Grapefruit

Health and grapefruit

1. Grapefruit is an excellent source for vitamin C, a water soluble antioxidant which helps support immune system. Many studies prove that vitamin C from grapefruit helps fight colds and reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Vitamin C is also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and asthma.
   
   
   
   Vitamin C also prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol and thus promotes cardiovascular health. Many researches prove that consuming fruits and vegetable rich in vitamin C helps to reduce the heart diseases, stroke and cancer.
2. Lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient in grapefruit appears to have anti-tumor activity. Lycopene has the highest capacity among the common dietary carotenoids to scavenge the free radicals responsible to cause oxidative damage in the body.
3. Grapefruit juice has a variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity compared to other fruit juices, which can provide protection against Alzheimer's disease.
4. Limonoids are the phytonutrients in grapefruit which helps to inhibit tumor formation by promoting the formation of a detoxifying enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase. This enzyme helps in the excretion of toxic compounds from the body. In many animal studies limonoids has been shown to have a protective effect against mouth, lung, skin, breast, stomach and colon cancer. Body can readily absorb and utilize limonin a type of limonoid which is present extensively in the citrus fruits like grapefruit. Grapefruit is also associated with increasing the activity of liver enzymes that are responsible for eliminating the toxic compounds from the body.
5. Glucarates present in the pulp of grapefruit may help prevent breast cancer.
6. Pectin, a form of soluble fiber in grapefruit helps to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis by reducing LDL cholesterol. Grapefruit helps lower cholesterol due to the presence of bioactive compounds and total polyphenols.
7. Grapefruit juice also helps to lower the incidence of calcium oxalate kidney stones and have a protective effect against colon cancer.
   
   
   
   Grapefruit is also responsible for reducing weight gain by lowering insulin levels in the body.
8. Grapefruit is rich in naringenin a flavonoid that helps repair damaged DNA in human prostate cancer cells.
9. If you are on a pharmaceutical drug it is wise to take an advise from your specialist before consuming grapefruit, as some of these drugs become more potent when combined with grapefruit.