Grapefruit is a fruit with interesting benefits and properties, being very rich in vitamin C and other essential nutrients. Discover its most important qualities.
The grapefruit, along with orange and lemon, one of the most famous and popular citrus in the world. Although many tend to confuse it with grapefruit, the truth is that we are actually dealing with a fruit that is the result of the mixture between orange and grapefruit. It has its origin in the West Indies, where both its cultivation and obviously its consumption were very common. Specifically, we find its birth on the island of Barbados, where mentions have been found that hardly date back to 300 years ago, so without a doubt we are faced with a food in a new sense although 3 centuries have already elapsed since its origin.
Grapefruit trees can grow to over 30 feet tall. They produce leaves of a characteristic dark green color, in which we can also find other equally characteristic white flowers, with yellow rinds. In relation to the pulp of the fruit, as with grapefruit, it tends to form into red or pink segments, so that when it is squeezed and obtained in the form of juice, its color is very reminiscent of grapefruit.
The most important grapefruit benefits
High content of vitamin C
As with practically all citrus fruits, among which we can mention lemon, grapefruit or orange, grapefruit stands out for its very high content of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that, as you will surely know, is useful in the autumn months and Winter by helping us fight flu symptoms and strengthen our defenses, reduces inflammatory processes, prevents heart disease and cancer.
In fact, 100 grams of grapefruit provide 31.2 mg. of vitamin C. It is a somewhat lower amount than, for example, that provided by lemon, which is 53 mg in particular. Of vitamin C per 100 grams. However, grapefruit is, as we can see, an excellent source of vitamin C.
Provides naringenin, which would help prevent cancer
In addition to the qualities that vitamin C seems to present in cancer prevention, grapefruit has been found to provide naringenin. It consists of a natural agent that helps to repair the structure of DNA, which would help reduce the mutation in cells and therefore would be interesting in the prevention of cancer.
In this sense, some scientific studies have found that this compound present in grapefruit was very useful in the repair of cancer cells present in the prostate.
Helps reduce cholesterol and triglycerides
If you have high cholesterol or high triglycerides, there is no doubt that grapefruit becomes a very interesting fruit when it comes to reducing high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. For this reason it is an ideal food to protect and take care of the heart.
Some scientific studies have found that eating a grapefruit a day helps reduce high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood by 15% and the level of triglycerides by 27%.
Ideal for weight loss
As with grapefruit, grapefruit is a very interesting fruit when it comes to reducing weight. Why? The truth is that this benefit is found by the presence of large amounts of potassium and certain enzymes which help to burn fat completely naturally.
On the other hand, grapefruit is very rich in water, so it helps improve metabolism and, therefore, is useful in reducing weight. In addition, it is a low-calorie fruit, so that 100 grams of grapefruit provide only 42 calories.
Very good for skin health
At the beginning of this section we highlighted that grapefruit is surprising precisely because of its richness in vitamin C. Therefore, when this fruit is applied to the skin, it helps to eliminate skin blemishes caused by excessive pigment production.
To enjoy this quality, you just have to cut a grapefruit in half, sprinkle a little sugar on top of it (to benefit from its exfoliating benefits), and apply it to the skin with gentle massages. Then rinse your skin and cleanse yourself. It is a very interesting natural remedy, but you should only do it at night, since during the day it could stain your skin.
Recipe for making grapefruit juice
To make grapefruit juice, you just have to wash a grapefruit, cut it in half and squeeze it in a juicer – manual or electric – until all its juice is obtained. If you wish, you can sweeten it with brown whole cane sugar or honey.
It is an ideal juice for breakfast, which you can accompany with your usual tea or coffee every morning. You can also combine it with the natural remedy of warm water with lemon, which is advisable to drink on an empty stomach.
