How to choose a sweet and ripe grapefruit

Finding exotic citrus in the city center is no longer a problem. Juicy imported fruits are available from us all year round. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible at first glance to understand whether we chose a delicious fruit. To avoid sour, immature, wilted or diseased fruits on your table, remember a few recommendations described below.

Signs of a good ripe fruit

1. Ripe young grapefruit is always firm and firm. If the fruit is soft - it has been lying for a long time and is about to begin to roam.
2. Fresh fruits exude their characteristic invigorating smell even at a distance. If the crust does not smell, even when you bring it closer to your face, you will see an old or preservative-treated fruit.
3. The skin color of pink grapefruit can be different: from yellowish-orange to a saturated fiery hue. The presence of a blush or red “freckles” on the fetus means that it is ripe and will be sweeter than plain variations.
4. Grapefruit should be large, a little more than an orange or one and a half times its size. Small fruits are unripe.
5. The peel should look smooth, shiny and not have any defects. Shriveled peels indicate loss of moisture by the fruit. This means that he, at least, does not lie with you for a long time.
6. Small scars on the skin are not dangerous in any way, they form when the fruit comes into contact with the branches of a tree in the wind.
7. The fruit darkened at the base or covered with barely visible spots under the skin is definitely not worth taking - such traces indicate damage to the fetus.
8. Mold usually does not start on grapefruits, however, if its protective functions are extinguished (the peel has dried out or has been treated with chemicals), and the fruit was lying next to perishable "brethren" - the fungus could get to the citrus peel. Pay attention to such traces.

How to choose a grapefruit

When buying a grapefruit, it is worth evaluating its weight and skin thickness. Thick-fruited fruits often have a pale pink flesh, moderately sweet and sour. In such fruits, the total content of beneficial substances, as well as potential allergens, may be lower. In addition, such fruits can be very bitter.

The thin-bodied fruit has a juicy pulp, often red-pink in color, pronounced sour and sweet with a slight note of bitterness. A ripe poured grapefruit will seem relatively heavy. From such fruits you can get more healthy juice.

The sweetest is the variety with a dark reddish peel and pink flesh. These fruits have the highest levels of beta-carotene, which is good for the skin and eyesight. The bitterness in these citruses is soft and pleasant. Such fruits rarely cause flatulence and do not irritate the digestive tract, do not cause allergies.

If the fruit is not cut for demonstration, try identifying the variety by smell. Grassy and bitter notes of aroma indicate the corresponding characteristics of the pulp. A sweet aroma indicates ripeness.

When choosing between a market and a store, there are no exact recommendations. Virtually all fruits are brought from abroad. Save the marker (sticker) from the fruit you like and buy them in the future. In stores, to extend the shelf life, fruits are treated with special solutions. What a private seller does with his goods is sometimes difficult to control. It is worth giving an advantage to the market in cases with homemade local fruits. Grapefruits do not belong to those.

How to process and store grapefruits

Before eating, be sure to rinse the fruit with hot water. First, rinse mechanically all the dirty coating and the layer of preparations that are often sprayed with fruit before transporting and selling.Then you can pour boiling water over the zest, this will not harm its beneficial properties.

If you intend to use the peel for cosmetic or culinary purposes, in no case do not ignore the heat treatment. But even if your goal is pulp, wash the peel before cutting the fruit so that toxic substances do not reach your table.

To keep grapefruit fresh, wipe it dry and place in a vegetable chamber (+ 3-6 degrees Celsius). The fruit will lie longer if wrapped in a bag, film or put in an airtight container. Keep the fruits in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days, after which they begin to dry or deteriorate.

And a few more rules to note:

1. Sliced ​​slices dry quickly, lose their useful properties, are subject to mold and are not intended for storage.
2. Fresh juice can be stored in glass or ceramic in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. The zest can be stored in a refrigerator in a container or dried and stored in a tin or glass. Zest, wrapped in cloth or paper bag, may lose its aroma and become saturated with other kitchen odors. Then it will be unusable. However, the uncovered peel spread in the kitchen will exude a refreshing aroma for a long time and kill unpleasant odors, such as fish, greasy, and the smell of garbage. This will prevent the appearance of midges over the waste and maintain a pleasant atmosphere in the kitchen.

Video: how to clean grapefruit