Benefits Of Grapefruit
What are the Benefits of Grapefruit?
Many people are aware of the benefits of grapefruit as an aid in weight loss, but there are many other benefits of grapefruit that may be surprising. Grapefruit is a large fruit and is a member of the citrus family of fruits. It is actually a hybrid of an orange and pomelo. The skin is similar to an orange, but is lighter in color and can be pink. It grows in clusters similar to grapes and that is where it got its name. Many people do not like the tart taste of grapefruit, but eat them anyway for the health benefits.
Grapefruit contains a wealth of vitamin C, but it also contains essential oils, vitamins A, B, E, and K, and citric acid. Fairly large amounts of calcium, folic acid, and potassium are also found in grapefruit. For these nutritional reason alone, grapefruit makes an excellent snack or dessert choice.
One of the health benefits of grapefruit is its cancer prevention properties. Many of these flavonoids are contains in the albedo, or white inner peal, so leave as much of that on the grapefruit as possible. One research study found that the specific flavonoids that are found in grapefruit helped to decrease the amount of excess estrogen in the body. This in turn caused breast cancer cells to cease spreading. This powerful fruit is also helpful in the prevention of stomach and pancreatic cancer, which is the most deadly cancer.
For a healthy heart, consumption of grapefruit is very helpful. Grapefruit pectin has been shown to reduce the accumulation of arterial deposits in the disease atherosclerosis. Vitamin C also helps to increase the elasticity of arteries. Substances found in grapefruit also help to reduce the productions of cholesterol by the liver, thereby lowering cholesterol.
Another of the benefits of grapefruits is that it keeps your digestive system healthy. Even though grapefruit is acidic in taste, it actually becomes alkaline during the digestive process. Eating grapefruit actually decreases stomach acid which can cause peptic ulcers and heartburn. The juice of grapefruits also promotes healthy digestions by causing an increase in digestive juices. This action along with the added fiber from the albedo and pectin, grapefruits greatly help ease constipation.
Of course, the abundance of vitamin C in grapefruits yields many health benefits. Vitamin C aids your body in dealing with stress and also boosts your immune system which helps ward off many illnesses including the common cold. Grapefruit will also help fend off fatigue by giving your system a boost of vitamin C. When you have caught a cold or the flu, drinking grapefruit will help to reduce your fever and fresh grapefruit juice will ease the pain of a sore throat. It will also reduce coughing fits.
Grapefruits contain natural sugar, but a person with diabetes can still safely eat grapefruit. Adding grapefruit to your diet will help to reduce the total carbohydrates that you consume and can even help to lower blood sugar. The fat burning enzyme in grapefruit that is known to reduce the retention of carbohydrates in the body is very helpful to those with diabetes as well as anyone wishing to lose weight.
Grapefruit is a tart food that some people find difficult to eat. Choosing a pink or red variety may help since they are slightly sweeter. If you still find that grapefruit is too sour for your taste, mix it with a little honey, or the juices of sweeter fruit.
There are some precautions that have to be taken when adding grapefruit to your diet. There are high levels of a specific flavonoid called naringin in grapefruit. This flavonoid can cause reactions with certain prescription or over the counter medications. The most dangerous reaction is that the flavonoid will slow or halt the metabolism of the medications which will leave the drug in your system for a longer period of time. This can cause a toxic buildup of the medication in your system. If you take medications, it is important to talk to your doctor or a pharmacist before adding grapefruit to your diet in order to prevent toxicity and to attain the greatest benefits of grapefruit.