WHITE GRAPEFRUIT - WHY YOU SHOULD GET SOME IMMEDIATELY
- WHITE GRAPEFRUIT-
Why You Should Get Some Immediately
As many of you know, I reside in the Windy City and I LOVE it-most of the time. But if you’re a Midwest gal in the middle of winter with a Polar Vortex on deck for the next week AND you have the chance to grab some sun in a scenic Southwest city, you run like the makeup on the losers at the Miss America pageant!
So, when I was in Arizona and I had the opportunity to go out grapefruit picking. And I’m not talking your garden variety pink or red grapefruits. WHITE. GRAPEFRUIT. If you haven’t tried it, you have no idea what you’re missing out on. Even if you don’t like grapefruit normally, I’m encouraging you to get some of this variety. It’s sweeter than the other varieties but this little powerhouse fruit still has the same benefits, so what’s not to love?
1. Vitamin C – White grapefruit is high in this extremely important vitamin that helps the body perform functions like cell repair, as well as help to fight against cardiovascular disease, immune system deficiencies, eye disease and even skin wrinkling, among other things. Even iron needs adequate vitamin C to be absorbed into the body well!
2. Fiber – Grapefruit is high in a fiber called pectin which is shown to reduce cholesterol
3. Low Calories – Since it’s so low in calories at around 39 calories for a half, yet has the vitamins, fiber and antioxidants in it, this is a great snack to include in your meal plan. The fact that the white grapefruit is a little sweeter just makes it that much more appealing.
4. Weight Loss – Without getting too “scienc-y” here, I just want to point out that I found multiple reputable sources that state that grapefruit should be in your meal plans for its weight loss benefits, likely due to the fiber content among other components. People who ate grapefruit daily lost more weight and inches than the people who didn’t in multiple studies.
5. Insulin Resistance – Increasing number of studies are showing very promising results with grapefruit decreasing insulin resistance in subjects versus the control groups who didn’t have daily grapefruit in their diets. This is great news as diabetes is on the rise!
6. Kidney stones – Drinking grapefruit juice helps to reduce the incidence of kidney stones, likely by altering the pH of the blood and making it difficult for them to form.
7. Skin – Because of the business I am in, I feel that the benefits that this tasty fruit give to our skin bears mentioning in its own section. The antioxidants in this fruit have been proven to slow wrinkling and the signs of aging. The fact that it’s an all-natural option just makes it even better!
8. Aromatherapy – White grapefruit is very aromatic so save those peels. Breathe in the scent of the fresh peels and enjoy the citrusy tang shown to awaken our brains in several studies. Boil the peel with a cinnamon stick and star anise in a pan of water on your stove top to freshen the air and liven everyone up! Dry the peel in a dehydrator (or in the oven on 200 degrees) to use in a homemade potpourri in a pretty dish in your home.
DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS
Additionally, grapefruit in all of its colors is available in juice forms as well as essential oils. Some beauty products also contain grapefruit extract for its antioxidant properties and some studies show that several drops in your water daily can be beneficial as well. Just don’t use essential oils in stainless steel or plastic bottles as they can interact with the properties. As with storing leftovers, glass is the safest option. I don’t personally endorse any one company to get your essential oils from but I do want to encourage you to make sure to get them from a reputable company with production and purity standards, like Young Living or DoTerra. Also, and this is very important, do not start taking any supplements or consuming large quantities of grapefruit, grapefruit juice, or any combination of them without checking with your medical provider and pharmacist. This is even more important if you are on medications or have any medical condition, but bears mentioning for everyone. Not enough information exists about the effects on a fetus for instance, and some medications are absolutely strengthened with grapefruit consumption which can lead to serious complications.
HURRY, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
The white grapefruit is in peak season right now and may not be available everywhere, so it might be a good idea to call ahead to your local market and ask if they have any in. Any whole foods markets would be more likely to have them I’m guessing than the department stores like Target, but it’s possible. You can always order them online too at several shops like Hales Groves in Florida. I’m finding lots of places saying they are available year-round, but I’m guessing that’s in different parts of the world? I mean, these are so good, sure, let’s go to Sicily and get some white grapefruit. While we’re there, we can do a little sightseeing!
What are you waiting for? Get some before it’s gone!!!
*This information is not meant to replace MD visits nor medical advice.
Resource List:
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
WebMD
USDA and its FatSecret weight loss tracking program