For me, grapefruit has always been an acquired taste. I love it, now. But it always used to leave my lips tingly and, as a sugar-loving child, I instead opted for its sweeter citrus cousin, the orange. Today, though, I couldn't imagine a more perfect fruit. Grapefruit is lower in sugar than other fruits, so is fit for those who are trying to reduce their sugar intake. Additionally, it is packed with body-loving enzymes and minerals that will boost your health and your beauty. Learn how far this superfood can take you on the trek to achieving your dietary goals!

For me, grapefruit has always been an acquired taste. I love it, now. But it always used to leave my lips tingly and, as a sugar-loving child, I instead opted for its sweeter citrus cousin, the orange. Today, though, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect fruit. Grapefruit is lower in sugar than other fruits, so it’s fit for those who are trying to reduce their sugar intake. Additionally, it is packed with body-loving enzymes and minerals that will boost your health and your beauty. Learn how far this superfood can take you on the trek to achieving your dietary goals!

Because it grows in clusters much like grapes, the grapefruit bears a name reminiscent of the small round sweet fruits. In one half of a grapefruit, you will find 64 percent of your RDA of vitamin C, 28 percent of vitamin A, 5 percent of vitamin B-6, 52 calories, 166 milligrams potassium and 2 grams dietary fiber. The fruit is sweet and tart with a delightful pinkish red or yellow flesh surrounded by a pale orange skin. The grapefruit is orange’s less sweeter, but even better, half.

The reason for grapefruit’s red color is lycopene, a carotenoid pigment that doubles as a fighting agent against cancer-causing free radicals. Researchers found that simply by eating 1/2 grapefruit before meals, study participants dropped weight. Grapefruit contains a special flavonoid called naringenin, which has been credited for balancing blood sugar levels and helping the liver to burn excess fat instead of storing it. Naringenin has furthermore proven to stimulate DNA repair in prostate cancer cells. The citrus fruit is also beneficial in treated degenerative diseases, cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. Its flavonoids have exhibited to ability to reduce inflammation, a condition that is the root of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and its antioxidants reduce cholesterol levels.

Beyond its very apparent health benefits, grapefruit may also be useful in repelling insects. The chemical, nootkatone, is found in citrus fruits and is widely known to repel all sorts of pests – from mosquitoes to ticks – and even kill them. In addition to bugs, grapefruit-derived products have shown to effectively fight off bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Has the winter weather wreaked havoc on your face? Grapefruit scrub to the rescue!

Cold, dry weather is hard on your skin. Chances are, your face is pretty dry after so many chilly months, and a scrub can help slough away dead skin cells, leaving you with smooth, soft skin. Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C and citric acid to help rid your skin of those dead cells that cause flakiness and breakouts.

Has the winter weather wreaked havoc on your face? Grapefruit scrub to the rescue!

Cold, dry weather is hard on your skin. Chances are, your face is pretty dry after so many chilly months, and a scrub can help slough away dead skin cells, leaving you with smooth, soft skin. Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C and citric acid to help rid your skin of those dead cells that cause flakiness and breakouts.

The trick to soothing dry winter skin is really a two-step process: after you use the scrub recipe below, follow it up with a light moisturizer, to help replenish some of the moisture that your skin has lost. This one-two punch is perfect for beating the drying, flaky effects of winter weather.

DIY Grapefruit Facial Scrub

One word of caution: grapefruit is quite acidic, so you might want to do a spot-test with this scrub to make sure your skin doesn’t react to all of that citric acid. The inside of your arm is a good testing spot, since it also has sensitive skin, like your face.

1. Toss the grapefruit and sugar into your blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. If you’re having trouble getting things moving in the blender, add the water or grapefruit juice – 1 tablespoon at a time – until things are blending up nicely.

2. To apply, wash your face as usual, then gently massage 1-2 tablespoons of the scrub into your still-damp skin. If you like, you can let it sit on your face for a few minutes before gently wiping the scrub away with a warm, damp wash cloth.

3. Follow up with a good facial moisturizer.

You can use this scrub once a week to give your skin a healthy glow. I wouldn’t use it too much more frequently, since that acidic grapefruit – which is beneficial in occasional doses – can irritate your skin if you apply it too often.

Indulge this spring in a homemade ice cream recipe that's low in sugar, dairy-free and full of luscious flavor: Grapefruit Lavender Ice Cream. This heavenly recipe has just a hint of tangy citrus, and a whole lotta floral aroma from the real lavender infusion. Enjoy on a sunny patio or while taking a break from gardening in the backyard.

Indulge this spring in a homemade ice cream recipe that’s low in sugar, dairy-free and full of luscious flavor: Grapefruit Lavender Ice Cream. This heavenly recipe has just a hint of tangy citrus, and a whole lotta floral aroma from the real lavender infusion. Enjoy on a sunny patio or while taking a break from gardening in the backyard.

