The grapefruit tree (Citrus × paradisi), pomel, pomelero or grapefruit is a tree of the genus citrus, of the family of Rutaceae or peaches, cultivated for its fruit which is grapefruit, grapefruit (in Arabic, ترنجة turunǧah) or pomelo pinkish. It is a hybrid, probably produced spontaneously between the pampelmusa and the sweet orange (Citrus × sinensis) in the plantations of the Caribbean Sea around the 17th century.
The name ‘grapefruit’ comes from the Tamil language (spoken in southern India) பம்பளி மாசு pampa limāsu or ‘pompous lemon’ or ‘lemon from the Pampa’ (a river in southern India), transformed into the Dutch pompelmoes (from Dutch pompel: ‘grande’, and Portuguese limões: ‘limones’), Italian pompelmo, Spanish pomelo, French pamplemousse, English pommelo.
It is a citrus fruit that has been used as a natural product since ancient times for its generous properties to combat rheumatic conditions and excess uric acid in the body. The Chinese considered the grapefruit as the “all powerful” fruit because of its great properties.
