What is the grapefruit?
Grapefruit is the fruit of Citrus paradisi, a species that seems to come naturally from the crossbreeding of orange and pomelo.
What are the nutritional properties of grapefruit?
100 g of grapefruit (excluding skins) provide 26 calories broken down as follows:
- 91% carbohydrates
- 9% protein
In particular, 100 grams of the edible part of the fruit make:
- 91.2 g of water
- 0.6 g of protein
- 6.2 g of soluble sugars
- 1.6 g of fibers, of which:
- 0.54 g of soluble fiber
- 1.06 g of insoluble fiber
Among vitamins and minerals , 100 g of grapefruit provide:
- 40 mg of vitamin C
- 0.2 mg niacin
- 0.05 mg thiamine
- 0.03 mg of riboflavin
- pantothenic acid
- 230 mg of potassium
- 17 mg of calcium
- 16 mg of phosphorus
- 1 mg of sodium
- 0.3 mg of iron
- copper
Varieties from of pink or reddish colored skin are a source of lycopene. Grapefruit also contains several phytonutrients with beneficial properties, such as polyphenols, limonoids and naringin.
When should you not eat grapefruit?
Grapefruit (and its juice) can interfere with the action of statins.
Seasonality of grapefruit
The grapefruit season starts in November and ends in May.
Possible benefits and drawbacks of the grapefruit
Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a macronutrient that helps the proper functioning of the immune system. It fights inflammation, protects cardiovascular health by counteracting the oxidation of cholesterol and seems to exert a protective effect against several forms of cancer. To these actions, add the antioxidant effects of lycopene and polyphenols, the detoxification of Limonoids (which also seem to reduce cholesterol levels), fibers benefits (which help to reduce cholesterol) and that of naringenin (which helps to repair DNA).
Finally, the consumption of grapefruit seems to help protect against kidney stones, colon cancer and lung cancer. Also it helps you avoid putting on weight. Finally grapefruit can help reduce excessive levels of insulin in the blood.
