Florida Grapefruit – The Facts

Below are all the facts you could ever need to know about Florida Grapefruit

Calories – Key Facts

  • Half of a Florida grapefruit is fat-free and contains just 60 calories
  • Grapefruit juice is fat-free and has fewer calories than most commonly consumed 100% fruit juices at fewer than 100 calories per 8-ounce glass.

Health and Well Being – Key Facts

Florida grapefruit is:

  • Fat free
  • Saturated fat free
  • Sodium free
  • Cholesterol free
  • Free from added sugars
  • High Fiber

Vitamins – Key Facts

Vitamin C

  • Grapefruits are loaded with vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid). In fact, half of one grapefruit or an 8-ounce glass of grapefruit juice provides at least 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
  • Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants; Antioxidants may assist in fighting cell and tissue damage that could eventually lead to diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
  • Vitamin C can support a healthy immune system to help the body fight infection.
  • Vitamin C can help increase iron absorption. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide and has been reported in 9%-16% of the adolescent and adult female population in the United States.
  • Vitamin C is important for healthy body growth! It helps build strong bones and teeth.

Vitamin A

  • Pink and red grapefruit contain beta-carotene, a carotenoid that serves as a source of vitamin A in the diet. Vitamin A is important for reproduction and growth, immune function, and helping maintain healthy vision.
  • Pink and Ruby Red grapefruit contain lycopene, a which has been associated with decreasing the risk of prostate cancer.

Calcium:

  • Calcium aids in bone and tooth development, blood pressure regulation and muscle function.
  • According to data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, only 43% of men and 38% of women met the daily Adequate Intake (AI) recommendation for calcium.
  • In the U.S., 10 million individuals are estimated to already have osteoporosis and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.15
  • High blood pressure is a debilitating condition that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Research supports that a calcium-rich diet, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, may help support healthy blood pressure

Fibre

  • Fresh grapefruit contains fiber, which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and assist with digestion and elimination.
  • According to the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, there is strong evidence that diets high in fiber may help to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer

Potassium

  • Grapefruit provides potassium, which is a mineral important for maintaining fluid balance in cells, sending nerve impulses, and helping muscles contract.

Phytonutrients

  • The term "phytonutrients" have nutritionally important or health-promoting qualities.
  • Grapefruit naturally contains a wide array of phytonutrients; some are known as flavonoids, a class of natural compounds. Some flavonoids have been reported to have anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-carcinogenic activities which may help protect against various diseases and conditions. Naringin is the most common flavonoid found in grapefruit.

Magnesium

  • Florida grapefruit contains Magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that helps your body generate energy and is required for the action of many enzyme systems.
  • Magnesium may play an important role in bone health and diets rich in fruits and vegetables can optimize the intake of micronutrients required for bone health.

Thaimin

  • Juice a grapefruit or eat a fresh grapefruit for energy! Florida grapefruit are full of thiamin, a water-soluble vitamin that is associated with the action of many enzyme systems, the conversion of food into energy and the production/repair of DNA.

B6:

  • Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, helps the body process protein and carbohydrates in food and helps produce hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body.

Naicin:

  • Niacin helps metabolize the food you eat into energy your body can use. Niacin also is used for DNA repair and helps the body use calcium.