Bitter is having a moment. From the rise of the Italian spritz to kale’s ever-increasing appearance on trendy menus, it’s clear our taste buds have grown up. And one clever way to celebrate this sharpened maturity is with the humble grapefruit. Hailing from the 18th century Caribbean, the grapefruit got its name from the way it grows in grapelike clusters on its tree. On discovery, it was described as the ‘forbidden fruit’, thanks to the tree’s supposed similarity to the tree of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. But there’s no evil to contend with here. We hardly need to tell you that grapefruits are very low in calories, but they’re also a good source of vitamin A, which supports the immune system and keeps eyes and skin healthy. It will also come as no surprise that they’re rich in vitamin C, beneficial if you want to recover more quickly from a pesky winter cold, or just want to give your cells a little more protection from harmful bacteria and viruses. Grapefruit also contains some magnesium, potassium and calcium, all good news for heart, muscle and bone health. Fibre helps promote a feeling of fullness, while citric acid may reduce the risk of kidney stones.
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