Health benefits of grapefruit

Known for its slightly sour taste, grapefruit is a subtropical citrus fruit, which was first produced in Barbados as a hybrid fruit resulting from a cross between a sweet orange and a pomelo.

It is named so because it grows in clusters like grapes, grapefruit is high with vitamin C and several other antioxidants, which do wonders for your health. Here are some of the benefits it offers...
- It is high in enzymes, which burn fats and low in sodium. It also has a high water content. These things make grapefruit an ideal fruit for increasing metabolism and a great option for those trying to lose weight.
- Grapefruit also contains salicylic acid that breaks down the body's inorganic calcium, that builds up in the cartilage of your joints. So if you suffer from arthritis or painful joints, drink grapefruit juice for relief.
- The Lycopene present in grapefruit, which gives the fruit its red flavour, works as an agent against tumours and cancers since it acts as a scavenger of cancer-causing free radicals.
- Naringenin, another antioxidant compound, helps repair damaged DNA in prostate cancer cells.
- Antioxidants in grapefruit also help reduce cholesterol levels. Check with your doctor beforehand if you can have grapefruit juice because grapefruit has a negative reaction against some prescription drugs.
- Grapefruit has a dietary fibre called pectin, which promotes better digestion.
- Grapefruit contains essential elements like iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid and B vitamins.