This sour citrus is brimming with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but there’s also a darker side to the otherwise innocent ruby globe. Let’s start with some helpful information on grapefruit’s more unfortunate characteristics.

Grapefruits and Drug Reactions:

If you are a grapefruit lover but take a lot of medications, make sure you are not taking a drug that interacts with it. Though doctors should remind you not to eat grapefruit when it comes to certain prescriptions, you should always make sure to ask them.  It’s been known for decades that combining grapefruit and drugs like statins can quickly concentrate the drug in the bloodstream, causing deadly overdoses. More than 85 drugs are known to have this interaction with grapefruit. It is extremely important to check with your doctor and pharmacist before consuming the whole grapefruit or its juice.

Grapefruits and Cancer:

Grapefruits are super-charged with antioxidants like the ever-important vitamin C and cancer-fighting lycopene.

Chef Tips

Grapefruits come into season in December are at their most delicious over the holiday period and into January. They should be firm, have smooth skin, and feel heavy in the hand. Red-fleshed ruby and red grapefruits are the sweetest varieties. They usually can be eaten as is, with no extra sugar needed. In fact, they have become so popular that it’s become hard to find the classic, sour white-fleshed grapefruits and pomelos that so many of us grew up with.

If it’s safe for you to eat, there are so many ways to enjoy grapefruit. Our Grapefruit Ginger Juice is sweet with just a little hint of sourness and perfect for days when you’re not feeling well.  For a light treat, try our Citrus Salad with Ginger Syrup.