Combine coconut milk, honey and lavender in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking. Reduce to very low heat, cover, and let steep 30 minutes, checking often to whisk and make sure mixture doesn’t boil (the coconut milk burns easily).

Strain mixture into a glass pitcher or bowl and chill until cold (a tall food processor pitcher works well).

Whisk grapefruit juice into chilled coconut mixture. Pour into ice cream machine and follow manufacturer’s instructions, adding zests to mixture after 10 minutes. Then transfer to a container with a lid and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Note: Many cooks recommend adding 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot to the coconut/juice mixture before pouring into the ice cream machine, which is said to help smooth out the texture of the final ice cream. I made it without and had good results, but if you use it, you may have even better!

Not simply the infamous diet food (though it certainly is!); consider featuring the delectable grapefruit in salads, drinks, condiments and desserts. It's signature tart and tangy, yet mild sweetness make this fruit explode on the palate like no other. The name of this citrus fruit comes from the fact that it grows in grapelike clusters. Most likely, you will come across the Marsh variety with its yellow skin and pale yellow or brilliantly pink flesh in your hunt for grapefruits (and its many offspring). The other - Duncan variety - is jammed with seeds and used mostly for juicing.

Season for Grapefruit December – April

Grapefruit Described

Not simply the infamous diet food (though it certainly is!); consider featuring the delectable grapefruit in salads, drinks, condiments and desserts. It’s signature tart and tangy, yet mild sweetness make this fruit explode on the palate like no other. The name of this citrus fruit comes from the fact that it grows in grapelike clusters. Most likely, you will come across the Marsh variety with its yellow skin and pale yellow or brilliantly pink flesh in your hunt for grapefruits (and its many offspring). The other – Duncan variety – is jammed with seeds and used mostly for juicing.

How to Buy and Store Grapefruit

The heavier your grapefruit is for its size, the thinner the skin is and juicier the flesh will be. Also, select your grapefruits for their firm, shiny skins, avoiding those showing wrinkles or soft spots. Don’t worry too much about the color of the skin; even a little green doesn’t necessarily mean the grapefruit is under ripe. That said, a pink or red blush on the skin can indicate a rosier flesh, and the deeper the flesh is in color, the sweeter it will be – generally speaking.

Keep your grapefruits unwrapped at room temperature for several days, as they will taste best this way. But if you know you won’t be getting to them in time, you can store them in your refrigerator crisper where they will keep fresh for two to three weeks.

How to Cook Grapefruit

Make sure to first wash your grapefruit to remove any bacteria, dirt or pesticides (if its conventional) that can transfer from your knife into the flesh you’ll be consuming. Then, for eating your grapefruit plain and simply, you may cut it horizontally and scoop out the flesh from between the segments. Alternatively, you can peel and eat your grapefruit like you would an orange. To broaden your culinary repertoire of this tart fruit, consider adding segments to green salads for a sweet tang or replacing your morning glass of OJ with fresh squeezed GJ. You can also dice grapefruit with cilantro, avocado and chili peppers for a delicious salsa or broil it with a brown sugar glaze.

Health Benefits of Grapefruit

Citrus fruit is, of course, burgeoning with vitamin C – and grapefruit is no exception. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, calcium, iron and potassium. Renowned for being low in calories, grapefruits also happen to be loaded with anti-oxidants that are believed to help slow down the aging process and protect against some diseases – including heart disease and cancer. The juice from a grapefruit was ranked among the juices highest in antioxidant activity.

Why Buy Natural and Organic Grapefruit

Sure, you can get grapefruit from a can. But why would you want to do that when you know that canned foods contain a harmful chemical called BPA (Bisphenol-A) and probably have added sugars and preservatives, not to mention superfluous packaging? A fresh organic grapefruit may take a little more work to get into, but it’s healing powers and signature taste are more than worth it.

An all-natural sweetener, honey shouldn’t be limited to dessert recipes. As today’s recipe demonstrates, it works beautifully in salad dressings.

When shopping for honey, follow the same guidelines used for pure maple syrup: The lighter the color, the milder the flavor. And with more than 300 honey varieties available—from blueberry and buckwheat to orange blossom and wildflower—you’re sure to find a few favorites.

All of the salad’s ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. Enjoy!

An all-natural sweetener, honey shouldn’t be limited to dessert recipes. As today’s recipe demonstrates, it works beautifully in salad dressings.

When shopping for honey, follow the same guidelines used for pure maple syrup: The lighter the color, the milder the flavor. And with more than 300 honey varieties available—from blueberry and buckwheat to orange blossom and wildflower—you’re sure to find a few favorites.

All of the salad’s ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. Enjoy!