Celebrate National Grapefruit Month!

Did you know February is national grapefruit month? February is also national heart health month – ironically, grapefruit is known to offer benefits for heart health! In this blog we will give you some info on why grapefruit is a heart healthy food and some great ways to add grapefruit to your diet!

Grapefruit is rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fiber – making it one of the healthiest citrus fruits that you can choose! It is one of the lowest calorie fruits but contains more than 15 beneficial vitamins and minerals including; Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Thiamine, Folate, and Magnesium!

In addition to heart health – Grapefruit offers benefits for your immune system due to its high continence of Vitamin C and may even promote appetite control due to its high percentage of fiber which promotes fullness.

So why is grapefruit good for your heart?

Consuming grapefruit on a regular basis is thought to improve heart health by reducing several risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Multiple components of grapefruits have shown to play a role in keeping your heart functioning properly.

For example, the high potassium levels in grapefruit can be associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure. The fiber also promotes heart health due to the fact that high fiber intake is linked to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Many studies have concluded that adding grapefruit, or other fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits to your diet can protect against conditions like heart disease and stroke.

 This is great news because grapefruit is seriously delicious – especially when you know how to pick and prepare them properly! Here are some tips for picking ripe grapefruits: 

1. First, check the color. Grapefruits come in five different sizes and colors. These include; red, pink, white, oro blanco, and pomelo grapefruits. If there are any noticeable green patches on the grapefruit – it’s not ripe yet.
2. Second, check the shape. Grapefruits have a flat bottom and top, giving it an ovular shape. If it is too round, it is not ripe yet. If it looks lumpy or triangle shaped, it is too ripe!
3. Finally, check the texture. The fruit should feel plump and heavy – in general, ripe citrus should have smooth and thin skin.

Now that you picked the perfect grapefruits, here are some tips for eating them!

• Sprinkle salt on top! This surprisingly makes the fruit taste sweeter.
• Use grapefruit in your salad – mix greens with fresh avocado slides, toasted nuts, grapefruit and a few crumbles of feta cheese.
• Try making this grapefruit cherry smoothie bowl
• For a more decadent treat – bake grapefruit into a grapefruit Greek yogurt loaf.
• Pair it with fish or seafood! Try this pan-seared tilapia with grapefruit-avocado salsa.
• Cut your grapefruit in half and glaze the top with honey then throw it under the broiler! After a couple of minutes you will have a delicious crackly grapefruit – for some extra protein top this with Greek yogurt. To make this a decedent dessert – top it with ice cream or whipped cream!

Now go buy some grapefruits and give these tricks and recipes a try. Make sure to share this blog with your friends and family so they can reap all the heart health benefits of grapefruit too!