by Megan Minnick, Purchasing Director
We all know that grapefruit is good for us. To be specific, it’s extremely high in Vitamins C and A, low in calories and sugar, and is a great source of fiber. It’s been shown to have a myriad of health benefits, including aiding in weight loss and reducing cholesterol.
Yet, of all the citrus varieties, it’s one of the least purchased. Why don’t we eat more of this nutritious food? The answer is simple—grapefruit is bitter, due to a relatively high amount of a bitter chemical called naringin.
The good news is you don’t have to let the bitter flavor of grapefruit ruin this delicious and nutritious fruit for you, and you don’t have to douse it with sugar to do it. Here’s a few simple tips to help you turn this underappreciated fruit into one you’ll look forward to eating every day.
Choose your variety wisely
As luck would have it, January is the peak season for the sweetest, most luscious grapefruit known to humankind—the Texas Rio Star.
Texas is the home to all pink and red grapefruit varieties. The first pink variety was discovered as a natural mutation in a Texas orchard in 1920, and growers in the South Rio Grande Valley, near the Gulf Coast, have been working hard to develop even sweeter and redder varieties ever since.
The Rio Star is the pinnacle of all that development. This variety has considerably less naringin (the chemical that makes grapefruit taste bitter) than other grapefruit varieties, and more sugar. If you’ve never tried a Rio Star, you may be shocked by how un-bitter a grapefruit can taste.
We carry Rio Stars as our primary grapefruit variety during their season (December–March or April). Enjoy them now for peak flavor!
Add some salt
If even the Rio Star is too bitter for your tastes, you may automatically find yourself reaching for the sugar bowl. Not so fast. Not only does sugar add significant and non-nutritive calories, it can also overpower the naturally sweet grapefruit flavor. It may seem counter-intuitive, but a pinch of salt may be your ticket to grapefruit enjoyment.
Sweetening your grapefruit with salt is a trick that people have been using for over a hundred years. In 1946, Morton Salt even featured the unlikely pairing in advertisem*nts. The practice has fallen out of favor as grapefruit varieties have gotten sweeter (and as we’ve all become more and more accustomed to added sugar in all of the foods we eat).
The science behind the salt is simple: ions in salt block the bitter sensors on our tongue, allowing the sweet flavors to take precedence. Try it—you’ll be amazed!
Be Imaginative
If all else fails, you can always think outside the box and try grapefruit in new ways, rather than just out of hand all by itself. Some ideas to get you started:
•For a refreshing and light breakfast, try pairing fresh grapefruit with a soft spreadable cheese, such as Driftless Honey Lavender Sheep Cheese.
•For a warmer wintertime breakfast, try halving your grapefruit and putting it under the broiler for 4-6 minutes. The heat caramelizes the flesh and brings out the fruit’s natural sugars.
•Add fresh grapefruit to any green salad. This is especially delicious if the salad includes salty ingredients such as feta cheese or smoked fish
•Pairing with bitter greens such as radicchio or dandelion greens can also bring out more natural sweetness in the grapefruit.
•Add grapefruit (or grapefruit juice) to your morning smoothie. It adds a nice refreshing flavor and complements many other fruits. Beware though, if you opt for just the juice you’re not getting any fiber from the fruit!
Wine Corner
by Pam Puckett,
Willy North Wine Buyer
La Riojana is an agricultural co-op in north-west Argentina that has over 500 members, the majority of whom are small-scale farmers with less than seven acres of land each. Willy Street Co-op became familiar with La Riojana through the National Cooperative Grocers, who began introducing co-ops across the country to their wines and olive oil. La Riojana wines and olive oil that we are carrying here at Willy Street Co-op are certified Fair Trade and the olive oil is organic. The premium price that the Fair Trade certification brings has allowed La Riojana Cooperative to provide a clean water supply and build a new school for its members’ use. West and North are currently carrying Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, a Bonarda-Malbec blend, Reserva Pinot Noir and Reserva Malbec. We are able to offer very reasonable pricing on these wines due to the relationship that the National Cooperative Grocer has with the winery.
FAQs
Why don't we eat more of this nutritious food? The answer is simple—grapefruit is bitter, due to a relatively high amount of a bitter chemical called naringin.
