What is the difference between a white grapefruit and a red grapefruit?

Question

Besides the color difference, how are they differnt? Which is sweeter? Juicier? Healthier? etc?

Answer 1

They're probably both equally healthy. Ruby Reds tend to be sweeter and juicier. I prefer the Ruby Reds to the white ones.

Answer 2

The only difference is the type of grapefruit the juice is coming from; one has darker flesh than the other and is sometimes slightly less acidic and sweeter. That would be the ruby reds. In a margarita you won't taste a difference much, though if using the pink, you may want to add a little superfine sugar if you find it's too tart. I would use the Ruby Red juice, just because I like it better.

Answer 3

Hello,

I honestly did not know myself so I googled it and found an article from Produce Pete (wnbc). Here is an excerpt from it. The full article can be found at the link given below.Hope it clarifys your question alittle bit :) Toni~

There is a difference between California and Florida grapefruit. Florida grapefruit have a thinner rind and are sweeter and less pulpy than the California varieties. California grapefruit, which are in the stores in late summer and fall, are easier to peel and segment, but their flavor is only fair--the flesh just isn't as heavy with sweet juice as the Florida fruit.

Grapefruit with a clear yellow rind are called goldens; those with some bronzing are bronzes, and those with heavy bronzing are called russets. Flesh color runs from yellow-white to pink to nearly red. Although their colors vary, there's not much difference in their flavor and juiciness. Those qualities are determined by the lateness of the season, the specific variety, and how the fruit has been handled. Duncans and orchids--old top-of- the-line varieties--are juicy and sweet; they are excellent for segmenting and make a great juice. The Duncans now grown only in limited supplies and sold to canneries and processors, but a descendant of the Duncan--the Marsh seedless--has taken its place. It's not quite as juicy as the Duncan, but it has a fine flavor and texture. From the Marsh seedless, hybridizers have developed a pink Marsh, and from that a darker pink strain called the Ruby Red, a very good grapefruit now primarily grown in Texas. The large Marsh rubies from Florida are now called Star Rubies, and they're probably the sweetest of all--great for segmenting, juicing, or eating with a spoon. Red grapefruit has twenty-five times more vitamin A than Golden, but otherwise they are almost nutritionally equal. Season

Grapefruit are available year round, but the best fruit--from Florida and Texas--are found between November and June, with the peak starting around Christmas and continuing through April. Small early golden and pink grapefruit are the first to show up on the market in October. They're very juicy but not as sweet as they are later in the season. Don't be afraid to buy a small grapefruit; even in the fall they make good juice, and as the season progresses into winter and early spring, the smaller varieties get sweeter even as they maintain their high juice content. Whether they're large or small, the Florida and Texas crops improve in quality from October to December and are at their sweetest and juiciest in late winter and early spring. In late July, California and Arizona grapefruit start to arrive and continue through October, but at best they're only pretty good--not as high in quality as the fruit from Florida and Texas. During the midsummer months, grapefruit also become pretty costly. Here again the old rule of thumb applies the higher the price, the lower the quality. In the summer months, forgo that breakfast grapefruit and replace it with seasonal berries and fruits.