Sweet And Sour

When you think citrus don’t forget the magnifi cent grapefruit — it’s healthy and really easy to grow

- Jana Holmer

A somewhat acquired taste, grapefruit is a citrus tree, usually categorised as white (blond), pink or red (ruby). These refer to their flesh colour rather than their skin, which is either plain yellow or yellow with a pinkish blush. The red and pink grapefruit are sweeter and generally contain slightly higher levels of key nutrients.

Grapefruit is a great source of vitamins A and C, an immune supporter. The pink- and red-fleshed varieties contain a good amount of lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient found in large quantities in tomatoes. Lycopene’s anti-tumour properties make it important for helping to prevent prostate cancer in men. Apricots, guava, watermelon and papaya are other lycopene-rich fruits. Colour is the clue.

Another type of phytonutrient found in grapefruit, called limonoids, has been shown in animal studies and laboratory tests on human cells to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.