Properties of grapefruit

When you try this fruit for the first time, you may not like its taste. Compared to oranges and tangerines, this fruit is more sour and the way to eat it is also special. But its unique properties and nutrients have made it a popular fruit for many, especially athletes.

Grapefruit is one of the citrus fruits with many properties, which is obtained from the plant tree with the scientific name “paradisean Citrus “. This fruit with shiny skin and red or pink interior, sour and cooling taste, is a rich source of vitamin C and various antioxidants. Stay with us in the continuation of this article from Sunich’s blog to tell you about the properties of grapefruit and its consumption methods and contraindications.

How to eat grapefruit?

If you eat this fruit with the inner peel, it will taste bitter. So, when eating, it is better to remove the white skin around the grapefruit to experience its unique taste, far from bitterness.

There are also other ways to eat grapefruit such as juice, jam, jelly or even as an addition to salads and dishes. Of course, if you still can’t stand the taste of grapefruit with all these methods, you can get the different properties of this fruit from drinks mixed with other fruits. In this regard, we suggest that you definitely try cranberry and grapefruit Sunich drink, lemonade and grapefruit Sunich drink, or Sunich citrus mix.

Properties of grapefruit

1. Grapefruit is low in calories, but rich in nutrients

Grapefruit is a great fruit to add to your diet. In fact, grapefruit is one of the lowest-calorie fruits in the world, which, in addition to the high amount of nutrients in this fruit, makes it the first choice of many athletes.

This fruit has a good amount of fiber, it also provides more than 15 types of vitamins and useful minerals for your body.

Here are the amounts of some of the main nutrients in half of a medium grapefruit:

2. Properties of grapefruit for weight loss

Grapefruit contains a good amount of fiber; On average, each grapefruit contains 4 grams of fiber. This creates a feeling of satiety and reduces the consumption of unnecessary calories.

In addition, grapefruit is low in calories but contains large amounts of water. This feature also helps people lose weight

3. Properties of grapefruit for kidneys and kidney stones

For people with kidney problems or kidney stones, consuming grapefruit is very useful. Due to its diuretic properties, this fruit helps to clean the kidneys. Also, vitamin C and oxalate present in it prevent the formation of kidney stones.

The most common type of kidney stones are calcium oxalate stones, which make up about 80% of all kidney stones. Studies have shown that the continuous consumption of grapefruit can help reduce the amount of calcium and reduce the amount of oxalate in the urine, which are two factors that are related to reducing the risk of kidney stone formation.

4. Grapefruit properties for cardiovascular health

Regular consumption of grapefruit improves heart health by reducing risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

In one study, people who ate grapefruit 3 times a day experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure over 6 weeks. They also had improvements in total cholesterol and LDL (anti-good) cholesterol.

These effects are probably due to the important nutrients that this fruit has, which play an effective role in keeping your heart functioning properly.

Importantly, grapefruit is a rich source of potassium, a compound responsible for many aspects of heart health, such as reducing the risk of high blood pressure. Half of a medium grapefruit provides 5% of your daily potassium needs.

5. Grapefruit properties for Skin and hair

Good for the skin: Grapefruit has strong antioxidants that can help maintain healthy skin. Vitamin C present in this fruit strengthens skin collagen and increases its elasticity and flexibility. This feature reduces skin wrinkles and plays an important role in preventing premature aging.

Moisturizing the skin: As a rich source of water and minerals such as potassium, grapefruit helps to maintain the skin’s moisture. Regular consumption of this fruit can reduce the dryness of your skin and help keep it fresh.

Prevention of skin spots: consumption of grapefruit as a rich source of antioxidants can prevent the production of free oxidants and skin damage due to the harmful radiation of the sun. This property can be effective in preventing skin spots and sunburn.

Maintain hair health: Grapefruit contains vitamin C, antioxidants and useful minerals to maintain hair health. These substances can prevent oxidative damage and weakening of hair and strengthen hair.

You can make natural skin masks using grapefruit. A grapefruit mask can be used to moisturize and nourish the skin by combining freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with other ingredients such as honey, yogurt, or cocoa powder. These masks can make the skin soft and smooth and prevent pimples and skin spots.

When is the best time to consume grapefruit?

Considering that grapefruit has many properties and can be useful in weight loss and fat burning, the best time to consume it is in the morning before breakfast. Consuming grapefruit at breakfast causes long-term satiety due to its dietary fibers and reduces the feeling of hunger, which reduces the consumption of all calories during the day, and as a result, can help the process of fat burning and weight loss.

Complications of grapefruit

Grapefruit is suitable for many people, but some points should be considered when consuming it. This fruit may interact with some medications and cause unwanted side effects. For example, taking grapefruit with certain calcium channel blocker medications (such as flunidine), blood thinners (such as warfarin), and certain antidepressants (such as sertraline) may cause serious health problems. If you are taking medicines at the same time, it is better to consult your doctor.

Final word

Grapefruit, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, is a very useful and nutritious fruit that helps people’s health in various ways. Regular consumption of this fruit can help reduce the risk of some diseases such as high blood pressure, cancer and colds. However, points such as drug interactions and possible side effects should be considered in order to benefit from the safe and healthy use of grapefruit. Also, for the best results in fat burning, it is better to add grapefruit to your breakfast.

Refrences:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-grapefruit#The-bottom-line

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33096647/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4757923/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25893719/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22304836

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27194424/

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1905/2