Grapefruit

Grapefruit, whose botanical name means "fruit of paradise," is a relative of the orange, with segmented, juicy flesh and a clean, tangy flavor. These fruits are categorized as red, pink or white by their interior color. While all colors of grapefruit carry a wealth of health benefits, red grapefruit may be most beneficial of all. Low in calories, high in fiber and phytonutrients, grapefruit is a healthy dietary choice. If you take prescription medications, especially statin drugs, avoid undesirable interactions by consulting your doctor before eating grapefruit.

Grapefruits are widely cultivated in china, united states particularly florida, california and other semi tropical southern states .the fruit has a slightly thick and tough skin than that of oranges and inside, the flesh is segmented like oranges. The fruit is very juicy and acidic varying in colours ranging from white, pink and red. Some varieties are seedless and in some, there may be as many as 50 seeds of half inch in length.

Vitamin c has been proven in numerous studies to lessen respiratory issues and prevent asthma. Vitamin c rich foods also reduces wheezing symptoms in children and aids in treating asthma, chronic cough, shortness of breath and even runny nose. The presence of several vitamin and minerals in grapefruit also helps to boost immunity and lessens the duration of cold.

Grapefruit and its extracts are a good source of vitamin c. Adequate consumption of vitamins is imperative for health and growth of hair. Vitamin c has strong antioxidant properties that helps to enhance the immunity system and strengthens the connective tissues within hair follicles and protects their integrity.

Our hair follicles often get clogged due to dandruff and dry flaky skin. This can damage the hair follicles if not treated and also inhibits hair growth. Grapefruit seed extracts can help to fight the bacteria on the scalp. It helps to soothe the skin and ward off the dandruff. This helps to get rid the follicles debris and encourage new hair to grow.

Grapefruit juice is loaded with vitamin c and vitamin a which is imperative for hairas health. It boosts blood circulation in the scalp which promotes hair growth.

People who drink 1 litre of grapefruit juice daily reduce their risk of developing kidney stones. Because of the high content of vitamin c, the juice helps to increase urinary ph and hasten the rate at which citric acid is secreted. This reduces the risk of calcium stones forming.

Grapefruit contains a number of liver detoxifying and cleansing agents, among them are various antioxidants and phyto nutrients called limonoids that help to excrete toxic from the liver by making them more water soluble. As mentioned earlier, grapefruit also contains naringenin which causes the liver to burn fat rather than store it.

Grapefruit is bursting with vitamin c; a mere half of a grapefruit provides 46.86 mg, or 78.1 percent, of the recommended daily value. Grapefruit is an excellent source of this antioxidant, which supports cardiovascular health by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol. In addition, consuming vitamin c-rich foods supports the immune system, and leads to reduced risk of death from heart disease, cancer and stroke, says the site.

Eating two grapefruits a day help to reduce gum bleeding. Grapefruits also increase plasma vitamin c levels and help to manage periodontal disease.

Grapefruits are high in fiber and low in calories, and they contain bioflavonoids and other plant chemicals that protect against serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, and the formation of tumors. Grapefruits increase the bodyas metabolic rate, lower insulin levels and give you a feeling of fullness and normality. It assists the human body in fighting various conditions like fatigue, fever, malaria, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, urinary problems, excess acidity and many more.

There are plenty of major health benefits of grapefruits, which are also known to be powerful drug/poison eliminators. It works as a natural antiseptic for external wounds, and it functions as a liver tonic. It contains a high water content, which helps in changing the complexion of the skin and increasing the bodyas metabolic rate. The pulp and fiber of grapefruits supply healthy bulk to our food intake, which aids bowel movements and reduces chances of colon cancer. It also helps to quench thirst and thus, reduces the burning sensation that arises during fever. The asia pacific journal of clinical nutrition suggests that the intake of grapefruit reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Grapefruits and grape juices are proven to help people lose fat and maintain a healthy weight. Popular dieticians and nutritionists always recommend including grapefruits in daily diet chart because there is scientific evidence that eating grapefruit on a regular basis helps to lose weight significantly.

