first layer, then add shrimp and tomatoes, cut into cubes or thin slices, in random order. Next, lay out the grapefruit slices and sprinkle the salad with grated cheese. Top the dish with dressing.

If breaded shrimp seem too high in calories, you can use regular boiled shrimp, adding a couple of black peppercorns and bay leaves to the cooking water. Sweet red pickled onions, cut into rings or half rings, will also be harmonious in this dish.

Paired with chicken

Rinse the fillet under cool running water and boil until tender, adding salt to taste. You can also add bay leaf and pepper to the cooking water. Disassemble the boiled chicken into fibers.

Peel the grapefruit, remove the pulp, cut into pieces if necessary. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and chop finely.

Place salad on the bottom of the plate. Its leaves can be left whole or torn into large fragments by hand. Then add a mixture of chicken, chili and grapefruit (it is better to first mix these ingredients in another bowl and add salt to taste).

As a dressing, use lime juice (1-2 teaspoons) mixed with soy sauce. Sprinkle chopped nuts or pomegranate seeds on top of the salad and garnish with mint leaves.

Fruit dessert

A light fruit salad will be an excellent second breakfast or afternoon snack, serve as dessert, and in the summer heat, when appetite decreases, even replace dinner. Many fruit salads have a cloying taste, but adding grapefruit will help offset the excessive sweetness.

To prepare it you need:

• 1 orange and 1 grapefruit each;
• 50 g canned pineapples;
• 50 g strawberries;
• 1-2 bananas;
• mint sprig;
• 30 ml mint syrup.

Wash fruits and berries, remove peels, films, and stalks. Cut oranges and grapefruit into pieces, strawberries into halves. If the pineapples are ring-shaped, they need to be cut into cubes.

Mix all ingredients. For dressing, use mint syrup and juice from canned pineapples, taken in equal quantities. Garnish the dish with a sprig of mint. If you don't have mint syrup on hand, you can use lemon or grapefruit juice.

It is better to serve the salad in bowls or wide glasses with a stem. You can make the serving original by filling half of the peel (they must be whole, intact) with citrus salad.

Grapefruit smoothie

This drink will wonderfully quench the feeling of hunger, start metabolic processes in the body and give vigor. It is great for hot summer days as it cools and quenches your thirst. The recipe is extremely simple, so we will do without a separate list of products.

So, you need to take the chilled fruit (previously keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours) and any in a convenient way extract the pulp without skin. The integrity of the pulp and its attractiveness are not important in this recipe, so it can be removed very quickly.

Place the pulp in a blender bowl, turn it into a puree, add 100-150 ml mineral water(with or without gas - as you prefer), a sprig of mint. Pour the drink into a tall glass, first adding 2-3 ice cubes.

Marmalade

Even the presence of sugar does not take away the benefits of grapefruit juice marmalade. Definitely, when prepared at home, it is much safer than store-bought analogues of this dessert; it can be given to children without fear.

To make the dessert you need:

• 2 oranges;
• 1 large grapefruit;
• 100 g sugar;
• a teaspoon of agar-agar.

The fruits need to be washed and peeled, divided into slices without pulp, and then squeezed out the juice. This recipe requires 200 ml of juice. You can experiment with the ratio of orange and grapefruit juice or take them in equal quantities.

Pour the juice into a saucepan and add sugar there. Over low heat until the sugar dissolves, this usually takes about 10 minutes. Then add agar-agar and, stirring continuously, bring the mixture to a boil. Remove it from the heat when the first bubbles appear, indicating the composition is boiling.

After this, the mixture needs to be cooled slightly and poured into silicone molds. Place the latter in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to harden. After the specified time, remove, roll in sugar or powdered sugar and serve. Store marmalade in a craft bag for no more than 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

Baked

The fruit prepared according to this recipe loses its bitterness and sour notes, turning into an exquisite and aromatic dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 grapefruit;
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar;
• teaspoon of cinnamon.

Cut the grapefruit in half and carefully remove the pulp. It is better to do this with a special spoon, being careful not to damage the slices. After this, separate the white films from the slices, and use a spoon to scoop them out of the resulting “vase” - the empty half of the peel.

The slices need to be put back into the peel, sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon on top and baked, first wrapped in foil. The temperature in the oven must be maintained within 75-80 degrees. Baking time – hour.

You can stick star anise or cloves into the pulp and remove them before serving.

Non-alcoholic Margarita

The well-known Margarita cocktail will sparkle with new flavors if you add grapefruit juice to it. In addition to these ingredients, you will also need special cocktail glasses. They have a conical shape and a long stem.

You need to prepare:

• 1 lime;
• 100 ml grapefruit juice;
• 2 tablespoons sugar;
• 6 teaspoons pomegranate syrup;
• ice cubes.

Sugar needs to be ground in a coffee grinder into powder. You can use ready-made powder. It will be needed to create a beautiful “snow rim” on the edges of the glass.

To do this, you need to cut a lime and wipe the top of the glass with half of it. After this, immediately lower the bowl into the powdered sugar and swirl it several times. As a result, a white “rim” will appear around the edges. Shake off excess sugar.

