Baked Grapefruit Recipe with Maple Syrup and Cinnamon - Not Enough Cinnamon (2024)

FAQs

Do you put sugar on grapefruit? ›

While it may seem counterintuitive, salt — not sugar — can make grapefruit taste less bitter and more sweet. Sure, sugar can drown out the bitterness and sour flavor if you sprinkle it on thick enough, but salt actually balances these tastes rather than covering them up.

Add some salt

Not only does sugar add significant and non-nutritive calories, it can also overpower the naturally sweet grapefruit flavor. It may seem counter-intuitive, but a pinch of salt may be your ticket to grapefruit enjoyment.

Many of us consider grapefruit's natural granular mate to be sugar. But it seems generations of Americans were more inclined to pair their grapefruit with another easy-to-sprinkle crystal: salt.

Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin). Some drugs that treat high blood pressure, such as Procardia and Adalat CC (both nifedipine). Some organ-transplant rejection drugs, such as Neoral and Sandimmune capsule or oral solution (both cyclosporine).

Certain chemicals found in grapefruit can bind to and disable an enzyme found in the intestines and liver that helps break down medications. Normally, when a medication is taken by mouth, it is broken down a bit by enzymes before it reaches the bloodstream.

The 26 grams of carbohydrate in a grapefruit are offset by the high fiber content, which helps the sugars break down more slowly compared to those in low-fiber foods such as white bread or potato chips. Grapefruit can be great for people with diabetes, and it makes a wonderful dessert.

Grapefruit might affect electrical currents in the heart. This can increase the risk of having an irregular heartbeat. Some medications can have this same effect. Taking grapefruit with these medications might increase the risk for a serious heart issue.

Overall, researchers claim that including fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits like grapefruit as part of a healthy diet helps protect against conditions like heart disease and stroke ( 18 ). Grapefruit contains nutrients and antioxidants shown to help protect the heart by regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

An average-size grapefruit has about 4 grams of fiber. Eating even half of one can slow down digestion and help you feel full. A high-fiber diet might help you manage your weight, which could help prevent more serious medical problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

What is the healthiest way to eat grapefruit? ›

The classic way to enjoy grapefruit – splitting it and eating with a spoon – is OK, she said. (Be sure to rinse it before you cut: Otherwise, the knife might push bacteria on the skin through the entire fruit.) But if you peel it like an orange and eat it by the section, you get added benefits from the membranes.

Grapefruit's bitterness can make it hard to love. Indeed, people often smother it in sugar just to get it down.

A small study funded by the Florida Department of Citrus found that dieters who are a pre-meal snack of half a grapefruit, or drank a half-cup of 100 percent grapefruit juice or water before three main meals on a reduced calorie diet lost weight, lowered body mass index (BMI), and reduced waist circumference.

A 50/50 blend of grapefruit juice and blood orange juice is delicious and strikingly beautiful. And the combination of grapefruit juice with apple juice and carrots in a high-speed blender served over ice is also a favorite.

In short, as Erica Lea, who also writes about food at Buttered Side Up, explains, before you use a spoon to dig out the fruit from a halved grapefruit, you need to use a sharp knife with a serrated edge to carve out around and in between each section in order to separate the good stuff from the bitter membrane.

SALAD: Peel and cut the fruit in segments. Add the segments to any green salad. Good grapefruit pairings are red onion, lettuce, blue cheese, olive oil, ricotta cheese and avocado. COMPOTE: Zest the grapefruits and set aside.