Does grapefruit make Viagra work better? ›
Conclusions: Grapefruit juice increases sildenafil bioavailability and tends to delay sildenafil absorption. Sildenafil pharmaco*kinetics may become less predictable with grapefruit juice.
What drugs cannot be taken with grapefruit? ›
Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin). Some drugs that treat high blood pressure, such as Procardia and Adalat CC (both nifedipine). Some organ-transplant rejection drugs, such as Neoral and Sandimmune capsule or oral solution (both cyclosporine).
Why can't diabetics have grapefruit? ›
Researchers believe that grapefruit juice enhances the accumulation of metformin in the liver. This increases lactic acid production. Therefore, the researchers suggest that drinking grapefruit juice may lead to an increased risk of lactic acidosis in people taking metformin.
Why is grapefruit juice bad for kidneys? ›
High in potassium: Grapefruit contains high levels of potassium, meaning people with kidney infections should approach with caution. Their kidneys may not be able to filter out excess potassium, which can be life-threatening for such individuals.
Why do they say not to eat grapefruit? ›
The problem is that chemicals in the fruit can get in the way of the medicine breaking down, called metabolizing, in the digestive system. As a result, the medicine can stay in the body for too long or too short a time. More often, the problem is medicine staying in the body too long.
Is grapefruit juice bad for high blood pressure? ›
In addition, grapefruit has potassium, which has been shown to decrease high blood pressure. One grapefruit has about 300 milligrams of potassium. A study that reviewed 22 other studies noted that blood pressure was reduced with higher potassium intake.
How long can the average man stay erect? ›
A penile erection can normally last anywhere from a few minutes to about half an hour. On average, men have five erections a night while they're sleeping, each lasting about 25 to 35 minutes (Youn, 2017).
What does grapefruit do to testosterone? ›
Elevating Testosterone
Grapefruit consumption can help regulate hormone levels in the body, including testosterone levels, which are crucial for overall health. By supporting hormone balance, grapefruit promotes reproductive health and contributes to a healthy libido.
What soda has grapefruit in it? ›
Fresca Original Grapefruit Citrus Soda is a classic beverage that has been delighting customers for decades.
Grapefruit can mean danger when combined with some popular drugs used for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are healthful, providing enough vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and other nutrients to earn the American Heart Association's "heart-check" mark.
What supplements should not be taken with grapefruit? ›
Taking grapefruit with other supplements with similar effects might increase the risk for a serious heart issue. Examples of supplements with this effect include bitter orange, ephedra, iboga, and Panax ginseng. Drinking grapefruit juice when taking licorice might increase licorice's ability to lower potassium levels.
Why don't doctors like metformin? ›
More severe side effects are possible in certain situations
In the past, some doctors avoided prescribing metformin because of the risk of lactic acidosis, a serious condition that can occur if metformin builds up in your body and disrupts your pH balance.
Why can't diabetics eat bananas? ›
Bananas contain carbs, which raise blood sugar
This is because carbs raise your blood sugar level more than other nutrients, which means they can greatly affect your blood sugar management. When blood sugar levels rise in people without diabetes, their bodies produce insulin.
Why can't diabetics take ibuprofen? ›
Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) incidentally induce hypoglycemia, which is often seen in diabetic patients receiving sulphonylureas. NSAIDs influence various ion channel activities, thus they may cause hypoglycemia by affecting ion channel functions in insulin secreting beta cells.
Why is grapefruit unpopular? ›
The growth of competition from various other fruits has stymied the popularity of processed grapefruit, which is normally used in drinks. And that's compounded by the fact that people are drinking less juice overall. Juice sales have fallen in five consecutive years, according to market research firm Euromonitor.
Is disliking grapefruit genetic? ›
For grapefruit, it's slightly different. The taste of grapefruit is very bitter, and so those who are more inclined to taste bitterness might be more sensitive, but there is a “point mutation” for some people of European ancestry, which makes grapefruit taste even more bitter.
Is drinking grapefruit juice everyday bad for you? ›
Though consuming grapefruit daily is safe for many people, there are some risks to be aware of, mainly if you take medications and have certain health conditions or allergies.
Why was grapefruit considered a forbidden fruit? ›
Well, the grapefruit was originally called the “forbidden fruit” because in 1750, Reverend Griffith Hughes came upon the grapefruit and called it that while he was looking for the origin of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden.
