Grapefruit, Not Just For Weight Loss Anymore

Grapefruit has been scientifically proven to help with health and weight loss. The good news is you don’t have to go on a Hollywood fad diet to get those benefits.

Grapefruit and Weight Loss

Here are two studies verifying grapefruits help with weight loss:

• A 12 week study had people who were overweight consume half a fresh grapefruit before a meal for 12 weeks, the results showed they lost almost 5 pounds after 4 weeks, and almost 11 ½ pounds after 12 weeks.
• Another study with 91 obese patients was conducted to find out how grapefruit affected body weight, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. They found that those who ate half of a fresh grapefruit before meals (meals had no restriction) lost 3.5 pounds in 12 weeks, improved insulin resistance and had a reduction in two-hour post-glucose insulin level.

Grapefruits Burn More Calories Than They Contain

This fruit is similar to celery, as it is made up of about 60 percent water, with a bit of healthy

Caution: Grapefruit juice’s interaction with drugs can be deadly.  If you are taking any of the medications listed here, do not eat grapefruit: Grapefruit Interaction with Drugs List.

 7 Health Benefits of Grapefruits

We know grapefruit is helpful for weight loss. Grapefruits are also full of pectin, nutrients, are low in calories and contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. On top of all those wonderful elements, they have many health benefits.

1. Red Grapefruit Lowers Cholesterol & Fights Heart Disease. One red grapefruit a day can help keep heart disease away, according to a study by Israeli researchers in 2006. A major risk factor for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. In the study, the patients consuming one grapefruit per day significantly reduced cholesterol compared to a control group of patients that did not. The researchers say it may be because grapefruit has a high level of antioxidants.

2. Helps Reduce Lung Cancer Risk

White grapefruit contains a high amount of the flavonoid, naringin, which inhibits the activation of a cancer-causing enzyme. Pink grapefruit has some too, along with the antioxidant lycopene.

3. Inhibits Colon Cancer:

Limonin, grapefruit pulp powder and the flavonoid naringin, were examined in a study in relation to colon cancer cells. The scientists concluded that eating grapefruit may help to suppress the development of colon cancer.

4. Helps Repair Prostate Cancer

A study has shown that the citrus flavonoid naringenin stimulates DNA repair in prostate cancer cells.

5. Flushes Heavy Metal

Grapefruit is full of pectin which binds to heavy metals, flushing them out in the digestive process. A study was performed with hospitalized children between the ages of 5 and 12 years who had high blood serum levels of lead. They were given three dosages of citrus pectin per day for 28 days. The scientists found that there was a dramatic decrease in blood serum levels of lead as a result.

6. Full of vitamin C, to help keep colds at bay

Half a grapefruit has 38.4 mg of vitamin C which is 64 percent of daily requirement.
1 cup of fresh raw pink grapefruit juice has 93.9 mg which is 156 percent of the daily requirement.
This compares with oranges, which have about 95 mg of vitamin C per 1 cup of oranges.

7. An Excellent Liver Detoxifier

Grapefruit contains glutathione, which helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals. 
According to research at Massachusetts General Hospital it may even help combat hepatitis C infection.

 Now you have lots of good reasons to include grapefruit into your diet!