Both benefit and harm - is grapefruit friendly with the human body?

Citrus with red flesh and characteristic bitterness should be present in the refrigerator for those who monitor their health and figure. What is the use of grapefruit for the body? Can this fruit harm? In the article you will find information about the beneficial properties of bittersweet citrus, side effects and contraindications.

Grapefruit Composition

The use of grapefruit for the human body is due to the fact that citrus contains many vitamins, trace elements, organic acids and other biologically active substances.

The nutritional value

In 100 g of the fetus, only 35 kcal. At the same time, one medium-sized grapefruit weighs about 130-140 g. The amount of carbohydrates is 6.5 g (5% of the daily intake), there are almost no proteins and fats.

The product falls into the category of dietary and is recommended for use by those who want to lose weight. Also, grapefruit can be eaten with diabetes, as it has little sugar, especially in comparison with oranges and tangerines.

The content of dietary fiber is 1.8 g. Thanks to fiber, the fruit removes excess fluid and toxic substances from the body, and prevents constipation. Serves as food for beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines, and thereby improves metabolism.

Vitamins and minerals

By the number of vitamins and minerals, grapefruit is inferior to other popular citruses: lemon, orange and mandarin. Bitter fruit can only boast of vitamins C (50%), B5 (4.2%), silicon (133%) and potassium (7.4% of the daily intake). What is the use of these elements for the human body?

1. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Powerful antioxidant: slows down the aging process, protects against cancer, improves the appearance of skin and hair. Increases immunity, helps the body fight viruses, bacteria and fungi.
2. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Participates in the formation of antibodies and thereby strengthens the immune system. Stimulates the production of glucocorticoids in the adrenal cortex. The latter have anti-inflammatory properties and help burn fat.
3. Silicon. Strengthens the following types of tissue: connective, bone, cartilage. Increases blood vessel elasticity.
4. Potassium. Helps the body maintain calcium. It neutralizes the negative effects of salt on blood vessels and thereby normalizes blood pressure. Together with magnesium, which is also found in grapefruit (2.5% of the daily intake), it supports heart health.

If grapefruit has a less rich vitamin and mineral composition than other citrus fruits, then why is it so praised in the media? The fact is that the fetus contains many biologically active substances, which will be discussed below.

Other biologically active substances

The bitter taste of grapefruit is given by quinic acid and glycosides, which are found in white partitions. The latter strengthen the walls of blood vessels and serve as a prophylaxis of hemorrhages. Quinic acid has the following beneficial properties:

• lowers body temperature;
• stimulates the production of gastric juice, improving the digestion process;
• reduces blood cholesterol;
• relieves headaches and migraines.

Also in the shells of lobules there is a flavonoid naringin, which in the body turns into naringenin.Suppresses hunger, which is useful for losing weight. Lowers cholesterol, increases vascular elasticity, improves attention and memory.

The skin of grapefruit contains many essential oils that tone the body and uplift your mood. When applied topically, they accelerate blood circulation and help get rid of stretch marks on the skin. The component of the essential oil of grapefruit bergamottin disinfects indoor air.

The brighter the peel and pulp of citrus, the more beta carotene, flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidants in it. The most useful grapefruits are red and pink.

What is grapefruit good for?

Vitamins, trace elements and other biologically active substances, when combined in one fruit, contribute to the healing of internal organs. Who benefits from eating grapefruit?

Disease Prevention and Treatment

Research centers have repeatedly conducted experiments that confirm the benefits of grapefruit for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. We give an example.

Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2006) divided the volunteers into three groups. The first used red citrus, the second white, and representatives of the third generally refused grapefruits for a certain time. The experiment lasted 30 days, and here are the results.

In those people who consumed red grapefruit, their cholesterol levels decreased by 15.5%. Volunteers who ate a white variety showed a result of 7.5%. In representatives of the third group, cholesterol remained at the same level. Thus, the researchers proved that grapefruit serves as a prophylaxis of atherosclerosis and associated pathologies of the heart and blood vessels: hypertension, heart attack, coronary artery disease.

For what other health problems is it recommended to eat bitter citrus?

