10 Types of Grapefruit You Should Know About

Did you know there are many different types of grapefruit sold in the United States?

These grapefruit hybrids range from super sweet and juicy to tart, acidic, and everything in between. 

Whether you’re on the hunt for a fruity breakfast or a good grapefruit for baked treats, the type of grapefruit makes all the difference.

Some grapefruits are best raw, while others are better suited for cocktails or smoothies. 

Before you reach for any old grapefruit, check out these delicious types of grapefruit below. 

1. Pink Grapefruit

When you imagine a grapefruit in your mind, it’s likely the image of a pink grapefruit. 

If you’ve never tried grapefruit before, the pink grapefruit is the perfect place to start.

It has a stunningly pretty pink center that’s delightfully juicy. The flavors are the perfect blend between sweet and tart. 

It’s so tasty that it’s perfect for eating on its own or thrown into a fruit cocktail for a sweet citrusy kick. 

The flavors of the pink grapefruit are potent. If they are too intense for your palette, try some milder varieties of grapefruit. 

2. Star Ruby Grapefruit

The star ruby grapefruit got its start in the state of Texas, but it’s taking off globally.

It’s another hybrid of grapefruit that walks that fine line between sweet and sour. 

The flavors of this grapefruit are very mild, making it an excellent choice for baked treats or cocktail salads.

It’s also hard to resist the brilliantly red insides that are so incredibly juicy. 

It not only adds a bright pop of color to salads, smoothies, and salad dressings, but it doesn’t shy away from bold flavors.

Would you expect anything less from a grapefruit developed in Texas?

If you love the blend of sweetness and tartness but want something a tad milder, the star ruby grapefruit is a great option. 

3. White Grapefruit

White grapefruits aren’t exactly white. They look similar to a large lemon and pack a similarly tart punch. 

However, unlike a lemon, white grapefruits still possess a subtle hint of that patent grapefruit bitterness with a touch of sweetness.

If you love tart fruit that makes your mouth pucker, the white grapefruit is right up your alley. 

Since the flavors of the white grapefruit are so mild, it makes an excellent and nutritious breakfast treat.

4. Pomelo Grapefruit

Did you know that the original grapefruit was created by fusing a pomelo and an orange?

Pomelos are sweet, oranges are acidic, and a sweet, tart fruit is born when they combine their powers. 

They’re the largest grapefruit family fruit and boast a thick green rind.

They have a delicate, almost floral flavor and are much sweeter than your average grapefruit. 

Pomelo grapefruits aren’t as tender and juicy as other varieties, which makes them a better candidate for baked treats. 

Since the insides of a pomelo grapefruit feel almost crispy, they aren’t ideal for eating raw. 

5. Melogold Grapefruit

The melogold grapefruit fuses white grapefruits and pomelos.

They’re native to California and might be challenging to track down outside the golden state.

However, it’s a sweet treat worth a fruit scavenger hunt. 

If you find them, they are the sweetest grapefruit variety out there!

The insides are slightly more firm than other grapefruits, but they’re sweet with just a bit of tartness.

They’re ideal for breakfast or baking into sweet treats. 

Some love the snap of the flesh of this firmer type of grapefruit. 

6. Sweeties Grapefruit

Sweeties grapefruit is one of the sweeter varieties of grapefruit.

It’s a hybrid between an acidless sweet pomelo and a Marsh-type grapefruit. It boasts a lime-green peel and tender, juicy insides. 

The sweeties grapefruit is an excellent choice if you don’t like the patented brand of bitterness and tartness from other varieties. 

It’s one of the sweetest grapefruit varieties and doesn’t require a sugar dusting to enjoy at breakfast. 

It’s the perfect option if you notoriously pile a mound of sugar on your grapefruit every morning!

7. Lavender Gem Grapefruit

Spoiler alert: the lavender gem grapefruit doesn’t taste anything like lavender. Or gems. 

Like the melogold grapefruit, the lavender gem grapefruit may be challenging to track down.

You won’t be disappointed if you can get your hands on one! 

They’re much smaller than your average grapefruit and are a cross between a grapefruit and a tangelo. 

Their biggest claim to fame is exceptionally juicy insides and very few seeds.

The flavors are incredibly mellow and don’t pack that mouth-packing punch of bitterness and tartness like other grapefruits. 

They’re sweet, tender, and won’t make your mouth pucker. 

8. Oro Blanco Grapefruit

The oro blanco translates to white gold, and it’s a pretty good description for this fantastic sweet treat.

It walks that fine line between balancing sweetness with sour notes, but overall it’s more sweet than tart. 

Its tender and juicy insides make it one of the best grapefruits to slice in half and enjoy for breakfast.

It’s excellent raw and works great in salads, cocktails, or salad dressings. 

If you love grapefruits’ patented sweet and tart punch but wish they were a little less sour, this one’s for you. 

It still tastes like s grapefruit, but you won’t need much sugar to combat the tartness. 

9. Duncan Grapefruit

The humble Duncan grapefruit is one of the oldest grapefruit varieties. Call Duncan grandpa grapefruit, if you will. 

Born in Florida, the Dunan grapefruit looks similar to an orange in coloring and size, but the flavors are 100 percent grapefruit. 

This classic grapefruit hybrid is the perfect fusion of sweet and tart flavors.

The insanely juicy insides make this one of the best grapefruits to use when whipping up a batch of grapefruit juice. 

It’s everything a grapefruit should be. It’s sweet, tart, tangy, bitter, and oh-so juicy!

10. Cocktail Grapefruit

The cocktail grapefruit is also known as the mandelo.

The flesh of the cocktail grapefruit is less than ideal. It’s not very juicy, and it’s chock full of seeds.

 If you can get past the problematic texture, the flavors are out of this world. 

The cocktail grapefruit has wonderfully sweet flavors and doesn’t have that mouth-puckering tartness of other grapefruits.

It’s sweet, mild, and lower in acidity. 

It’s one of the best grapefruits for recipes and, you guessed it, cocktails! 

You can also use this unique grapefruit for salad dressings, smoothies, and grapefruit jams.