Health Benefits of Grapefruit
Grapefruit is an evergreen tree. It is believed that grapefruit is a hybrid of sweet tangerine and pomelo as the tree does not occur naturally.
Like other citruses, grapefruit is not hardy and hybridize easily.
The cultivation began late in the nineteenth century.
The fruit is large weighing from 150 g to 1 lb, having ball shape with a pleasant distinctive smell and juicy flesh of yellowish or orange red color.
Another name is grapefruit pomelo, because it grows in bunches bearing 3-12 fruits. It resembles grape clusters, and that’s where English name for it is derived from.
Taste of Grapefruit
The fruit has a sweet taste with slightly bitter note and pleasant lemon sourness. There are cultivars less bitter in taste.
Health Benefits of Grapefruit
- Grapefruit is a valuable healing and dietary fruit. It provides pro vitamin A, vitamins C, D, B1, P, glucose, fructose, sucrose, organic acids, mineral salts, pectines, essential oils, phytoncides, bitter glycoside naringin that imparts bitterness to the fruit.
- Grapefruits are eaten fresh. One grapefruit provides daily intake of vitamin C. What plays more important role in the improvement of blood vessel elasticity is the high content of bioflavonoids in grapefruit. These substances boost the effects of vitamin C, strengthening capillaries, thus preventing external bruises.
- Grapefruit helps to lower blood cholesterol levels.
- Eating one grapefruit for breakfast few times a week may help reduce the risk of heart diseases. Grapefruit juice alone doesn’t make it as you have also to eat fiber in fruits.
- Glycosides and vitamins in grapefruit help prevent atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
- Grapefruit is very effective to lower blood pressure during menopause, but you should avoid eating grapefruit when you take blood pressure pills. If you take pills in the morning, eat your grapefruit at lunch or in the evening.
- This fruit also help against functional liver disorders.
- Eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice for better appetite and digestion.
- Grapefruit juice helps to remove gall bladder stones and ease pains. It is recommended to have 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil with 100 ml grapefruit juice each morning.
- Grapefruit essential oil stimulates liver function and detoxes blood and lymph.
- Grapefruits are very helpful for those with sedentary lifestyle and people with various conditions. Fresh grapefruits and grapefruit juice have refreshing and soothing effects. They ease the fatigue and help to recover after physical and mental overwork.
- If you have insomnia, 0.5 glass of juice might help.
Grapefruit and Slimming Diet
Grapefruit improves digestion, stimulates liver function, thus, burning of fats. That’s why when you eat grapefruit regularly, your extra pounds melt down naturally, as if by themselves. Grapefruit is extremely good for those who want to get slim.