• Metabolic diseases: diabetes, obesity. Substances in citrus reduce blood glucose, and vitamin B5 positively affects the functioning of the endocrine system.
• Viral and fungal diseases: SARS, influenza, thrush. Vitamin C has a general strengthening effect, quinic acid helps with fever, and bioflavonoids destroy infections and mycoses.
• Dysbacteriosis, chronic constipation. Fiber comes to the rescue here.
• Stones in the gall bladder. Grapefruit dissolves and removes salt deposits from the body.
• Inflammatory processes in the gums. To relieve pain and reduce bleeding, the white peel of citrus with pulp is applied to the inflamed area.
• Hyperactivity of the nervous system. Grapefruit essential oil calms and relieves obsessive thoughts. Those who suffer from insomnia, doctors advise drinking 0.5 cups of grapefruit juice, diluted with water, before bedtime.

Thus, grapefruit is a natural medicine for the human body. A day is recommended to eat 1 fresh fruit of medium size.

The benefits of grapefruit for pregnant women

During pregnancy, women often complain that they can not do anything. Nutritional restrictions make the nervous system, already subjected to hormonal attack, even more vulnerable. Fortunately, grapefruit for pregnant women is not a forbidden, but a healthy fruit. And that's why:

• grapefruit normalizes blood pressure, which often “jumps” during the period of expectation of the baby;
• lowers sugar levels (the latter is usually elevated in women during pregnancy);
• vitamin A and beta-carotene positively affect the formation of the placenta;
• ascorbic acid protects the body of the expectant mother from viruses and bacteria;
• grapefruit removes excess fluid from the body, reducing swelling;
• the bitter-sweet taste of the fruit and the fresh aroma of essential oils help to cope with toxicosis attacks;
• potassium in the composition of citrus holds in the woman’s body the calcium necessary for the formation of the musculoskeletal system in a child.

The only nuance that a pregnant woman must take into account is the moderate use of citrus.One half of medium grapefruit per day is enough.

Grapefruit juice: beneficial properties

The peculiarity of grapefruit juice compared with fresh fruits is that it is absorbed faster by the body. And the minus is the complete absence or low fiber content.

Unlike fresh grapefruit, juice does not suppress, but increases appetite. Therefore, in order to lose weight, it should be drunk with caution.

Useful tips for drinking:

• drink fresh pulp so that the body receives dietary fiber;
• dilute grapefruit juice with water - so you reduce the aggressive effect of acids on the walls of the stomach;
• take 1 teaspoon of olive oil with juice to improve the process of assimilation of vitamins;
• if the taste of the drink seems too bitter, add some honey (but not sugar);
• in the end, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with clean water, as acids adversely affect tooth enamel and mucous membranes.

Useful is freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, consumed within 15 minutes after preparation. Then the drink loses its valuable properties. In the packaged juice from the store there are almost no vitamins and minerals, but a lot of sugar.

Grapefruit Health Harm

Unfortunately, absolutely safe products do not exist in nature. Grapefruit is no exception. When eating citrus, precautions must be taken so that health damage does not become a reality.

Side effects

An unpleasant feature of grapefruit is that it does not go well with many types of drugs. The citrus contains the substance naringenin, which blocks the action of the digestive enzymes of the liver. When a drug enters the stomach, the body cannot absorb the latter. Instead of a therapeutic effect, a person receives an increased concentration of foreign chemical elements in the blood, that is, an overdose.

Here are some medications that don't work with grapefruit:

• antibiotics
• painkillers: NSAIDs, antispasmodics, analgesics;
• pills for lowering blood pressure and antiarrhythmic drugs;
• antihistamines;
• antidepressants;
• antiviral and antimycotic agents;
• oral contraceptives.

In other cases, before consuming grapefruit, it is recommended to find out the opinion of the doctor. And it is better to completely abandon citrus for a while.

What other harm can a bitter fetus cause? In large quantities, it increases the acidity of the gastric juice and irritates the mucous membrane. Grapefruit is less likely to cause allergies than other citrus fruits, but there is still such a possibility.

Contraindications

The following persons should not eat bitter fruit:

• To nursing mothers. Some components in grapefruit can cause redness of the skin, rash, and intestinal colic in infants.
• People with increased acidity of gastric juice, as well as those who suffer from gastritis, have an ulcer. The reason is the irritating effect of citrus on the walls of the stomach.
• Those who have liver and kidney disease. Grapefruit is able to exacerbate the inflammatory processes in these organs.
• Hypotonic. The fruit lowers blood pressure and can cause poor health: weakness, dizziness.

In general, grapefruit brings the human body much more benefit than harm. It is important to use the product correctly, not to combine with drugs. Citrus is stored in the refrigerator, and within 10 days it does not lose its beneficial properties.