The Health Benefits Of Grapefruit

We can't get enough of this miracle fruit

When it comes to grapefruit, the juice really is worth the squeeze.

The tart, tangy citrus fruit—a hybrid of a sweet orange and pomelo—is delicious in everything from spinach salads to your morning oatmeal. It's even great in cocktails, like the classic Greyhound.

And here's some even better news: Grapefruit, an excellent detoxifier, is one of the most potent fruits for cleansing your system.

Grapefruit has a very high water content, which helps flush out toxins, and a ton of health-boosting benefits: It's loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. And because it's brimming with nutrients, it boosts internal efficiency and helps improve bodily function—essentially your body's way of saying, "All systems are go." With a whopping 76 milligrams of the antioxidant vitamin C in each grapefruit, it can also boost immunity and help repair cellular damage.

Like many of its yellow-, orange- and green-skinned cousins, grapefruit, which is grown in Florida and California, flourishes from November to June. So you've got plenty of time to enjoy it.

Most of us have tried ruby red grapefruit and the slightly more bitter white grapefruit, but there are plenty of other varieties worth sampling, including the oro blanco, a sweet hybrid of pomelo and white grapefruit with a sublimely candy-able peel, and Florida's Duncan grapefruit, which is pale yellow and surprisingly sweet.

Craving grapefruit goodness this spring? Check out these TT recipes. 

Spinach Salad with Roasted Fennel and Grapefruit

Citrus-Almond Tart

Rainbow Chard, Bacon and Grapefruit Salad

Charred Citrus Salad

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Fennel-Citrus Salad