Lose weight, fend off the common cold and keep cancer at bay – all this and more with grapefruit.
Grapefruit and its nutrients
It’s tangy with a hint of sweetness – this citrus wonder — has a special flavour that rivals the oh-so popular orange while packing in greater health benefits.
Found in two varieties, red and white insides, the grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin A and C. This humble fruit also packs in a god dose of dietary fibre and phytochemicals that can keep you safe from damage caused by free radicals.
Health benefits of grapefruit:
Vitamin C-rich food: Grapefruit has a high vitamin-C content, a small serving of grapefruit (less than a glass of juice) has 80% of the vitamin C you need every day. Daily intake of vitamin C can fend off colds, offer protection against free radicals, reducing risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Prevents kidney stones: Grapefruit intake helps increase your urinary pH value, which significantly lowers risk of calcium oxalate stones forming in the kidney.
Increase metabolic rate: Grapefruit helps boost your metabolism, especially when eaten early in the morning. The high water content in addition to the enzymes present in grapefruit propels the workings of your internal organs.
Helps lose weight: One of the most valued benefits of grapefruit is its ability to help shed excess weight. Grapefruit is low in sodium and has a high content of fat burning enzymes. This combination not only helps burn excess fat in the body, but also flush out excess water retained from high sodium diets. So if you want to lose weight, eat a grapefruit within a couple hours of your waking, this will also combine its metabolism boosting properties.
Helps lower cholesterol: According to a recent study, eating the red variety of grapefruit is known to help lower LDL or bad cholesterol, in addition to triglycerides.
Aids detoxification: Grapefruit juice increases the activity and production of liver enzymes that help you detoxify by eliminating toxins from the body.
Helps fend off cancer: The liver is designed to clear out toxins and carcinogens in two phases. And grapefruit is known to help during both these phases, removing cancer causing toxins from the body, thus keeping cancer at bay.
Reduces risk of lung cancer: Research suggests that drinking grapefruit juice everyday helps reduce the activities of enzymes that can activate cancer triggering chemicals found in cigarette and cigar smoke. This makes grapefruit a potent weapon against lung cancer.
Relives indigestion: Suffering from indigestion? Try grapefruit. Grapefruit is considered a light food that can be easily digested. This helps soothe the stomach and rid indigestion.
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Tags: Grapefruit, indigestion, Lung cancer, nutrition, Sify Health, Vitamin C, Weight loss
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