Grapefruit: properties and application

Grapefruit rarely appears in the menu of most Russians, which is completely in vain - it contains a large amount of vitamins and trace elements, helps to strengthen the immune system, improve digestion and weight loss. And the characteristic bitterness, which many people do not like so much, is easily leveled with proper cleaning and fruit preparation.

Grapefruit is a fruit of the citrus genus, a hybrid (pomelo is crossed with an orange). The fruits ripen on evergreen trees of the ruta family. Ripe fruits are located on the branches in such a way that resemble bunches of grapes. It is this fact that formed the basis of the name of the fruit, because in 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 to be the supposed 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, Brazil. In Russia, grapefruit is grown in the south.

Today, there are about 20 grapefruit varieties, 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 somewhat 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 flesh is bright orange, juicy. The fruits have a familiar citrus scent, which is so strong that it is felt even through intact peel.

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

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

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

Pink varieties are the most high-calorie, while white calories are the least. However, the latter and fiber contain less.

Peeled fruit weighing 400 g contains about 120-140 kcal. In fresh juice from 30 to 38 kcal, depending on the degree of extraction, in the zest - 29 kcal per 100 g

The glycemic index of the fetus is 25, which is a bit. In this regard, the fruit is not prohibited for people suffering from diabetes and obesity. In addition, grapefruit is easily digested, pulling toxins and fatty compounds from the intestines.

Grapefruit fully justifies its title of “vitamin bomb”. He can be called the champion in the content of ascorbic acid. It is enough to consume 100 g of the fruit per day to ensure the daily need of the body for vitamin C.

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

Trace elements are calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium. Present in the fruit and useful acids - folic, pantothenic, nicotinic.

A substance called naringin was found in the white film, because of which 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 explained by the presence of dietary fiber in the composition of dietary fiber.

The sweetness of the fruit is provided by natural sugars. Also present in the composition of biologically active substances - fitotsyndy.

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 great help in supporting immunity. By stimulating and strengthening immune cells, these components help to increase the body’s resistance to viral and catarrhal diseases and the negative effects of environmental factors. The pulp and juice of fruits provide a tonic effect, they should be included in the diet of people experiencing increased physical, athletic and intellectual stress. Useful will be the consumption of fruit and in the period of colds, spring vitamin deficiency.

The nicotinic acid and vitamins B contained in grapefruit have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system, improving the transmission of impulses along the nerve endings. The fruit is recommended for stress, overwork, sleep problems. It will have a soft invigorating effect without an aggressive effect on the central nervous system.

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

Acids included in the composition contribute to an increase in the acidity of the gastric juice, so the fruit should be included in your diet and those who have lowered this indicator.

The grapefruit, thanks to its gland, helps to improve the function of blood formation and helps maintain hemoglobin within the normal range. This, in turn, suggests that the organs and tissues receive enough oxygen. Components of the fruit are struggling with cholesterol plaques, increasing the elasticity of blood vessels - an excellent prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

For the liver, grapefruit consumption is also helpful. It is believed that it protects the body from cancers. The fruit provides the elimination of toxins and slags from the body, which means reducing the load on the liver.

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

Fruit is often called the fruit of beauty, which is completely justified. In addition to low calorie content and the ability to speed up the 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 in and out allows you to improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails, slow down the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin tone.

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

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

In 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 the fetus, improve its resistance to viruses and bacteria.

This fruit is no less useful for men's health, since its regular use prevents the occurrence of prostate cancer. Available as part of lycopene protects against prostatitis.

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

The benefits of grapefruit are comparable to the beneficial properties of the pulp. The important point is that not the whole peel is called a peel, but only its upper layer, up to a white film. Zest is rich in pectin and vitamins of group B (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 bones of the fruit also contain these vitamins, as well as flavonoids. The latter are considered a natural antibiotic and have an antibacterial property.

Consumption of fruit should be abandoned if it is individual intolerance, allergy to the fetus. Signs of allergies include skin rashes, cough, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rhinitis, choking. If at least one of these signs is detected, an antihistamine should be given to the affected person, and in case of severe damage, an ambulance should be called.

Due to the high content of acids, grapefruit should not be consumed if the acidity of the gastric juice is also high. This will only aggravate the situation. To abandon it should be with peptic ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis.

Fruits of grapefruit have the ability to react with drugs and neutralize them, or, conversely, enhance the effect. As a result, the drug does not work or there are cases of overdose. Neutralizes grapefruit oral contraceptives, drugs prescribed for hypotension and some other drugs. If this fruit appears regularly in your diet, you should find out how much it affects the drug you take.

You should eat the hypotensive fruit with caution, because it reduces the pressure. If it is so low that you have to increase it with medication, then grapefruit is contraindicated. Not only that in itself it lowers the pressure, but also neutralizes the effect of drugs to increase the pressure.

If there are cracks in the oral cavity and around it, the ulcers of the grapefruit will contribute to an increase in irritation, therefore, its reception should be abandoned until the skin and mucous membranes are completely healed.

