In terms of its culinary value, it is considered a wonderful appetizer, and is regularly included for breakfast as a refreshing and energizing start to the day. 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 body’s
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 body’s 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.
Health Benefits of Grapefruits
Appetite Loss:
Grapefruit works as an excellent appetite suppressant as compared to many other
substances and foods. It is said that smell of the grapefruit reduces the feeling
of hunger, which is the reason why people often include grapefruit in their
weight loss programs. The high amounts of fiber contained in this fruit can
also satisfy hunger and help people avoid the temptation to overeat, since it
is a bulky food, and stimulates cholecystokinin
to be released, a hormone that
regulates digestive juices and acts as a hunger suppressant.
Influenza:
Grapefruit is a valuable remedy for influenza, since it helps to minimize
acidity in the system. The bitter properties arising from an essence called ‘naringin’ 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.
Malaria:
The juice, or the fruit itself, contains valuable and natural ‘quinine’ 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.
Fever:
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.
Fatigue:
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
chances of developing diabetes.
Indigestion:
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.
Insomnia:
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 level of
tryptophan in grapefruit juice lets us nod off peacefully to sleep.
Diabetes:
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 health benefits from those
compounds.
Acidity:
Fresh grapefruit juice creates an alkaline reaction after digestion. The citric
acid of the fruit is contained in the human body and thus, increases the effect
of the alkalinity reaction after digestion. The juice extracted from the
grapefruit is beneficial in preventing acid formation and many other diseases
that arise due to the presence of excess acidity in the body.
Constipation: A
glass full of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice in the morning is a great
remedy to control constipation. The juice stimulates the colon and other parts
of the body relating to the digestive system. This is due to the stimulating
effect of fiber on the secretion and stimulation of gastric juices that ease
the constriction of the digestive tract and induce a bowel movement.
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