Grapefruit is believed to have earned its name by hanging from the tree in clusters--like grapes. Pink and red grapefruit are classified together as one variety and can range in skin color from green to yellow or blush. The meat ranges from a pale pink to bright, deep red.
One half-grapefruit contains almost 80 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin C, according to World's Healthiest Foods. It also contains significant amounts of dietary fiber, vitamin A, potassium, folate and vitamin B5.
Step 1
Heft a medium-to-large grapefruit in your hand before choosing it. It should feel heavy for its size, have smooth, shiny skin and feel firm to the touch. According to Produce Oasis, you should avoid grapefruit that feels soft or has dull, wrinkled or deeply folded skin.
Step 2
Store your grapefruit in the refrigerator after bringing it home. Remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours before eating. According to the CDC, grapefruit can keep for up to eight weeks in the fridge.
Step 3
Slice straight through the grapefruit with a sharp knife. Make the cut along the imaginary "equator" that circles the grapefruit. The stem end of the grapefruit should end up on one half and the bottom end on the other half. Note that the flesh inside each grapefruit half is divided into wedges by thin membranes.
Step 4
Cup one of the grapefruit halves in your non-dominant hand. Slide the grapefruit spoon, which is a small spoon with serrated edges, down between the flesh and membrane on both sides of a single wedge of grapefruit flesh. Keep sliding all the way down until the spoon contacts the inside of the grapefruit peel.
Step 5
Scoop the grapefruit spoon along the wide, outside edge of the wedge you just "cut out." Scoop as far down into the grapefruit as possible, then lift the wedge out with your spoon. Move on to the next wedge and extract it using the same method, once you've thoroughly enjoyed the first.
Step 6
Continue on to the other half or cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for later.
Tips and Warnings
- You can also peel a grapefruit and eat it one wedge at a time just like an orange. If you don't have a grapefruit spoon, use a butter knife to cut out the wedge halves. Then scoop them out with a small spoon.
- Grapefruit juice may interact with some medications, including some prescription antihistamines and thyroid medications, according to the CDC. Ask your doctor whether grapefruit juice might interact with any prescription medications you're taking.
Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
- Grapefruit spoon
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