Best quality grapefruit is almost always produced in areas with high average temperatures during the summer growing period.
The fresh weight of mature grapefruit consists of 35 to 50 percent juice, with remainder made up of peel, rag, and seeds.
The fresh juice consists of 88 to 93 per cent water, 8 to 13 percent soluble solids and small amounts of insoluble solids.
Grapefruit juice has a harsher flavor that is more resistant to changes brought about through processing and storage. Some of this harshness is due to the bitterness and higher level of acidity present.
Sugars (sucrose and reducing) and acids constitute 85 to 90 percent of the soluble solids; the other solids, soluble and insoluble, are mainly vitamins, minerals alts amino acids, proteins, fats, pectin and glycosides.
Researchers found that a diet supplemented with red grapefruits was effective in lowering triglycerides, a blood fat that is risk factor for heart disease.
Those eating the red grapefruit also found to lower their LDL by 20 percent.
The grapefruit is a breakfast staple. Americans slice the fruit into halves, add sugar, and spoon out sections for consumption. Grapefruit is popular addition to fruit salad, fruit cups, Jell-O, pudding and tarts.
Grapefruit