Doctors have found that eating grapefruits lowers insulin, thus instead of storing sugar and converting them to fats, it uses it as a fuel that leads to weight loss.

Grapefruit is very low in calories and consists of only 42 calories per 100 grams. Thus it is a good option for people who want to lose weight and health benefits of grapefruit are many. Foods with fiber leave you feeling full and grapefruit is rich in water soluble fiber. Like watermelon, grapefruit has a high water content which makes you feel full.

Grapefruits help to block the absorption of carbs in the body. Drinking grapefruit juice will help you to burn the stored fat. Eating one grapefruit a day will help you to regulate your body and correct weight problems.

Grape fruits are high in enzymes which help to cut down the fat. It is also low in sodium and has high water content which will keeps you full. It also increases the metabolism of the body

Grapefruit is a valuable remedy for influenza, since it helps to minimize acidity in the system. The bitter properties arising from an essence called anaringina in grapefruits tones up the system and the digestive process. Naringin is also considered a flavonoid, which are powerful antioxidant sources in the human diet. They also 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.

The juice, or the fruit itself, contains valuable and natural aquininea which is advantageous for the treatment of malaria. Quinine is an alkaloid with a long history of treating malaria, as well as lupus, arthritis, and nocturnal leg cramps. It is not an easy component to find in many foods, so grapefruits are a beneficial and rare example. The quinine can be easily extracted from the fruits by boiling a quarter of grapefruit and straining the pulp.

The pulp or the juice of grapefruit helps patients recover quickly from fevers, 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 colds and other common illnesses. Grapefruit juice, when combined with water, can quench thirst very quickly and can keep you hydrated 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 fight to break fevers.

Grapefruits are also beneficial in the treatment of fatigue, so it can help you to dispel your general tiredness caused from routine or boring work. Drinking equal amounts of grapefruit juice and lemon juice can be a refreshing and delicious way to quickly boost your energy levels. Nootkatone is a very rare and important compound found within grapefruits, and is probably its most valuable component in terms of extracting as an aromatic substance. Nootkatone improves energy metabolism in the body through ampk activation. This results in higher endurance and energy, increased weight loss, and a reduction in the the chances of developing diabetes.

Grapefruit is useful for solving the problem of 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 eases 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, and grapefruit extract is also often used in modern medicine for these same reasons.

A simple glass of grapefruit juice, if drunk 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 lets us nod off peacefully to sleep.

Diabetic patients can safely eat grapefruit, because consuming grapefruit can reduce the level of starch in the body. If a patient is diabetic, intake of grapefruit can help them to regulate the flow of sugar in their body, effectively handling the disease. Recent studies have shown this beneficial relationship between diabetes and grapefruits to be due to the flavonoid content of grapefruits, along with a number of other healthy benefits from those compounds.

Grapefruit is full of flavonoids which help the body fight infections and keeps the body free from carcinogens that can cause cancer.

Grapefruit contains high level of pectin which acts as a bulk laxative and helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure to toxic substance in the colon. Drinking 6 ounces of grapefruit juice daily helps to prevent colon cancer. It not only kills the cancer cells but also promotes the production of healthy colon cells. Pectin also improves digestion.

Naringenin helps to repair damaged dna in prostate cancer cells. Dna repair and contributes to cancer prevention as it impedes the reproduction of cancer cells.

Vitamin a is required to maintain healthy mucous membranes and skin. Consumption of fruits rich in flavonoid and vitamin a helps to protect from lung cancer and oral cancer.

Pink and red grapefruits have huge amounts of beta carotene that are necessary to keep the eyes healthy and improve the vision. Just one grapefruit a day is enough to maintain the vision and fight the ravages of eye strain and ageing. The fruit contains good level of vitamin a and flavonoid antioxidants such as naringenin and naringin and is also a good source of lycopene, beta carotene, xanthin and lutein. These anti-oxidant properties are good for vision.

Grapefruit contains salicylic acid that helps to break down the bodyas calcium which builds up the cartilage of joint paints which may lead to arthritis. Drink grapefruit juice along with apple cider vinegar for best results.