Place 2-3 teaspoons of pomegranate syrup at the bottom of the glass. Grapefruit juice, remaining syrup and ice should be mixed in a shaker and carefully poured into a glass so as not to mix with the syrup at the bottom. You can use a slice of grapefruit or lime for decoration.

Candied fruit

Another sweet from the “quick, tasty, healthy” section is candied grapefruit. The number of ingredients is minimal; the cooking process will seem simple even to novice home cooks.

You will need 2 grapefruits and a glass of sugar. Peel the fruit and separate the white film, and this should be done not from the pulp, but from the peel. It is she who found application in this recipe, but the pulp can be eaten with a clear conscience.

The peel needs to be cut into strips half a centimeter wide, pour cold water and leave for a day. During this time, you should change the water 5-6 times. This soaking will remove bitterness from the raw materials.

Now the peel strips need to be covered with sugar and weighed. The resulting number is the volume of water that will be required. Add water to the sugar-fruit mixture and place on low heat, stirring occasionally. The cook's task is to evaporate all the water without allowing the sugar and crusts to burn.

After this, the candied fruits can be placed on a baking sheet or tray lined with baking paper and left overnight or a little longer for final drying. Evidence of readiness will be the absence of moisture when pressing on the candied fruits. Roll the finished sweets in powdered sugar. Store in a sealed tin box or paper bag in a kitchen cabinet.

For more information about the features of grapefruit, watch the following video.

On the eve of the holidays, especially New Year's, its popularity increases significantly. These fruits fit appropriately into any holiday table and become one of the decorations of any banquet. Along with oranges, some feasts are not complete without aromatic and juicy grapefruit. Despite its prevalence, many do not even realize that grapefruit is a real source of vitamins that can have a beneficial effect on a person’s overall health. And today we will try to reveal the secret of this fruit, determine why it is beneficial for human health, and also identify the main contraindications for its use in food.

Where does grapefruit grow?

This fruit is an evergreen citrus plant native to the Lesser Antilles group of islands in the Caribbean. Atlantic Ocean. It was in this region that a hybrid with a characteristic bitter taste was first discovered in the 18th century.

For a long time the fruit remained unstudied, but early XIX century they began to talk about it widely, since its wild varieties were already found everywhere in the lands of Jamaica, Haiti, Bahamas and neighboring areas.

Did you know?Grapefruit was first identified and described in 1750 on the island of Barbados by a priest named Griffiths Hughes. However, at that time the naturalist referred to the fruit he discovered as “forbidden fruit.”

Almost the entire population of the Caribbean instantly fell in love with the new fruit, and from that moment its active cultivation in cultural conditions began. Later, the seeds were transported by American sailors to Florida, where active cultivation of the plant began. However, at that time this fruit was not popular among Florida farmers, so not many people decided to grow it on a large scale.

The first serious grapefruit nursery appeared in 1870, after which it began to actively conquer the American market for valuable agricultural plants. By 1910, the fruit began to be grown everywhere in the southern part North America, and from that moment on it became a real commercial crop.
At the same time, it was discovered that the fruit grows not only in tropical, but also in colder regions, after which grapefruit began to be cultivated on an industrial scale in more northern regions. By 1960, the United States had become the main exporter of grapefruit in the world, and the geography of its cultivation expanded to Mexico, Jamaica, and Israel. By 1980, the fruit reached Cuba, Argentina, Cyprus, and Morocco. Today, the main centers of grapefruit production are the USA, Indonesia, Jamaica, Brazil, and South Africa.

Did you know?Grapefruit (translated from English as grape fruit) received this name due to the fact that its fruits grow so close to each other that they resemble clusters of large grapes.

Calorie content and chemical composition

Grapefruit is the richest citrus fruit in all kinds of nutrients.

It contains a huge amount of (,), macronutrients( , ) and ( , copper).

In addition, this fruit is also considered one of the lowest calorie, since it contains 100 g contains only about 35 kcal.
The nutritional value grapefruit is high, 100 g of fruit contains:

• 0.9 g;
• 0.2 g;
• 8.7 g carbohydrates;
• 1.4 g;
• 0.6 g pectin;
• 1.3 g organic acids;
• 0.5 g of ash.

In addition, it is worth noting that this fruit is rich in all kinds of phytoncides, glycosides, quinic acid and beta-carotene.

What are the benefits of grapefruit for the body?

This fruit is one of the most beneficial foods for the human body. Its daily use helps to reduce excess weight, fight inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, cleanse, speed up metabolism and much more. Let's take a closer look at why grapefruit is beneficial for both women's and men's health.

Women

Daily consumption of grapefruit by women promotes a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland and its general hormonal levels. This makes it possible to normalize the menstrual cycle, and with it the functioning of the entire reproductive system. Eating grapefruit also helps improve brain activity, thanks to which women experience improved memory, reduced fatigue, and developed immunity to prolonged depressive states.

Men

This fruit is just as beneficial for men's health as it is for women's. The main positive effect of this fruit on the male body is its high anti-sclerotic effect. As you know, the main enemy of the vascular system of the stronger sex is. These formations affect almost all vessels of the body, including the organs of the genitourinary system.

