Grapefruit - 14 Beneficial Properties For The Body, How Is It Eaten?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 02:10

The benefits and harms of grapefruit for the body

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit that was first developed on the island of Barbados. Got it by crossing a pomelo and an orange. The benefits of grapefruit are undeniable, as it contains vitamins (A, B2, P, C), lycopene, minerals and trace elements.

Women actively use grapefruit to fight extra pounds. The edible portion of the fruit is a source of fiber. Therefore, eating grapefruit in food will improve the health of the body as a whole.

Content:

• Composition and calorie content
• How many calories are in 1 grapefruit?
• 14 health benefits of grapefruit for the human body
• How to choose and how to store grapefruit?
• How is grapefruit eaten?
• Can you eat grapefruit at night or on an empty stomach?
• At what age can grapefruit be given to children?
• Is grapefruit possible for pregnant and lactating mothers
• Grapefruit for diabetics
• Grapefruit and medication
• Harm of grapefruit and contraindications

Composition and calorie content

• Fats: 0.1 g
• Proteins: 0.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 8.4 g
• Water: 90.5 g
• Ash: 0.3 g
• Cellulose: 1.1 g

Vitamins (per 100 g):	amount	% RDA
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)	33.3 mg	37%
Lycopene	1135.0-1419.0 μg	26%
Beta carotene	552.0-686.0 μg	12%
Vitamin A (retinol)	58 μg	6.4%
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)	0.28 mg	6%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)	10.0 μg	3%

Minerals (in 100 g):	amount	% RDA
Boron	204-245 μg	321%
Silicon	40 mg	133%
Rubidium	63 μg	63%
Vanadium	4 μg	ten%
Cobalt	1 μg	ten%

Other important connections:

• Phytosterols - 17 mg (31% of the RDI)
• Purines - 8 mg (6.7% of the RDI)

The bitterness that grapefruit leaves behind in your mouth is due to the flavonoid naringin that is part of it. This component can be useful to the body, or it can harm it.

Complete chemical composition ➤

How many calories are in 1 grapefruit?

The calorie content of 100 g of the pulp of this citrus fruit is 29-35 kcal. This discrepancy in kilocalories is due to the variety and degree of ripeness of the grapefruit.

• 34.6 kcal is contained in red fruits.
• 34.3 kcal are found in pink grapefruit.
• 32.4 kcal per 100 g of yellow grapefruit.

The lowest calorie content is in yellow fruits. However, it should be remembered that there is also less coarse dietary fiber, which contributes to weight loss, in such grapefruits.

How much in general? The average calorie content of one small grapefruit is 104 kcal. To do this, you need to eat it whole.

14 health benefits of grapefruit for the human body

Grapefruit can bring undoubted benefits to the human body.

It consists in the following points:

1. Benefits for the heart and blood vessels. The walls of blood vessels become stronger, their elasticity increases, the heart will work better. Grapefruit contains potassium, which helps control blood pressure levels. Moreover, most people with high blood pressure have little potassium in their bodies. Also, this trace element helps to maintain a normal heart rhythm. Antioxidants, which are part of citrus fruits, help fight atherosclerosis. They prevent the development of microinflammation in the vessels, maintaining their health.
2. Detoxification. Harmful substances and toxins are removed from the body, as the liver is cleansed.
3. Weight loss. The fruit contains coarse dietary fiber and water. This allows you to consume less food and reduce hunger. The body is rejuvenated as grapefruit contains amino acids that enhance tissue regeneration. A person loses both subcutaneous and visceral fat.
4. Immunity rises. It is good to eat grapefruit during the cold season. Stimulation of the immune system occurs due to the fact that bioflavonoids are present in the grapefruit. Most of them are in pink fruits.
5. Normalization of the digestive tract. If grapefruit is eaten regularly, then a person will be able to get rid of constipation, diarrhea and other disorders in the intestines.