The most delicious, sweet and most useful are grapefruits with a red tinge of flesh. And the darker it is, the sweeter the fruit will be. It has almost no pits and is characterized by a strong aroma. The ripening season lasts from late July to early September. It is at this time it is better to buy this variety.

White grapefruit has a pale yellow peel, it is quite thick, and tastes sweetish. The number of pits is medium, 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, used for weight loss.One of the most famous grapefruit with white flesh is considered "Duncan".

To understand why the next variety of grapefruit is called pink, it is easy if you cut the fruit. You will see pink flesh. She is very sweet, not bitter. The rind of the fruit of this variety is dense, with characteristic red specks, with a strong citrus scent. One of the popular varieties - "Flame".

Properly start fetal selection by evaluating its flavor. Fresh and ripe, it emits a strong citrus aroma, which is felt even at a distance of several meters. If, even when deliberately smelling, you can barely distinguish a citrus scent, you have a stale fruit.

Red spots on the peel - evidence of the sweetness of the fruit. The more of them, the higher the sugar content. The skin itself must be elastic, without dents and damage. Hue should be uniform over the entire surface. But the dark spots and dents, especially at the base of the fetus, say it is not the first freshness. The fruit itself must 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. If the fruit itself is large, but light enough, it means that during long-term storage, it lost most of the moisture. Such a fruit is not the best option for purchase and consumption.

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

You should not buy fruit for the future, because even in the refrigerator it is stored for a little more than 10 days. It is better to pre-wrap the fruit in food paper to get rid of the active loss of moisture. It is important that the fruits do not touch.

Peeled fruit can be stored under the lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. During the same period, you can store the fruit whole, without damaging the skin in room conditions.

Unlike orange and lemon peel, which is actively put in pastries, grapefruit peel is used for these purposes much less often, which is associated with its bitter taste. Level bitterness can be, combining fruit with honey or sugar.

Thanks to the sweet and sour taste of light bitterness, grapefruits are good in salads and baking meat dishes. They are suitable for glazing meat and poultry, giving them their flavor, and protect the dish from drying out.

You can prepare the fruits for the future, by boiling them of jam or jam. 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. From the juice you can also make grapefruit lemonade, cocktail, smoothies, fresh juice and compote.

The high content of ascorbic acid makes this fruit very useful for children. However, not every child will like it because of its bitterness. Save the benefits of grapefruit, making it more desirable for the child, will help jelly, based on the juice.

It is well combined with vegetables, fish, shrimps, chicken. Successful is the combination of fruit with orange, peach, pineapple, plum, pear, currant. From dairy products - cottage cheese, yogurt without additives, cottage cheese. Lemon juice, honey, nuts, mint, rosemary allow to emphasize 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.

Before proceeding to the description of the most interesting proven recipes, we will focus on ways to clean the fruit. To clean the fruit, you need to put it on a cutting board and, holding with one hand, cut the upper part of the peel with a knife. The cut should be of such depth as to expose the flesh, but not damage it.

Now from him should pull the skin down and a little sideways, peeling it and trying to damage the pulp as little as possible. The next step is to cut a layer of white film with a knife.

It remains only to remove the slices of 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 a white film. Similarly, you should get all the slices.

Then they should be folded into a deep plate and, squeezing the remaining flesh with the pieces of flesh on it into a fist, squeeze the juice out of it, pouring the grapefruit pulp on them. In this form, you can eat grapefruit, 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 knife for fruits, which have a notch at the end. The fruit is cut in half, after which you can scoop out the pulp with a spoon, trying not to stick the device into the area of ​​white films. Similarly, the fruit is served and eaten in restaurants, guests.

Another simple way to get the 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 peel is also used in cooking. You need to remove it with a fine float, without touching the white film. You can add zest to tea, pastries.

Grapefruit goes well with seafood, giving a rather savory white fish, shrimps and crabs a special piquancy. This salad is suitable for those who play sports and watch the figure. Protein-rich shrimps will increase muscle mass, grapefruit will start the metabolism and give the body the most important vitamins for life.

Cooking:

• 400 g of peeled fresh-frozen shrimp (suitable and not peeled, but in this case you will need to clean and blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes);
• 8 pieces of toast bread;
• 1 grapefruit weighing 400-450 g;
• 100 g breadcrumbs;
• bunch lettuce;
• dried garlic on the tip of a knife;
• 50 g of hard cheese;
• 1 tomato;
• 100 g sour cream;
• a teaspoon of mustard;
• 1 lemon;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

This recipe assumes the use of baked shrimp in batter. To do this, beat the egg, add dried garlic to it. Dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet laid with baking paper. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.

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

It remains to collect the salad. Put the lettuce leaves, dried and paper-dried, with the first layer, then put shrimps and tomatoes, cut into cubes or thin plates, in random order. Next, put the pieces of grapefruit, sprinkle with grated cheese on the salad. Top pour the dish dressing.

This salad can also be considered a vitamin-protein "bomb".

