Benefits of grape fruits

Grapefruit trees are probably native to Jamaica. From there they spread to other Caribbean isl&s & then to Florida in the early 1800s. By the late 1800s groves of grapefruit trees had been planted in Florida & the fruit was being shipped north to other states. Today the United States is the world's leading grapefruit producer. Grapefruit are grown mainly in the warm, s&y soils of Florida, Texas, Arizona, & California. Other major grapefruit producers include Israel, Mexico, Cuba, & South Africa.A tart, juicy citrus fruit, the grapefruit is valued for its flavorful & nutritious pulp. Grapefruit are a good source of vitamin C. Usually eaten fresh, they are often cut in half & served for breakfast with sugar sprinkled on the pulp. They are called grapefruit because they sometimes grow in clusters like grapes do.Farmers grow grapefruit trees from young trees (seedlings) or through a process called budding. This process involves attaching a bud from the desired type of grapefruit tree onto a different citrus tree. Budded trees begin to bear fruit in about four to six years.Grapefruit trees bloom in the spring & produce ripe fruit within about eight months. A mature grapefruit tree may produce more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms) of fruit in one year. Fruits with greenish rinds may be treated with a special gas that helps them turn yellow. The fruits are picked by h& or harvested with a machine that shakes the tree's limbs. The fruits may then be covered with a waxy film to prevent them from drying out & to lengthen the time they can be stored.Grapefruit grow on a tree with spreading branches, thorny twigs, & dark, shiny green leaves. The leaves are oval & measure about 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 centimeters) long. The trees reach about 25 feet (7.6 meters) in orchards but can grow larger. They bear large, sweet-scented white flowers.The fruit is round & grows to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) across, about two times as large as a medium-sized orange. When ripe, a grapefruit has a lemon-yellow rind, sometimes with a pink blush, & light yellow, pink, or red pulp. The pulp is tender, very juicy, & tart. It grows in about 10 to 14 sections. Each section is encased in a bitter skin & may include one or several seeds.Grapefruit is usually eaten raw, but it is also canned or frozen. Grapefruit juice is sold fresh, canned, & frozen as well. The pulp & rind of grapefruit can be made into marmalade. In addition, the rind & seeds are sometimes ground into animal feed or pressed to obtain a flavorful oil used in soft drinks.