Tropical fruits like grapefruits are easy to incorporate into dessert recipes like smoothies, parfaits, muffins, etc. Apart from its distinctive sweet taste, the reason why grapefruits are widely used is their accessibility.
However, you might not always find grapefruits in your nearest supermarket. Or, you or your family member might end up getting allergic to it. In such cases, it is advisable to use alternatives like oranges, pomelo, pineapple, etc.Â
If you want to know more about such substitutes, we suggest going through each and every fruit mentioned below. Select the one that is accessible and recreate the same taste and texture of a grapefruit in your recipes.
12 Best Grapefruit Substitute
Grapefruit belongs to the citrus family. Hence, there are a lot of choices for you to explore. Let’s have a better look at all these alternatives grapefruit substitutes.
1. Orange
Oranges and grapefruits have a lot in common. They are very identical in terms of consistency, look, and flavor. This is the reason why it acts so well as a grapefruit alternative. Orange is the closest substitute if you’re searching for a sour contrast in your dishes, although it’s a little less acidic.
In salads and beverages, grapefruits may be substituted for oranges in the same amount and taste just as good. For that zesty flavor, grapefruit may be used in fruit salads, drinks, and salads to get that citrusy flavor.
2. Lemon juice
When looking for grapefruit replacements, the sour and somewhat bitter flavor is the first thing that comes to mind. Lemon, our next alternative, contains both of these flavors. Because lemon has such a strong effect, you may use it straight up in your drinks.
To get the best flavors of lemon, you can use it to prepare cocktails, chicken, grilled shrimp, and many more dishes. If the lemon juice has a strong bitter taste, you can add sugar or sugar syrup to balance it out. Also, avoid using lemon slices in salads because they might spoil the salad’s taste.
3. Berries
If you are searching for a fresh and a more fruity flavor in your dish, berries will help you get both of them, with a hint of the familiar flavors of grapefruit. The fantastic thing about berries is that they are not only delicious, but they also have a high nutritional content, which helps you stay in shape while simultaneously tickling your taste buds.
Berries will let you give your culinary approach a fresh twist. It has a tangy, sweet, fragrant flavor with a slight bitterness. You may use berries to make jams, sauces, and syrups and add them to salads, make berry oatmeal, and make smoothies.
4. Pomelo
Pomelo is, without a doubt, the best grapefruit substitute. Not only in terms of texture and look, but pomelo carries the similar bitter undertones of grapefruit. Along with that, pomelo also has a distinct sour and sweet taste. You can substitute pomelo for grapefruit in any recipe and get nearly similar results.
Pomelo may be used to produce healthy fruit salads, delicious desserts, and fresh drinks. In addition, eating a fresh pomelo first thing in the morning can keep you fit and energized. The only issue is that pomelo may be the most difficult to come by in stores of all the alternatives on our list.
5. Mango
Mango and grapefruit may not be similar in terms of flavor. The reason why it is present in the list is that it belongs to the tropical fruit family. Mango will provide the same tropical flavor as grapefruit in a grapefruit-based recipe. Besides, you don’t have to be concerned about the quantity because you may use the same number of mangoes as grapefruit to enhance the flavor of your drinks and meals.
You may add it to various drinks and salads to achieve the desired flavor. However, mangoes are a bit sweet in taste, so you can dilute their flavor by either adding water or a few drops of lime in them.
6. Peaches
Peaches are another tropical fruit on our list of grapefruit substitutes. They are sweet, aromatic, and low in calories, making them an excellent diet fruit option. Because peach nectar is sweeter than grapefruit nectar, a dash of lime juice should be added to produce a tangy flavor.
When peaches are added to salads and drinks, they bring out the best flavors. Another thing to bear in mind while utilizing peaches is that peach nectar has a higher viscosity. If you substitute them for grapefruit, you may need to dilute them with equal parts water or seltzer before adding them to your drinks.