6. Benefits for menopause. During the menopausal period, doctors recommend that women include this fruit in their diet, as it helps to reduce the intensity of hot flashes, and stabilizes hormones. Eating grapefruit during menstruation can help relieve abdominal and lower back pain.
7. Water. Grapefruit is 88% water. Therefore, its use in food will prevent dehydration.
8. Brain function and blood pressure levels stabilize. Grapefruit is indicated to be eaten by patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia, schizophrenia, etc. This is due to the fact that grapefruit stimulates the production of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. People with similar diseases need it especially urgently.
9. Benefits for the teeth. Eating grapefruit makes your teeth and gums stronger and healthier, so it can be eaten to prevent dental diseases. If a person suffers from bleeding gums, then you need to drink grapefruit juice. It is excellent at eliminating bad breath and bacteria that cause tooth decay. If the juice has just been prepared, then, among other things, it fights well against fungi and microbes.
10. Cancer protection. Grapefruit can be eaten in order to prevent the development of cancerous tumors. This is possible due to the fact that the fruit has antioxidant properties.
11. Reducing cholesterol. Regular inclusion of grapefruit in the menu lowers the level of bad cholesterol and increases the acidity of gastric juice. Bad cholesterol is cleared from the blood thanks to naringin. The same substance stimulates the work of the digestive system, removes toxins from the body.
12. Cellulite is reduced. Grapefruit contains bromelain, which breaks down the fatty deposits that form cellulite.
13. With depression. Grapefruit has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system, it fights stress, reduces the severity of depression.
14. Protection against kidney stones. The likelihood of kidney stones forming becomes lower, as the person consuming grapefruit saturates his body with citric acid. It destroys oxalate stones that have already appeared in the organs. Citric acid additionally alkalizes urine. It also prevents the formation of kidney stones.

How to choose and how to store grapefruit?

A good grapefruit is intact and intact. The juicier the fruit, the greater its weight. The flavor of a grapefruit depends on how much beta-carotene it contains. The more it is, the sweeter it is. Red fruits are sweeter than white ones. However, grapefruit can be purchased in green and brown colors.

Aroma matters when choosing a fruit. If it is ripe and juicy, then the smell it will come from it saturated.

How to store? It is not recommended to store grapefruit for a long time. The more ripe it is, the shorter its shelf life. It is best to place the fruit on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, which is designed specifically for storing fruit. It should not be kept at home for more than 10 days. After that, grapefruits become dry, which negatively affects their taste.

Which grapefruit to choose: white or red?

The benefits of grapefruit depend on the variety. There are about 20 of them. An ordinary person should be guided by the color of the fruit pulp. It can be white (yellow) and red. White fruits taste more bitter, but they have more fiber. Red fruits are higher in lycopene and antioxidants. These substances help fight cancerous tumors.

How is grapefruit eaten?

Ripe grapefruit has a thin skin, but it adheres very tightly to the fruit. Its slices are covered with a film that is very bitter. It contains many useful substances, but it is impossible to eat it. Therefore, many people do not understand how to eat the pulp of a grapefruit and not squeeze the juice out of it.

There are actually 2 easy ways to peel the fruit. This is not at all difficult to do.

How to peel and chop a grapefruit?

Cleaning the fetus with your hands takes a long time. The procedure is rather complicated. It is much easier to cut the fruit into slices and then peel them off.

• First, the citrus fruit is divided into 2 parts, and then each half into 2 more parts.
• The peel from the pulp is also separated with a sharp knife blade.
• The wedges can be cut in half again. Thus, the bitter part of the peel will remain on the grapefruit even less.

This grapefruit is convenient to eat as an independent dish, as well as add to salads.

You can not cut the grapefruit at all, but eat it along with the skin. The fruit should be divided into 2 parts, sprinkle with sugar and eat out the middle with a spoon. The peel with this method of peeling grapefruit will act as a bowl.

Although the grapefruit peel is bitter, it should not be thrown away. It can and should be eaten, since it contains the most naringin.

What is grapefruit combined with?

Grapefruit is widely used for preparing various dishes. Moreover, it is loved by chefs in different countries of the world. It looks great in salads, gives dishes a pleasant aroma and taste.

You can combine grapefruit with apples, oranges, lemons, tangerines, pineapples, peaches, plums, cranberries, currants, grapes, pears. An interesting combination of grapefruit and fermented milk drinks and products, as well as nuts. It is added to cottage cheese, yogurt, cream and sour cream, and curd cheese.

