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Invigorating The grapefruit is packed with Vitamin C

In 18th century it was the ‘forbidden fruit’ discovered by men who were searching for the original ‘fruit of knowledge in the Garden of Eden.’ The tree found in Barbados, Jamaica and other West Indian islands was of doubtful parentage. Only in the middle of 20th century, after careful observations by horticulturists, grapefruit was scientifically classified. I was generally agreed as a hybrid between pummelo and orange. The scientific nomenclature was updated as ‘citrus paradisi.’ How this fruit of the ‘rutaceae’ family came to be called grapefruit, is still confusing. The only plausible explanation is that occasionally the arrangement of fruits in a cluster resembles grapes in a bunch.

The mostly tropical evergreen tree grows to 30-40 feet. Sometimes it is seen with heavily fruit laden branches that tend to bend earthwards. The obovate shaped leaves are bluntly pointed, arranged alternate and attached by a long broadly winged petiole. The smooth, shiny leaves are dark green on the upper side and pale green on the lower side. The white flowers are pleasantly fragrant and are born singly or in clusters on leaf axils of terminal branches.

The large football sized fruits are only next in size to its close relative and the giant of citrus fruits, pummelo (citrus maxima). Occasionally they grow slightly pear-shaped too. The dark green, immature fruits slowly turn green and then lime yellow when ripe. After a long maturity period of 8-10 months and may be a year in colder climate. Like oranges, the flesh is arranged in sections and unlike an orange the soft rind-like outer skin is much thicker, normally up to two centimetres. Another variety with white, and another with pink flesh, is found here.

The seeds are much larger than oranges, flattened and rough outside. The fruit can be opened by making shallow cuts on the skin and peeling away the thick rind. Sections can be eaten raw after peeling the outer membrane.

Another way to do this is to scoop out the flesh after cutting the fruit into two horizontal halves. It is sweet and sour with a slight bitter tinge. A glass of juice made from fresh grapefruit is really an invigorating drink.

High in Vitamin C and potassium, a good source of folate, iron and other minerals, its high fibre content and low calorie makes it an ideal candidate for a place in a fitness freak’s menu. The pink fleshed variety is high in beta carotene and bioflavonoid that protect against cancer. It is a digestive stimulant, diuretic and studies have proved that regular intake helps in reducing serum cholesterol levels and fights cancer. However, a word of caution - it is better to avoid grape fruit if you are taking medicines. The potent chemical compounds present in the fruit may interfere with your medicine’s actions.

The fruit is commercially processed into juice, marmalades, grapefruit beer and grapefruit liquor. The juice is a standard item in the international fruit juice menu. The essential oil from grapefruit is used in aromatic therapy, for its uplifting and reviving effects is said to relieve stress and balance emotions. Extract from the peel is used as a flavouring agent in soft drinks.

The grapefruit is a non entity in India and has virtually no commercial importance. In Kerala, the tree is known as ‘kambili narakam’, ‘kumbloos narakam’etc. It is also known as ‘bambli moos,’ probably derived from the Dutch or French connections. The fruit is named ‘pampelmoose’ in Dutch and ‘pamplemoose’ in French.

The tree can be grown from seedlings or by vegetative methods like air layering and bud/scion grafting. It is grows easily in most soil types and needs enough rainfall and good drainage.

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