The grapefruit was
bred in the 18th century as a cross between a pomelo and an orange. It was
given the name grapefruit due to growing in clusters, similar to grapes. Grapefruits
vary in color from white or yellow
to pink and red. They can range in taste from acidic and even bitter to sweet
and sugary. To give you an idea of just some of the top nutrients in
grapefruit, a half (123 grams) of a pink or red grapefruit contains about the
following:
·
51.7
calories
·
13.1
grams carbohydrates
·
0.9
gram protein
·
0.2
gram fat
·
2
grams fiber
·
38.4
milligrams vitamin C (64 percent)
·
1,415
international units vitamin A (28 percent)
·
166
milligrams potassium (5 percent)
·
16
micrograms folate (4 percent)
·
0.1
milligram thiamine (4 percent)
·
27.1
milligrams calcium (3 percent)
·
0.3
milligram pantothenic acid (3 percent)
·
0.1
milligram vitamin B6 (3 percent)
·
11.1
milligrams magnesium (3 percent)
·
As you can see, this
is a definitely a nutrient-dense superfood, especially rich in
vitamin C. There are roughly only 100 calories in a grapefruit, and it
provides more than 100 percent of daily vitamin C requirements.
Grapefruit is 92% water, giving it one
of the highest water contents of any fruit. That makes it good for overall
health.
This fruit supports clear, healthy skin, can help to lower our risk for many
diseases and conditions, and may even help with weight loss as part of a
healthy and varied diet. Along with consuming the entire fruit,
grapefruit juice, grapefruit
essential oil and grapefruit seed
extract can all be used to benefit your health. Here are some major benefits of
eating grapefruit:
1. Weight Loss
Research continues to reveal that consuming grapefruit benefits
weight loss in a major way. The key may be an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which
appears to get activated by an organic compound in grapefruit called
nootkatone. When AMPK gets activated, it encourages the body’s
energy-producing processes, like glucose uptake, for example, which helps boost
metabolism. That, in turn, can encourage weight loss.
AMPK is generally activated during exercise to help muscles use stored sugar
and fat for energy.
2. Helps to Suppress Appetite
Grapefruit works as an excellent appetite suppressant as compared to many
other foods. It is said that smell of the grapefruit reduces the feeling of
hunger, which is the reason why people often include grapefruits in their
weight loss programs. The high amounts of fiber in these fruits can also
satisfy hunger, help people avoid overeating, and
stimulate cholecystokinin to be released, a hormone that regulates
digestive juices and acts as a hunger suppressant.
3. Treats Influenza
Grapefruit is a valuable
remedy for influenza since it helps minimize acidity in the system. The bitter
properties arising from an essence called ‘naringin’ in grapefruits
tone up the system and the digestive process. Naringin is also considered a
flavonoid, which is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants have antiviral,
antifungal, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory qualities, making
them one of the most important lines of defense in the immune
system, protecting against influenza as well as many other serious conditions.
4. Helps to Cure Fever
The pulp or the juice of grapefruit helps patients recover quickly from
fever, and it reduces the burning sensation that occurs when the body reaches a
high temperature. It is also known as a way to boost the immune system against
cold and other common illnesses. Grapefruit juice, when combined with water,
can quench thirst very quickly and keep you hydrated for longer. Most of these
benefits come from the high content of vitamin C in grapefruits,
which acts as a general immune system defense system and can help the body in
fighting the fever.
5. Immunity Booster
With its standing among the top vitamin
C foods, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t
agree that eating grapefruit is a healthy way to start your day. The red and
pink varieties are especially packed with bioflavonoids
and provide you with an extra immunity
boost.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that all of our immune system’s
cells function at their peak when they get enough vitamin C on a
steady basis. When these disease-fighting cells get the vitamin C
they need from dietary sources like grapefruit, these vital cells are better
able to identify and successfully wipe out any invading organisms (like
the ones that cause illness). Many experts agree that not getting enough vitamin
C can make the human body that much more likely to contract sickness and
infections.
6. Stroke Risk Reducer
According to a 2012 study by the American Heart Association,
eating grapefruits and oranges appears to be useful in lowering the risk of
a stroke, especially if you’re a woman. Citrus fruits, like grapefruit, are
very high in a group of compounds called flavonoids, and this research shows
that higher consumption of flavonoids may decrease the risk of an ischemic
stroke. Grapefruit contains nutrients and
antioxidants shown to help protect the heart by regulating blood pressure and
cholesterol levels.