In addition, it successfully combines a palette of different tastes - sour, sharp:

• 1 chicken fillet;
• 1 bunch of greens;
• 1 lime (can be replaced with lemon);
• 1 large grapefruit;
• 1 pod of chili;
• 2-3 table boats of soy sauce;
• nuts or pomegranate grains for decoration;
• sprig of mint.

Rinse the fillets under cool running water and boil until cooked, salt to taste. You can also add bay leaf and pepper to the boiling water. Boiled chicken disassembled into fibers.

Peel grapefruit, remove the pulp, if necessary, cut into slices. Chilli free from seeds, finely chopped.

Put salad on the bottom of the plate. Its leaves can be left whole or tear hands on large fragments. Then put the mixture of chicken, chili and grapefruit (these ingredients are better to pre-mix in another dish, salt to taste).

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

A light fruit salad will be an excellent option for a second breakfast or afternoon snack, make a dessert, and in the summer heat, when the appetite decreases, it will even replace dinner. Many fruit salads differ in tasteful taste, however adding grapefruit will help to level excessive sweetness.

To make it you need:

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

Wash fruits, berries, peels, films, stalks. Cut the oranges and grapefruit into slices, strawberries into halves. If pineapples are in the form of rings, they need to be cut into cubes.

Mix all ingredients. For refueling use mint syrup and juice from canned pineapples, taken in equal amounts. Decorate the dish with a sprig of mint. If you do not have a mint syrup on hand, you can use lemon juice or grapefruit.

This drink remarkably quenches the feeling of hunger, triggers metabolic processes in the body and gives vigor. It is great for hot summer days as it cools and quenches thirst. The recipe is extremely simple, so do without a separate list of products.

So, you need to take the cooled fruit (pre-hold it for a couple of hours in the refrigerator) and in any convenient way to extract the pulp without the skin. The integrity of the integrity of the pulp and its attractiveness in this recipe is unimportant, so it will be possible to extract it very quickly.

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

Even the presence of sugar does not deprive the marmalade on grapefruit juice benefits. Definitely cooked at home, it is much safer than the purchased counterparts of this dessert, it can be safely given to children.

For making dessert you need:

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

Fruit should be washed and cleaned, divided into slices without pulp, and then squeeze the juice. This recipe requires 200 ml of juice. You can experiment with the ratio of orange juice and grapefruit, or take them in equal quantities.

Juice should be poured into a saucepan and put the same sugar. At low heat to achieve the dissolution of sugar, usually it takes about 10 minutes. Then add agar-agar and, without ceasing to stir, bring the mixture to a boil.Remove it from the fire when the first bubbles appear, indicating boiling of the composition.

After that, the mixture needs to be cooled a little and poured into silicone tins. Send the last 15-30 minutes in the freezer to set. After a specified time to get, roll in sugar or powdered sugar and serve. Store marmalade in the craft package for no more than 5-7 days in the refrigerator.

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

Ingredients:

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

Grapefruit cut in half, gently extract the pulp. It is better to do this with a special spoon, trying not to damage the lobules. After that, separate the white films from the lobules, and also scoop them out with the spoon from the resulting “vase” - the empty half of the rind.

Slices again need to put in the peel, sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon on top and bake, wrapped in foil. The temperature in the oven must be kept within 75-80 degrees. Baking time - an hour.

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

Need to prepare:

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

Sugar need to grind in a coffee grinder in powder. You can use the finished powder. It is required to create a beautiful "snow rim" on the edges of the glass.

To do this, cut the lime and wipe it in half the upper part of the glass. After that, immediately lower the dishes into the powdered sugar and scroll through it several times. As a result, a white “bezel” will appear on the edges. Shake off excess sugar.

At the bottom of the glass you need to put 2-3 teaspoons of pomegranate syrup. Grapefruit juice, the 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. For decoration, you can use a slice of grapefruit or lime.

Another sweetness from the “quick, tasty, healthy” section is candied grapefruit. The number of ingredients is minimal, the cooking process will seem easy, even for novice home cooks.

It will take 2 grapefruit and a glass of sugar. Fruit peel and separate the white film, and this should be done not from the pulp, and from the peel. It was she who found application in this recipe, the pulp can be eaten with a calm conscience.

The peel should be cut into stripes half a centimeter wide, pour with cold water and leave for a day. During this time, water should be changed 5-6 times. Such a soak will relieve raw materials from bitterness.

Now you need to cover the peel strips with sugar and weigh them. The resulting number is the volume of water that is required. Sugar and fruit mixture to fill with water and put on a slow fire, stirring occasionally. The task of the culinary specialist is to evaporate all the water, avoiding the sticking of sugar and crusts.

After that, candied fruits can be laid out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or a tray and left overnight or a little longer for final drying. Evidence of readiness will be the lack of moisture when pressed on the candied fruit. Ready sweets roll in powdered sugar. Store in a tin sealed box or paper bag in a kitchen cabinet.

For more on the features of grapefruit, see the next video.