New scientific research underlining the low glycemic index (GI) health benefits of grapefruit will spearhead promotional initiatives to spur flagging consumption in Japan this season.
Yamano & Associates, which represents the Florida Department of Citrus in Japan, is holding a press conference on 7 November in Tokyo where Dr Yoshikazu Yonei, a specialist in anti-aging medicine, will announce the results of the research.
According to president of Yamano & Associates Hisao Takeda, a key contributor to the ongoing decline in consumption of grapefruit and other fresh fruits in Japan is a misconception among consumers about their natural sugars being unhealthy. “Many consumers still believe that the sugar in fruits raises their blood sugar levels and makes them put on weight,” he said. “They also perceive fruit only as a dessert food.”
Dr Yonei’s research counters these misconceptions. Not only does it confirm that grapefruit has a low GI, so glucose is released gradually into the bloodstream, it also shows that eating grapefruit prior to other foods can slow the increase in blood sugar levels from consuming those foods and help to conserve insulin.
These low GI attributes of grapefruit represent a potent health benefit, Dr Yonei explained, because rapid increases in blood sugar levels and insulin secretion put stress on the body, especially the pancreas, which can cause diabetes. “Pancreatic stress can be decreased when an increase in blood sugar levels is slowed down,” he told Fruitnet.com. “Because Japanese people have a lower preservation capability with their pancreas compared with Westerners, prolonged pancreatic stress increases the risk of developing type two diabetes.”
Takeda said Dr Yonei’s research is a valuable tool in Yamano & Associates’ efforts to reposition grapefruit as an essential part of Japanese consumers’ daily diets.
“We want consumers to know and recognise Florida grapefruit as a low GI food that’ll bring them health benefits everyday, and to encourage them to enjoy grapefruit before each meal,” he told Fruitnet.com. “We know it’s a difficult task to get consumers to change their eating habits but we hope this research can help to reposition grapefruit from a luxury item to a daily food necessity.”
Yamano & Associates will also work with Izakaya Chain, a Japanese pub chain, which will serve freshly squeezed grapefruit juice to customers when they order their food and drink before eating. “We’ll promote grapefruit as a low GI food that can help people to slow their increase in blood sugar levels when eating other foods,” added Takeda.
Besides promoting the results of the medical research, the company is also undertaking several other activities to drive consumption through retail and consumer promotions.
One of the pillars of the consumer programme is the ‘Florida Grapefruit 30 Days Challenge’. “This encourages consumers to enjoy grapefruit for 30 days and apply online with the results of their 30 days’ enjoyment as a consumer campaign,” he explained.
An early-season promotion for Florida grapefruit is also being lined up to run in Japanese supermarkets between December and February.
A number of Japanese retailers have resorted to a low price strategy in their produce departments over recent years, and that has inevitably reduced the quality and size range of grapefruit on offer, but the retail promotions aim to create more diversity and interest in the category. “The retailers will display a greater variety of sizes and prices on the shelf instead of only small sizes with poor quality fruit at discounted prices,” said Takeda. “It’ll give consumers a lot more options to choose from.”
