Tuesday, April 8, 2014

G is for Grapefruit: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Grapefruit could be called the king of citrus. Its diameter ranges from 4 to 6 inches. Grapefruit was first discovered in Barbados in the 18th century. Some botanist think it may be a cross between the orange and pomelo, which was brought to Barbados from Indonesia in the 17th century. 

In the 19th century grapefruit was planted in Florida, which is where most grapefruit is produced today in the U.S., as well as in California, Texas, and Arizona. Israel, South Africa and Brazil also grow grapefruit commercially. Grapefruit comes in pink and white varieties, and there IS a difference. 

Pink grapefruit contains lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient, while white grapefruit does not. Since consumption of lycopene has been linked to anti-tumor activity and the body's ability to fight oxygen free radicals, pink grapefruit should be your first choice.....although both pink and white grapefruit are high in vitamin C. Other benefits include: kidney stone prevention, colon cancer protection specifically, DNA repair (in human prostrate cancer cells)......and lowering of cholesterol. 

In recent studies in Israel, it was found that both red and white grapefruit lowered cholesterol (the bad LDL kind) in humans. Further, red grapefruit was shown to be twice as effective, and also lowered triglycerides. I find this especially interesting, given the fact that so many people are prescribed statins today to lower cholesterol. Anyone taking a statin should NOT eat grapefruit, as grapefruit is known to increase the statin's level in the body, which in turn can damage muscle. (There are other drugs that should not be taken with grapefruit, too). 

Personally, I'm glad I can eat grapefruit again. I had a bad experience with a statin once, and that's another story. But I will say this....being able to eat grapefruit again definitely increased my love for this wonderful fruit. I drizzle honey on top to sweeten and eat half of one several times a week. It has become my favorite "yummy fruit!"


Grapefruit Recipe

"Grapefruit-Orange Kale Salad"

6-8 cups fresh kale (stemmed & sliced thin)
1/4 cup fresh mint (chopped)
1-1/2 cups cooked couscous (chilled) 
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced pitted dates
1 grapefruit, peeled & sliced (1/4 inch thick rounds, quartered)
2 navel oranges, peeled & sliced (1/4 inch thick rounds, halved)
2 avocados, sliced (1/4 inch thick)
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

"Lime Dressing"
(Combine all, shake in jar, or whisk)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoon grated (fresh) ginger
1 teaspoon salt

To prepare: Mix kale and mint with 4 tablespoons lime dressing in large bowl. Add couscous, feta, and dates. Stir gently. Arrange on plates, with grapefruit, orange, and avocado slices on top. Sprinkle with almonds. Yield 4-6 servings. 

Grapefruit Jokes


 

"I'm following the leader, the leader, the leader!"




Grapefruit Book


Grapefruit: A Book of Instructions and Drawings by Yoko Ono (1970)




Grapefruit Songs

--"Grapefruit Juicy Fruit"" by Jimmy Buffett (2011)

--"Grapefruit Pie" by Jesse Rhodes (2012)


"Grapefruit Moon" (lyrics by Tom Waits) (2008) (video link)




Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=25


30 comments:

  1. Wow, I never knew grapefruit had so many benefits!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sharon,
    Nice to be here.
    Grapefruit, is really good
    I too do not know much about it
    and it other valuable uses
    Thanks for the Recipe
    I must give a try.
    You should have given a pic
    of that Recipe too
    Best
    Phil

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by and nice to see you again. You're right...pic would be good. May update later.

      Delete
  3. I love the red or pink grapefruit! I sprinkle sugar over it, but I'll have to try honey.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My human loves grapefruit and he's aware of the benefits. That salad recipe looks refreshing. Pawhaps I should make that for my human. Grapefruit or "Greatfruit!" :)

    Penny, the pawsitive host of the Alphabark Challenge, 2014!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely recipe. Sorry for the late follow. Hope to catch up with the rest of your A2Z. I'm way behind as I've a lot on. Good luck with the rest of your blog :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for visiting my blog. I'm having trouble keeping up. Some really great blogs out there!!

      Delete
  6. although i wouldn't call grapefruit yummy, myself - i love your theme! and all the special treats you have added with each one!

    happy g day!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I find myself curious about which fruit will appear for any given letter. Reading this, I will eat more pink grapefruit in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I never heard of white grapefruit. I enjoy it with just a big of sugar on it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Now grapefruit is one proved I am familiar with – every time my mother started a diet back in the 70s, grapefruit was her breakfast and snack of choice – to the point I can't stand the fruit. I could smell it all through the house. But now that I read your salad recipe above, I might have to give it another try.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Grapefruit has always been the one fruit I had trouble eating, even if soaked in honey. The bitterness, I guess, made it so, although this may vary from region to region. The grapefruit-orange-kale salad, though, that sounds positively amazing, and really healthy. Thanks, Sharon.
    Silvia @
    SilviaWrites

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for commenting, Tracy.

      Debi - I remember those diets. I wonder if they worked. I hope you like the salad.

      Silvia - Grapefruit is so tart...you might try it with honey :)

      Delete
  11. I love grapefruit. I am going to have to try this salad we have just started using couscous and Kale in our meals so it should be great!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've had an 'issue' with grapefruit ever since I took what I thought was a big drink of my orange juice one morning. Turns out it was my father's unsweetened grapefruit juice. Ugh! Flash forward to today and my doctor tells me all my blood levels look good besides the triglycerides. Guess I'm going to be learning to like grapefruits!

    LuAnn Braley
    AJ's Hooligans @AtoZChallenge
    Back Porchervations

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emma - Let me know if you like the recipe. Kale is an acquired taste.

      LuAnn - I think you should try it with honey....so much sweeter.

      Delete
  13. Hubby went to buy me some figs today. I like grapefruit and haven't had any for some time. Now I also know about it lowering cholesterol, I think he'll have more shopping to do tomorrow. It also keeps him busy since he's retired!
    I hope Yoko Ono doesn't think she can make grapefruit.
    I'm learning so much here - great A-Z

    ReplyDelete
  14. I had grapefruit once. It was too bitter or something. Haven't had it since.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the red! Admit to resorting to buying it in little snack cups, prefect amount and takes just the right amount of time...none!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fanny - I bought figs today too--found some organic ones. I don't know about Yoko Ono's book. She's really different and it's about art, so probably not your average art book.

      Liz - Try it with honey!!

      Andrea - Oh, I know what you mean. We can buy those too --very convenient.

      Delete
  16. Oh, dear. Now I feel I'm really missing out because I don't eat grapefruit. If only it didn't taste so bad... lol
    (new follower)
    Lexa Cain’s Blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lexa - I guess grapefruit isn't for everyone :) Nice to meet you. Thank you for following!

      Delete
  17. I used to like grapefruit and ate a lot of them and then got out of the habit of doing so; might have to get some this weekend when we grocery shop.

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  18. Not a grapefruit fan, but thank you for another entertaining post.

    ReplyDelete

"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary
(A.B. Alcott). Stay and visit awhile. Your comments mean a lot to me.

About Me

My photo
You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.