Segment a Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a wonderful fruit to enjoy for breakfast in the morning, as a snack or as part of a heart healthy dish, such as a salad. An average grapefruit can be friendly to the waistline as well, packing only 97 calories. Also, like many other citrus fruits it is high in vitamins. Just one grapefruit provides 120 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C and over half of the suggested daily requirement of vitamin A and a small amount of calcium. Here are several ways to segment a grapefruit so that you may add this well-balanced food to your diet on a regular basis.

Segment a Peeled Grapefruit

 * 1) Slice a thin piece of peel from both the top and bottom of the grapefruit so that the flesh of the fruit is exposed. It is less dangerous to peel a grapefruit that is resting on this flat side that you have just created.
 * 2) Follow the contour of the grapefruit and slice the peel and pith of the grapefruit, starting from the top and moving your knife to the bottom.
 * 3) Repeat this process turning the grapefruit after every slice until the peel and pith have been completely removed. You may discard the peel and pith.
 * 4) Hold the grapefruit securely in one hand. (Placing a bowl underneath the grapefruit will allow you to catch any juices that might fall.)
 * 5) Cut along the inside of the membrane into the center of the fruit. (A paring knife is recommended for this part of the process.)
 * 6) Perform this process again while slicing along the membrane found on the other side of the segment. Once your knife has reached the center of the fruit, the V-shaped segment will be free.
 * 7) Continue to perform this process until you have removed all the segments from the grapefruit.
 * 8) Discard the leftover grapefruit membrane.

Segment a Grapefruit While Still in the Peel

 * 1) Slice the grapefruit in half.
 * 2) Rest each half on the cutting board so that the fruit is facing up.
 * 3) Cut along both sides of each exposed membrane with a paring knife.
 * 4) Remove the segments from the peel by cutting along the inside of the peel with a grapefruit knife. (A grapefruit knife has a serrated blade that is curved sideways at the end.) Alternately, just scoop each segment out with a serrated spoon.
 * 5) Discard the remaining peel and membranes after all the segments are removed and the juice has been squeezed from the grapefruit.

Tips

 * You can use this process to segment oranges, lemons, limes, kiwis and other fruit.

Warnings

 * Be mindful if you have any cuts on your hands. The acidity of the citrus juice will burn if the juice gets into the cut. If this occurs, momentarily run your hand under cold water.

Things You'll Need

 * Knife
 * Cutting board
 * Paring knife
 * Grapefruit knife
 * Serrated spoon

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Wash a Grapefruit
 * How to Eat a Grapefruit
 * How to Cut a Grapefruit
 * How to Prepare Grapefruit for Serving
 * How to Eat a Grapefruit Without the Use of a Knife

Sources and Citations

 * http://www.thriftyfoods.com/EN/main/cooking/cooking-tips/tip-of-the-week/produce/how-to-segment-grapefruit-20090304.html?THRIFTY=b840...
 * http://www.foodreference.com/html/fgrapefruit.html
 * http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1905/2