Active consumption of grapefruit, even for a short period of time, makes it possible to eliminate this problem and, as a result, increase potency and libido. In addition, this fruit will be useful for men's health and during age-related changes in the reproductive system (the so-called) as the best remedy for.

Did you know?The largest grapefruit in the world was grown by American J. Willington from Arizona in 1984. The man managed to cultivate the fetusweighing 2.966 kg (the record has not been broken to this day).

How to choose a sweet grapefruit when purchasing

So, we have already learned what a grapefruit is and why this fruit is valuable for our health. Therefore, next we need to figure out how to choose the best fruit in the supermarket. Despite the fact that most of us consider this process to be simple, in practice it turns out that the fruit we have chosen is far from meeting our taste expectations.
To choose a ripe sweet fruit, you need to pay attention to just a few of its features. A high-quality fruit is always distinguished by a thin, smooth skin, without wrinkles and a rough structure. The fruit should be firm to the touch, but soft, without any dents or dips.

Next, you should evaluate the shade of the peel: often, a bright orange peel with characteristic areas of redness is a sign of a ripe and sweet fruit. Estimate the weight of the fruit, it should be as heavy as possible, this will indicate that this is a juicy fruit, since dry pulp is not heavy.

Important!It is no secret that most farmers treat citrus fruits with special preparations to increase their shelf life. Therefore, to protect yourself from excessive amounts of these substances, choose fruits with a matte skin rather than a glossy one, since a glossy sheen is a sign of a carefully processed fruit.

How to eat and what can be made from grapefruit

Proper consumption of grapefruit as a complete meal is somewhat different from our traditional understanding. To eat this fruit in accordance with all etiquette standards, you need to cut it in half, then sprinkle salt or sugar to taste on half of the fruit. After this, the pulp of the fruit is carefully removed with a dessert spoon, bypassing the white walls of the slices. If desired, some chefs recommend sprinkling this dish with white or red wine.
For convenience, you can lightly cut the slices, right along the contour of the white skin. But the most popular way to eat fruit is to divide it into slices. To do this, cut the grapefruit in half, after which each half is cut into separate slices. Next, the peel is cut off from each slice, only after which the fruit is ready for consumption.

This fruit can also be consumed in combination with many others. Lately All kinds of dishes and desserts made from grapefruit are gaining immense popularity, which are distinguished not only by their spicy taste, but also by their rather original appearance. However, before you begin culinary experiments, it is important to remember the correct combination of products.

Grapefruit goes perfectly with vegetable oil, butter, cream, tomatoes, citrus fruits, grapes, apples, pears, plums, and apricots. It is also permissible to combine this fruit with all sweet, starchy (beets, roots, zucchini and squash, cauliflower), fermented milk and seafood.

But it is not recommended to combine the fruit with meat, fish, poultry, legumes, confectionery, cereals, potatoes, and eggs, as this will only aggravate the digestive system.

Important!Most chefs do not recommend eating grapefruit with the white skin that envelops its segments, as it gives the fruit its famous bitterness.

Here are some examples tasty and healthy dishes prepared using this fruit:

• salad: finely chop the fruit slices, then mix them with arugula or your choice, add a little feta cheese and Provençal dressing for a more spicy taste;
• salsa: Finely chop grapefruit, caramelized onions, jalapenos, raspberries, season the mixture with mint syrup and garnish.

How to store at home

Anyone can create ideal conditions for storing this fruit. If you plan to enjoy it within a week from the date of purchase, then it can be stored at room temperature. To preserve it for a longer time, the fruit should be wrapped in papyrus paper and placed in. In a cool place, at a temperature of about +10...+14 °C, the fruit, depending on the level of ripeness, can be stored for up to 2-3 months.

Contraindications and harm

Despite the enormous benefits for the human body and a huge vitamin charge, grapefruit still has a number of restrictions for consumption. First of all, the majority of both nutritionists and doctors do not recommend this fruit for:

• any kind of allergies to citrus fruits;
• individual intolerance to individual components;
• during the use of medications (tranquilizers, antidepressants, drugs that help regulate cardiac activity, reduce blood pressure).

In addition, it is worth remembering that grapefruit should be limited when:

• problems with tooth enamel, since aggressive acids in fruit juice can damage it even more;
• , because aggressive sour juice can damage the mucous membranes;
• cholecystitis, colitis and liver problems, since the fetus can have a depressing effect on the affected organs;
• arterial hypertension, since grapefruit increases blood pressure.

Important! The consumption of grapefruit is strictly prohibited when using drug therapy involving ritonavir, nimodipine,vincristine, warfarin and fluvastatin.

Despite the fact that grapefruit has been known to mankind not so long ago, this fruit today is one of the leaders in terms of cultivation volumes on the market. And this is not in vain - this gift of nature can not only please with unique taste sensations, but also give a real bouquet of important vitamins, microelements and other substances. But still, this product should be used with caution, since often its excessive consumption can cause allergies or irritation of the mucous membranes.