Image by zaveqna via Flickr The first grapefruit crops were planted in Jamaica sometime during the 17th century. By the time they came to America there were two popular varieties of grapefruit–the white and the pink. The white grapefruit is generally accepted as the original grapefruit, while the pink grapefruit is a simple mutation. The fruit was planted in Florida first, because the climate in Florida is ideal for growing juicy citrus fruits, but it failed to make much of an impact competing against the well-established orange. A few decades later, the grapefruit reappeared, in South Texas of all places.…

Image via Wikipedia Fruit baskets can be drab and mundane–the same fruits in every single basket. It can be even worse when you are creating a fruit basket for your dining room table: there is a tendency to choose all the same kinds of fruits all the time. The problem is if no one complains you will not know that everyone is tired of the same kinds of fruits. In fact, very few people think to include red grapefruit as part of a fruit basket unless it is one you are sending to someone as a gift. A home basket…

We've been told time and time again, but we don't seem to want to listen. Nutritionists, dietitians, and medical professionals have been exhorting us to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables for decades now. The U.S. government even set 'modest' goals for the amount of produce people should eat back in 2000. A decade later, less than one-third of us had reached those 'modest' thresholds, and the government pretty much threw in the proverbial towel. Why the shortfall? The number one reason why fruit is on the endangered foods list, is because other, cheaper, more readily available snacks have supplanted…

Cleanses have grown in popularity amongst many people who are health conscious. Even for people who are not healthy, if they wish to be, many will begin their new healthy regiment with a cleanse of some sort. Cleanses are though to release toxins and the buildup of bad things like free radicals in your body. By doing so, they give you a cleaner slate to work with when it comes to your new healthy diet. One of the most popular cleanses is the grapefruit fiber cleanse. Why is the grapefruit fiber cleanse so popular? If you look at some of…

Image via Wikipedia The United States in the world leader in Grapefruit production with an annual yield of over one and a half million tons. When fruit lovers see these statistics they generally scratch their heads. After all, the grapefruit can be a hard fruit to find fresh. Not to mention the fact that it can be expensive compared to other domestically grown fruit. Why is the grapefruit so pricey? Well, it isn't always–it just depends where you live. You see, the grapefruit is an extremely sensitive fruit that can only be cultivated in a subtropical climate. As you might…

Making your own grapefruit household cleaner is safer for you and your pets and better for the environment than buying chemical based cleaners. Many people who switch to homemade cleaners notice that they have fewer respiratory issues, fewer allergy flare ups, and a much easier time keeping their home clean and sweet smelling. There are chemical free cleaners that you can buy but they are usually expensive. Making your own fresh grapefruit household cleaner takes only a few minutes and costs very little. If you or your family have problems with asthma or seem to get respiratory illnesses a lot…

Texas grapefruit is highly prized as some of the most delicious grapefruit you can buy, but how much do you really know about it? Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about Texas grapefruit and Texas citrus fruit:Isn't the weather in Texas too dry for citrus? Not at all! Southern Texas has a sub tropical climate that is perfect for growing delicious citrus fruit. When grapefruit and other citrus fruits were first cultivated in Texas back in the 1800s the fruit did well almost immediately thanks to the unique weather conditions in Southern Texas. Originally grapefruit and…

Over the years, grapefruits enjoyed great demand in different parts of the United States. However, this fruit was not always that popular and there was a time when farmers even refused to ship grapefruit to the nearby market because it was very difficult to sell. You see, this citrus fruit was not always ruby red, sweet and juicy as it is today. In fact, first round of grapefruits cultivated in Texas were white and pink and they tasted sour and bitter. The first crops were declared by many as a failure and farmers did not even bother to ship grapefruit…

Diabetes is a serious ailment and it is very important for people who have this disease to watch what they eat all the time. Over the years, there have been a number of studies about the effects of grapefruit on people with diabetes and the results of these studies look promising. Studies show that this type of fruit may be able to help lower blood glucose levels so if you know someone who has diabetes, you might want to ship grapefruit to that person to help him or her control his or her blood sugar levels. According to experts, grapefruit…

An increase of fiber such as grapefruit fiber in your diet can help with a whole host of medical or potential medical conditions. But what is the best way of getting grapefruit fiber into your diet? Does it mean you have to eat a lot of grapefruit? What about downing a tall glass of cold grapefruit juice every morning before you run out the door, like a lot of people do? Will that help get grapefruit fiber into your diet? The answer to the last question is a resounding no. Though drinking a glass of grapefruit juice anytime of day…