Delicious citrus grapefruit is a natural hybrid, which appeared as a result of the interaction of two other tropical species - pomelo and lemon. In Europe, it came from the 19th century from America, where it was brought from the island of Barbados. There are several honeycombs of this plant, the most common is pink grapefruit, but it can still be red, white or yellow. The benefits and harms of grapefruit are now known a lot, but still not every person knows what exactly is the value of fruit.
What is the use of grapefruit?
Thanks to a close relationship with the lemon, pink citrus has adopted many of its properties. However, his taste is quite different - sweet-bitter, not sour. In the composition of its pulp, in addition to water, fruit sugars, organic acids, salts, pectins, essential oils and phytoncides, the person naringin descends, which gives the fruits characteristic bitterness. In addition, grapefruit contains a lot of fiber , antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and vitamins. The fruit of this fruit is that it:
- increases immunity and has an antiviral effect;
- helps to fight against periodontal disease and gum disease;
- improves the cardiovascular system;
- Disables harmful cholesterol;
- relieves edema;
- can be used as a means of getting rid of stones in the gallbladder, for this you need to use its juice daily with olive oil;
- can serve as a natural tonic.
Benefits and harm to grapefruit for women
Grapefruit is one of the most valuable products for beautiful ladies. A woman should pay close attention to it, because it contains a lot of calcium, which positively affects the health of hair and nails, promotes rejuvenation and slows down the aging process. During menopause, it reduces the negative manifestations of menopause . In addition, it improves digestion and normalizes metabolism, which also has a very positive effect on appearance. And it helps to get rid of extra pounds without special restrictions and strict diets.
The use of grapefruit for weight loss is also in the fact that it contains very few calories - only 35 units per 100 grams. Fiber in the fruit stimulates digestion and prevents the appearance of constipation. Essential oils and active ingredients in the fruit help to quickly digest food and give the fat to settle in the body, removing its excess. However, in addition to the benefits and harm from grapefruit when losing weight, too. It is contraindicated in cases of high acidity of the stomach and gastritis, and it can also cause allergies.
Grapefruit is widely used in home cosmetology. As well as a lemon it is used to get rid of pigment spots, bleaching of the skin, removing it from excessive fat content.
Benefit and harm of red grapefruit
A special type is red grapefruit. In its properties, it is somewhat different from the pink fellow. In more vivid fruits, more vitamin A, which strengthens the eyesight and is an antioxidant. They are sweeter, but also more caloric - 97 kcal per 100 grams. However, red grapefruits provide better protection against free radicals, due to a higher content of lycopene. The damage from these fruits will be the same as from pink ones: they can irritate the digestive tract, cause allergic reactions, reduce or, on the contrary, intensify the effect of certain medicines prescribed, for example, in patients with thyroid disease, hypertension, etc. Therefore, it is worth consulting with your doctor before you enter the grapefruit into your diet.