Florida grapefruit

For anyone who is still trying to hang on to that New Year’s weight loss resolution, keep in mind that Florida grapefruit is in peak season from January through April. A popular part of many diets, grapefruits are loaded with vitamin C, dietary fiber, and other important nutrients. Travelers driving into the Sunshine State have probably noticed the Florida citrus stands that crop up once they cross the state line.

According to the Florida Department of Citrus’ information at GoGrapefruit.com, “Florida grapefruit has a rich history, dating back to 1823, when Count Odet Phillippe planted the state’s first grapefruit grove near Tampa. Before that, the first documented grapefruit tree was found in Barbados in the 1700’s.” The fruit derives its name from the cluster formation in which the grapefruit grow.

While citrus farmers had cause for concern during January’s extended cold snap—and for Floridians, more than a week of temperatures in the 30s and 40s was highly unusual—the grapefruit trees in the Treasure Coast and other parts of South Florida seemed to have fared better than expected, and damage has not been as severe as the hard freezes in the 1980s that pushed most of the Central Florida citrus growers to sell their land or move their operations even farther south.