To the tune of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby:
I'm dreaming of a white grapefruit
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops are bursting
With fruit for which I'm thirsting
For the sweet tangy flavor I love so....
I'm dreaming of a white grapefruit
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all of your grapefruits be white!
While we admit that Bing Crosby would probably never have guessed that a grapefruit would be the topic of a rewrite of his snow-wistful lyrics, let's be real: even though Florida does have to contend with occasional freezes during citrus season, the last time it snowed in Florida was on December 23, 1989 (also known as "Florida's first white Christmas"). The snowfall was near Jacksonville, well north of central Florida's citrus belt, and it completely melted within a very short time.
Those who live in the "citrus belt"-- areas in the southern U.S. such as Florida, California, and Texas that are ideal for citrus growing--are not familiar with snow. However, true to Mother Nature's perfect design, those southern holiday cold fronts are mighty beneficial for growing sweet, juicy, citrus. This fact is especially relevant to the white marsh grapefruit, since some consumers mistakenly believe it is sour tasting. As such, they overlook the white grapefruit for other delicious varieties that are well known to be sweet, like ruby red grapefruit, deep red grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines, not realizing that the white grapefruit is both tart and sweet and thus bright and refreshing to the tastebuds--a true delight. Cold weather brings out the sweetness in all citruses, and when it comes to the tangy white grapefruit, that extra dose of sweetness only accentuates the hybrid flavors.
The Marsh White grapefruit is also known as the Marsh Seedless, Whitney Marsh, Zinbaa Rose, and Marsh Jibarito. It is a little-known fact that this type of white grapefruit, discovered in Lakeland Florida in the mid-nineteenth century, is actually a hybrid of a sweet orange and a pomelo. It is almost totally seedless, and the other seedless grapefruits such as the ruby red and pink marsh grapefruits were developed from it. By comparison, the better-known Duncan white grapefruits have a more bitter taste and are loaded with seeds.
Whether you go for the white marsh grapefruit or any of the other grapefruit varieties, you can't go wrong incorporating their deliciousness into your holiday meals, snacks, and New Year's resolutions! All citrus fruits are famous for their concentrated vitamin C content, but grapefruits come out ahead in Vitamin A and phosphorus. A short list of the overall health benefits of grapefruits include hydration, weight management, cancer-fighting, heart and digestive health, glowing skin, and weight management. One thing to note, however, is that grapefruit can affect the efficacy of some prescription medications such as statins, blood thinners, and corticosteroids, so do check with your doctor if you are taking these or other prescribed drugs.
Here's to Bitter--I Mean Better--Health
It's true that grapefruits--and especially the white ones--can have a distinctive bitter note that is exclusive to this type of citrus. It's even sometimes referred to as the "grapefruit taste," and is caused by flavonoids called naringin and limonin that are in much higher concentrations in white grapefruits than any other type of citrus. These compounds are extremely effective in reducing inflammation and promoting healthy digestion and metabolism. In the olden apothecary days, doctors advised folks to take their "bitters" for a long and healthy life, and they were administered as a barely palatable tincture. Now you can get your bitters in a much sweeter package!
SOURCES:
Citrus Trees Weather Sub-Freezing Nights - Specialty Crop Grower
14 Types Of Grapefruit You Should Know
Grapefruit 101: Nutrition, Benefits, How To Use, Buy, Store | Grapefruit: A Complete Guide - Fas Kitchen
Types of Grapefruit: Pink, Yellow, Green, Sweet and More Varieties
Orange vs. Grapefruit — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
10 Amazing Benefits of Phosphorus | Organic Facts
6 Health Benefits of Vitamin A, Backed by Science
14 Medications to Avoid Mixing With Grapefruit
