Grapefruit Benefits You Must Know

There are more than 20 varieties of grapefruit. They are large, bright yellow fruits that grow in bunches, but in contrast to grapes, they grow on trees and not on vines. Most people love the tarty sweet taste of grapefruit. It is rich in essential vitamins and nutrients with potent antioxidant properties and is one of the healthiest fruits to incorporate into your diet. Grapefruit benefits are almost similar to the benefits of fruits belonging to the citrus family. It is low in calories and rich in nutrients that help your body thrive.

Essential Grapefruit Benefits

Grapefruit is nutritionally dense and has powerful antioxidant properties. This makes it the healthiest fruit that contributes immensely to overall health. Listed below are some of the best benefits of grapefruit with scientific backing.

1. Promotes Weight Loss

Being overweight can cause serious health issues like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Bingeing on unhealthy foods can be one of the major reasons for being obese. The factor that contributes to grapefruit weight loss benefits is the rich fibre content in the fruit. A medium-sized fruit contains about 4 gms of fibre.

Fibre slows down the process of digestion and makes you feel full. It aids weight loss by reducing your appetite and limiting your calorie intake. The other feature of this fruit that promotes weight loss is the low-calorie and high water content.

2. May Boost the Immune System

In addition to vitamin A, many other vitamins and minerals in grapefruit are proven to boost immunity. There is evidence that vitamin A can help prevent inflammation and several infectious disorders. Vitamin C content also protects against viral infections.

Additionally, grapefruit contains trace levels of B vitamins, zinc, copper, and iron. To support immune system function, they all act in unison throughout the body. Additionally, they assist in maintaining the coherence of your skin, which serves as an infection-prevention barrier.

3. May be Beneficial for Heart Health

Including grapefruit in your regular diet helps reduce the major risk factors of heart disease, i.e., high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Studies conducted showed that the consumption of grapefruit three times daily for six days showed significant positive changes in blood pressure levels. The credit for these improvements can be given to the essential nutrients present in the fruit.

Potassium is believed to manage blood pressure levels and you can derive 5% of the RDA of potassium by consuming half a grapefruit. The fibre content in the fruit also contributes to heart health. Including antioxidant and fibre-rich fruits like grapefruit can go a long way in reducing the risk of heart disease.

4. May Help Prevent Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is the primary cause of diabetes. The key role of insulin is to control blood sugar levels. Scientific investigations revealed that consuming grapefruit regularly managed insulin levels and prevented insulin resistance. This resulted in the regulation of blood sugar levels effectively and reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

5. Rich in Antioxidants and Averts Chronic Diseases

Grapefruit is loaded with different types of antioxidants that prevent several chronic diseases.

The antioxidants are:

• Lycopene helps prevent certain types of cancer like prostate cancer. It also delays the growth of the tumours and averts the side-effects of certain cancer treatments.
• Vitamin C prevents cell damage that could result in chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
• Beta carotene gets transformed into Vitamin A in the body and helps prevent the risk of heart disease, cancer, and age-related macular degeneration.
• Flavanones regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels and prevent the risk of heart disease.

6. Helps Reduce the Risk of Kidney Stones

Calcium oxalate stones are the most prevalent kind of kidney stones. Because calcium in your kidneys binds with citric acid, an organic acid present in grapefruit, and flushes it out of your body, it may be helpful for kidney stones. Additionally, citric acid can raise the volume and pH of your urine, creating a condition less conducive to the development of kidney stones.

7. Hydrates You

Drinking water is the best way to keep yourself hydrated. The other healthy way of hydration is to consume water-rich fruits like grapefruit. Almost 88% of the fruit’s weight is water. You can substitute a few glasses of water with grapefruit if you get tired of drinking only water.

8. Good for the Skin

Vitamin C is one of the mandatory ingredients in beauty products. It helps in reducing dark spots, healing the skin, and improving the texture. Derive the health benefits of grapefruit i.e., protection of the skin from UV rays, inflammation and early ageing, by consuming the fruit regularly.

Studies have shown that the ingestion of Vitamin C by consuming grapefruit, which is rich in this nutrient, helps in slowing the ageing process and managing discolouration and pigmentation. The intake of Vitamin C helps enhance the production of collagen, which hydrates the skin and reduces fine lines.

Including Grapefruit in Diet

With the given benefits of grapefruit, incorporating it into your diet can protect you from various chronic ailments. The inclusion of grapefruit is very simple. There are several ways of including the fruit and you can choose the one that is the simplest of the lot for you.

• Substitute desserts with grapefruit for a less calorie addition.
• Snack on grapefruit slices when you have a craving for sweets.
• Make a salad with grapefruit, arugula, and pecans.
• You can add it with other fruits and veggies when preparing a smoothie.
• Include it in yoghurt and honey parfait for breakfast.

Choosing a Grapefruit

There are about 20 varieties of grapefruit and choosing the best one from the lot can be challenging. There are certain basic things you should be mindful of while choosing a grapefruit.

• You have different varieties of grapefruit-like ruby red, white, and pink varieties.
• Bright, vibrant colours in fruits and vegetables are indicators of their nutritional value. Look for deep colour, particularly if the inside of the fruit is visible.
• Feel the weight of the fruit. If it is heavy, it is juicy.
• Fruit peels shouldn’t have a particularly tough texture.
• Smell the fruit. If it has a floral aroma, then you have chosen a good one.

Side-Effects of Grapefruit

The grapefruit juice benefits and grapefruit benefits are immense. But this fruit is not for everyone. There are side effects that some people may experience. The potential side effects are:

• It may cause tooth enamel erosion. The citric acid present in grapefruit is the chief cause of erosion. Having the fruit in excess may cause erosion. If you have sensitive teeth, you should avoid sucking on citrus fruits. However, despite this, if you want to derive the benefits of this fruit, you can avoid erosion by following these tips:
  • Never suck on the fruit or bring it in direct contact with your teeth.
  • Rinse your mouth immediately after eating the fruit and wait for 30 minutes before you brush your teeth.
  • Eat the fruit along with cheese. It will neutralise the acid in your mouth and increase salivation.
  • If you have grapefruit juice, then use a straw for drinking the juice.

• It interferes with certain medications and makes it difficult for them to break down. In some cases, it may even cause adverse effects as well as overdose. Some of the medications that grapefruit interacts with are:
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Some statins
  • Most calcium channel blockers
  • Carbamazepine

Conclusion

One of the healthiest fruits to include in your diet, grapefruit is packed with vitamins and minerals. The grapefruit benefits are enhanced by its powerful antioxidant properties. It might help reduce the risk of several serious diseases like heart disease and cancer. With a lot of emphasis on weight management these days, grapefruit weight loss benefits cannot be ignored. You can also derive the grapefruit juice benefits but nutritionists recommend eating the fruit itself for maximum absorption of nutrients available in the fruit.