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Adding This To Your Diet Helps Support Both Your Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
The New Year is the perfect opportunity to refresh your routine, whether that means adding more movement to your day, finally improving your sleep score, or finding new ways to support your metabolic health. One easy swap we’re making in 2025? Adding a daily serving of Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice to our diets.
This perfectly tart-and-sweet citrus has a unique blend of nutrients to help support your overall health. Not only is grapefruit a great way to help support your immune health—thanks to nutrients like vitamin C and folate—but its combination of high water content and dietary fiber helps keep you fuller for longer.
Plus, research shows grapefruit doesn’t negatively impact your blood sugar or insulin response. What’s more exciting, it’s an underrated way to promote your longevity. The vibrant citrus includes the flavonoid naringin, which helps maintain cellular health and reduce inflammation in the body i.e. a key metric of aging.
And while the citrus is grown around the world, no option beats Florida Grapefruit. Grown in the Sunshine State, the vibrant produce has an amazing taste unique to the state’s subtropical climate and sandy soil. Here the grapefruit is grown and maintained by experts, the Florida Citrus Growers, who ensure the citrus has the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Need another reason to eat more Florida Grapefruit and drink more Florida Grapefruit Juice? We reached out to the citrus nutrition research liaison of the University of South Florida, Jennifer Hillis, MS, RDN, to learn about all the health perks of this tasty fruit.
You’re a mom and registered dietitian. Why should we be adding more Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice to our diet?
Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice are easy additions to your daily routine that offer a variety of health benefits, no matter your health goals. Fresh grapefruit is known for being rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps support bone and skin health and immune system function.
In fact, just ½ of a medium grapefruit can provide you with 50 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin C, and an 8-ounce glass of 100% grapefruit juice provides 60 percent of the recommended value.
Beyond vitamin C, nutrients like potassium and magnesium found in Florida Grapefruit help support healthy bones and connective tissues. Plus, it’s a great addition to water for keeping your kids hydrated, thanks to the high percentage of water (almost 90%) in grapefruit juice (and how it also includes some electrolytes).
Not only are Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice delicious—offering the ultimate flavor balance of sweet and tart—but they’re also an easy, no-fuss way to get a package of nutrients that support overall health for you and your family. It’s as easy as grabbing a spoon or glass and adding to your daily routine.
Is there any new research to support the claims that Florida Grapefruit and 100% grapefruit juice can benefit your well-being?
A recent research review1, published in Frontiers in Immunology found that a simple glass of citrus juice – for example orange or grapefruit – includes key nutrients and plant compounds that help our immune system to work efficiently.
For example, citrus fruit juices include vitamin C and folate, which have roles in strengthening the gut and skin barriers which are our first line of defense against viruses and bacteria. Additionally, citrus juices have unique polyphenols, which may have a number of benefits to the immune system, including to help fight inflammation.
What’s the biggest perk of adding Florida Grapefruit to your diet that’s often overlooked?
When people think of citrus fruit, they often tie benefits to immunity and an easy and delicious way to get vitamin C, which are fantastic. The amazing thing about Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice is that there are many additional benefits from the essential vitamins and minerals that support overall health and wellness that can be overlooked.
These key nutrients include:
- Vitamin B6
- Thiamin
- Potassium
- Folate
- Magnesium
Do you have a secret for sneaking more Florida Grapefruit into your day?
Florida Grapefruit and 100% grapefruit juice help make a healthier lifestyle easier and tastier. Fresh Florida Grapefruit is perfect for adding on top of yogurt in the morning, drizzling with honey and air frying for a sweet treat, or topping on your go-to salad.
You can even take Florida Grapefruit Juice beyond enjoying an 8-ounce glass a day by adding some into your favorite herbal tea, mixing into salad dressings, or even into baked goods for a fresh citrus flavor.
One of my favorite ways to use Florida Grapefruit is in this Grapefruit Salsa that brings a fresh zing to any gathering or makes for the perfect mid-day snack.
Here’s an example of how you can elevate your recipes using Florida Grapefruit:
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large Florida Grapefruit, peeled, membrane removed, sectioned, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- 1/2 red bell pepper, minced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
- Toss all ingredients together.
- Serve chilled as side dish to barbecued meat, seafood and nachos. Makes 1-1/2 cups