What can you not eat grapefruit with?

Along with grapefruit, you should not eat vegetables that contain starch and a large amount of carbohydrates. This includes beans, peas, bananas, potatoes, dates, beans, meat and fish. It was found that protein and starchy foods, when consumed simultaneously with grapefruit, can lead to discomfort in the digestive tract.

Nutritionists recommend eating grapefruit in advance, about half an hour before meals.

Video: how to process orange, grapefruit, lime and lemon. Culinary school SHEFMARKE:

Can you eat grapefruit at night or on an empty stomach?

Until now, nutritionists and doctors have not come to a consensus about the best time to eat grapefruit. It contains a lot of vitamin C, which tones the body. From this point of view, the fruit is best eaten in the morning. In addition, grapefruit can stimulate appetite, and going to bed on an empty stomach can be difficult.

At the same time, grapefruit helps to activate metabolism, and in a dream, fats burn better and faster. For dieters, this can be beneficial. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the best time to eat grapefruit on an individual basis.

At what age can grapefruit be given to children?

Grapefruit is a healthy fruit that allows you to saturate the body with vitamins. This is especially true for a growing baby. In addition, the fetus stimulates the digestive organs, activates the functioning of the brain, and stimulates the nervous system. Grapefruit helps fight colds and boosts immunity. Therefore, it should be eaten during the cold season.

However, before offering the fetus to a child, you need to make sure that he is not allergic to grapefruit. Children under 2 years old are not introduced into the diet at all. If a child has a tendency to allergic reactions, then the first time he should try grapefruit no earlier than 3 years.

Since grapefruit has many contraindications for use, before offering it to a child, you need to consult a pediatrician. This must be done in order not to harm the growing body.

Is grapefruit suitable for pregnant and lactating mothers?

Until now, no studies have been conducted on whether pregnant women can eat grapefruit. Therefore, it is believed that you can eat it, but in small quantities. You should not overeat grapefruit, as there is evidence that it affects the level of estrogen, this fact can negatively affect the health of the fetus.

When a woman is breastfeeding, then the use of grapefruit in food should be abandoned. This fetus is highly allergenic, therefore it is capable of provoking a negative reaction in a child.

Grapefruit for diabetics

In Israel, studies have been carried out that have established that grapefruit is able to help patients in the fight against type 2 diabetes. This is possible thanks to a substance called naringenin, which is found in the fruit. It is present not only in the pulp, but also in the films separating it. Naringenin acts as a powerful antioxidant, while at the same time it gives the fruit its bitterness. Once in the body, naringenin begins to work in the same way as drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes develops due to the fact that the cells of the body lose the ability to absorb insulin, which itself produces. The drugs act in such a way that they make the cells consume it. Naringenin works in a similar way. Therefore, grapefruit can be used to prevent the development of diabetes.

Grapefruit and medication

Medicines and grapefruit are often incompatible. It would seem that an ordinary fruit should not affect the effect of medicines on the body. In fact, this is not the case.

It is forbidden to eat grapefruit while undergoing treatment with the following drugs:

• Analgesics.
• Antibiotics.
• Antidepressants.
• Antiarrhythmics.
• Antihypertensive drugs.
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs.
• Hormonal contraceptives.
• Drugs for the treatment of cancerous tumors.

The ban on taking grapefruit with these drugs is due to the fact that its pulp contains furanocoumarin. This substance has the ability to block the action of the listed drugs.

Do not drink pills with grapefruit juice. This can lead to drug overdose.

Therefore, if a person takes some kind of drug on an ongoing basis and wants to eat grapefruit, he should consult with a specialist.

Harm of grapefruit and contraindications

You should not eat grapefruit for people who suffer from the following diseases:

• Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
• Pyelonephritis and other kidney diseases.
• High blood pressure.
• Allergy to citrus fruits.
• Hepatitis.

Not so long ago there was news that grapefruit can lead to the development of breast cancer. However, no evidence was provided to this effect.

Drink grapefruit juice with caution, as it can destroy tooth enamel. Therefore, the juice is consumed using a straw. This drink can also irritate the mouth.

The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist

Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).