7. Treats Indigestion
Grapefruit is useful for indigestion. It is very light as compared to
other foods and thus, acts immediately on indigestion by easing the heat and
irritation caused in the stomach. It improves the
flow of digestive juices, which facilitates the movement of the bowels and
keeps your excretory system regulated. This is due to the presence of fiber and
vegetative pulp in grapefruits that adds bulk to the bowels and regulates your
excretory schedule. Grapefruit extract is also often used in modern medicine
for these same reasons.
8. Promotes Sleep
A glass of grapefruit juice, if consumed before going to bed, can promote
healthy sleep and alleviate the irritating symptoms and repercussions
of insomnia. This is due to the presence of tryptophan in grapefruits, the
chemical we often associate with becoming sleepy after big meals. The levels of
tryptophan in grapefruit juice enable us to nod off peacefully.
9. Controls Diabetes
Diabetics can eat grapefruits as they can reduce the level of starch in
the body. Intake of grapefruits can help them regulate the flow of sugar in
their body, effectively handling the disease. Recent studies have shown this
beneficial relationship between diabetes and grapefruits due to the
flavonoid content of grapefruits, along with a number of other health benefits.
10. Reduces Acidity
Fresh grapefruit juice creates an alkaline condition in the intestines for
proper digestion. The citric acid of the fruit is contained in the
human body and thus it increases the efficiency of the alkalinity reaction
after digestion. The juice extracted from grapefruits is beneficial in
preventing acid formation and many other diseases that arise due to the presence
of excess acidity in the body.
11. Treats Urinary Disorders
Grapefruit juice is quite rich in potassium and vitamin C, so it is one of
the best treatments for issues related to urination often caused by liver,
kidney or heart problems. Furthermore, its high potassium content works
as a vasodilator, meaning that blood vessels and arteries relax, thereby
reducing blood pressure and lessening the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Also, increased levels of potassium have been associated with higher cognitive
function because of increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain!
12. Skin Health
and Appearance Enhancer
If you haven’t noticed, there are a variety of cosmetic and skin-cleansing
products on the market these days that have grapefruit as a star ingredient.
Grapefruit contains natural acids that cleanse the skin when used in skincare
products. Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C, which acts as an
antioxidant to protect the skin and also is essential to the formation of collagen,
a major building block of our skin. Collagen production is key when it
comes to keeping skin looking youthful and wrinkle-free.
Pink grapefruit is also rich in beta-carotene,
which is amazing at slowing the aging of skin cells and has been known to also
improve hyperpigmentation. Skincare experts also love how pink grapefruit
contains lycopene, which is known to guard against sun-induced skin damage and
mutation as well as inflammation in general. Last but not
least, grapefruit naturally contains a breakout-fighting and
pore-cleansing ingredient you’ve probably heard of before: salicylic acid,
making grapefruit a potential home
remedy for acne.
13. Cancer Fighter
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, cell and animal
studies have shown that grapefruit’s phytochemicals
naringenin and limonin have shown an ability to reduce the growth of of colon,
mouth, skin, lung, breast and stomach cancers. The studies also showed that not
only did proliferation slow down, but the highly desirable self-destruction of
the cancer cells increased. It’s believed that these grapefruit compounds work
in a two-pronged approach: “They decrease inflammation and increase enzymes
that deactivate carcinogens.” (7)
Grapefruit’s super start antioxidant, vitamin C, has also been shown to
prevent harmful changes to DNA caused by free radicals while also
preventing carcinogen development. All this makes grapefruit one of the more
effective cancer-fighting
foods out there.
Word of Caution: Despite all of these health benefits and the fact that
sometimes grapefruits can be superior to other medicines in their efficacy, you
must be very careful while taking medicines and consuming grapefruit juice at
the same time. Certain chemicals in grapefruits, like naringin, and other less
common compounds can negatively interact with various drugs and cause damage to your organ
systems. Be sure to consult your doctor in terms of drug interactions with
grapefruit juice in your diet before beginning any new treatment. You want to
improve your health but sometimes doing it in too many different ways can hurt
you!
References
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| Nataliya Olifer |
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