Red grapefruit, originally from Barbados, is a hybrid of the sweet orange and pomelo. In the United States, red grapefruit is grown in Texas, California, Arizona and Florida. A study by Hebrew University scientists in the March 2006 issue of the "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry" reports that in people who consumed one red grapefruit daily for 30 days, cholesterol levels and triglycerides were significantly reduced.
Calories, Fat, Protein
A 1-cup serving of red grapefruit, which is about 230 g, contains 97 calories. This is only 5 percent of the caloric intake of a 2,000 calorie daily diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrient database reports that a serving of red grapefruit has approximately 0.3 g fat and 1.8 g of protein.
Sugars
The USDA reports that a 1-cup serving of red grapefruit contains approximately 16 g of sugars. The sugars in red grapefruit include sucrose, glucose and fructose.
Fiber
The red grapefruit is a good source of fiber. A 1-cup serving contains 3.7 g, according to the USDA. This is about 15 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber.
Vitamins
The USDA says that a serving of red grapefruit contains 71 mg of vitamin C, which is 80 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. A serving also has 133 mcg of vitamin A, which is 15 percent of the RDI. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for vision, maintaining skin health and immune system function.
Minerals
Red grapefruit is not a significant dietary source of essential minerals. According to the USDA, a serving of red grapefruit contains about 7 percent of the RDI of potassium and 5 percent of the RDIs of calcium and magnesium.
Member Comments