Grapefruit, or Citrus Paradis, is a highly nutritious citrus fruit that became popular in the 1900s and is now very common in grocery stores and produce markets alike. Most commonly found in the United States of America is the ruby red grapefruit. Although it is possible to find this fruit year round, ruby red grapefruit are best during the Northern Hemisphere's winter through early spring. This four to six inch diameter fruit is among the most popular fruit in the United States of America. Now you can find it in both the seeded and seedless variety as well as with…

Let's play a quick word association game. When we say the word “grapefruit,” what do you think of? Odds are words like “breakfast,” “diet,” and “weight loss” sprang immediately to mind. But why do almost all of us think of the grapefruit as a diet food that is often consumed in the early morning hours? The answer? Because of the Grapefruit Diet! Also known as the Hollywood Diet, this popular fad diet was introduced way back in 1930. At the time, the grapefruit was an exotic fruit that had never quite caught on with the American public. Most considered it…

Texas grapefruit is known around the world for its unique colors and tangy flavor. Texas is home to several types of grapefruit that you can only get in Texas like the Rio Star and the Ruby Sweet. These particular types of grapefruit are highly prized, and are the result of years of selective fruit breeding. Originally Texas grapefruit only included white and pink types, because those were the types that were brought to Texas by the French and Spanish missionaries who populated it in the 1800s. But as grapefruit became more profitable more and more farmers started cultivating the fruit.…

Grapefruit peel possesses aromatherapy qualities which often are in the form of grapefruit essential oil. Grapefruit essential oil is produced by cold pressing grapefruit peel from trees that are native to Brazil, Israel and California. Two of the most important facts about the grapefruit peel essential oil is it does not irritate the skin and contains no toxic substances. On the downside, this essential oil oxidizes quickly, so it does not have a very long shelf life. It is also possible the short shelf life may contribute to its inability to cause skin irritation; quite often people use products whose…

There are so many great health benefits to grapefruit fiber that it seems impossible that anyone would say not to incorporating more of it into their daily food intake. Most people, once they learn how wonderful and beneficial grapefruit fiber can be, want to get lots into their diet. However, this is easier said than done for a lot of people. Those who are constantly busy or on the go may not have time to properly get grapefruit fiber into their diet. This is especially true if they only drink grapefruit juice, which has no grapefruit fiber in it. So…

One of the most popular fruits is the navel orange. Perhaps it is because of its larger size compared to other varieties of oranges or because the navel orange is usually seedless. The navel orange is well known for its size and the fact that it has what appears to be a navel on the outside, thus the name “navel orange.” The “navel” hides another small orange within the skin which is another reason this orange variety is larger than some of the other varieties you might find in the food market or at produce stands. Because of the climate…

Image by Anders Lennver via Flickr Honeybell oranges, also referred to as Minneola Tangelos, are not just like any other oranges; they possess a distinct size, shape, taste, color and consistency all their own. The location for which the honeybell oranges are known to grow is also specific to their physical makeup because the honeybell orange's description and cost are contingent on that location and its growth and unique harvesting processes. The size of the honeybell orange varies, but generally, the larger fruit is approximate to the fist of the average human adult, which is equivalent to the average human…

Grapefruit and other fruits and vegetables can do amazing things for your skin. Did you know that you have everything you need to get beautiful skin right in your kitchen? It's true. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on fancy face creams and other skin care products to get naturally beautiful and healthy skin. The key to getting great looking skin is to always use fresh ingredients that are chock full of antioxidants and nutrients. Grapefruit juice and orange juice are both packed full of antioxidants that fight free radical damage that can make skin look sallow and…

Image by Swamibu via Flickr Tangerines were first cultivated in ancient China over three thousand years ago. They are one of the world's oldest hybrid fruits, a cross between a mandarin orange and a bitter orange. In the early days, tangerines were prized for their unique taste and the fact that their rinds were loose, which made them easy to peel. But over the years fruit lovers have discovered the many health benefits of the tangerine. In this article we are going to discuss tangerine essential oil. This extract has been used for centuries for its medicinal and curative properties.…