7. Pineapple
Continuing on our thread of tropical fruits, the next we have on our list is pineapple. They have pretty much everything in common except their texture. Aside from that, the essential component of the consistency and flavor of this fruit remains the same. As it is both tart and sour in flavor, you can easily replace pineapple with grapefruit.
You can add fresh-cut pineapples to make fruit salads or add pineapple juice with lemon or lime to enhance the taste of your cocktail, as you know that grapefruit and pineapple have the same consistency. You may use the same quantity of pineapple juice instead of grapefruit juice in your recipes.
8. Lime
Many people confuse lime with lemon. They are nearly comparable in terms of nutrition and have many of the same possible health advantages. But, lemons have a sweeter flavor, while limes have a more bitter flavor.
Because of the slightly bitter flavor of lime, it works well as a substitute for grapefruit. You can use lime to prepare cocktails, but we don’t recommend slicing it into salads or fruit salads. Lime’s bitter flavor might make your food taste unpleasant. Simply drizzle a few drops of lime juice over your salad to attain the intended tangy flavor.
9. Tropical Fruit Juice
Tropical fruit juice is a combination of many tropical fruits, including pineapple, mango, passionfruit, and orange juice. All of these juices combine to provide a flavor similar to grapefruit. If you want to prepare exquisite cocktails, this alternative is ideal.
The best thing about tropical fruit juice is that it is widely available in supermarkets. This juice’s distinct tropical flavor is appropriate for cocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages. Also, if you want to add some surplus acidic flavor to your drinks, squeeze a lemon in them along with tropical juice.
10. Canned Grapefruit
Canned grapefruit is most suitable for people who don’t have time to grab fresh grapefruit on a daily basis to fulfill the requirement of grapefruit in their meals. The reasonably long shelf life of canned grapefruit and its wide accessibility makes it an excellent substitute choice. They are available in two forms in the supermarket; one is in the form of sugar syrup, and the other is in juice form.
Depending upon what kind of dish you are preparing and how much sweetness you prefer, you can use any type of canned grapefruit. This substitute will work for sweet and savory dishes and give them that required punch of flavor.
11. Baking soda and water
Last but certainly not the least is baking soda and water. We know it might seem a bit peculiar to you. But what if you don’t wish to have a fruit-based alternative? We suggest a mixture of baking soda and water for those kinds of individuals. It is also an ideal alternative for those on a diet.
It regulates your digestive system and aids in the digestion of food. The only thing to remember is that this option is exclusively for dietary purposes and cannot be used in any other grapefruit recipes.
12. Strawberry Juice
Strawberries can also be used instead of grapefruit, particularly in nutritious smoothies. This substitute is also highly suggested for usage in cocktails. Strawberry flavors are delicious and sweet, with a hint of acidity.
You may also use our other citrus options, such as lime or lemon, to complement the ideal tart flavor of grapefruit. Apart from that, strawberries enhance the appearance of your drinks and are a nutritious alternative to keep you fit.
FAQs about grapefruit substitutes
1. What kind of flavor does grapefruit have?
Grapefruit is a well-known citrus fruit with a thick peel and a solid sweet, acidic, and bitter taste characteristic.
2. What can I have instead of grapefruit on a diet?
Rather than replacing grapefruit with another fruit, it is recommended to mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water and consume it. This mixture will provide the same benefits to dieters as grapefruit.
3. Is there a distinction between tangerine and grapefruit?
Tangerine and grapefruit are different at the nutritional level. However, tangerines and grapefruit are both rich in vitamin C. The former has more alpha-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than grapefruit, while grapefruit has more beta-carotene and lycopene.
Conclusion
So, this was our list of the best grapefruit substitutes. All of these replacements may be used to make cocktails, salads, fruit salads, and other beverages while retaining the unique flavor of grapefruit. So, the next time you run out of grapefruit and can’t locate it anywhere, choose one of the alternatives suggested above.
Try these substitutions in your recipes, and let us know what you consider in the comments area below.
