Health Benefits of Grapefruit - Weight Loss, Cancer Prevention

A nutritious member of the citrus family, grapefruits are large, tart and tangy fruits known primarily for their vitamin C content. The fruit, often mistaken for a pomelo, can be found with either white, pink, or red pulps – all with different levels of sweetness while offering very similar benefits. The best part? While grapefruits are normally in season from winter through early spring, you can experience the health benefits of grapefruit all year round. Here is what the fruit has to offer.

As you may already know, grapefruits are well-known for their high vitamin C content, but the fruit certainly has more to offer. In addition to being rich in vitamin C, grapefruits also rich in Vitamin A, fiber, and potassium.

Here is a more complete (but not fully complete) nutritional profile of grapefruits, outlining the key essential nutrients. Figures are based on a 1/2 serving of grapefruit (you can simply double the amount of each vitamin, mineral, and nutrient, as well as each RDA, for nutritional content of a full grapefruit).

The grapefruit was bred in the 18th century as a cross between a pomelo and an orange. They were given the name grapefruit because of the way they grew in clusters similar to grapes.

Grapefruits vary in hue from white or yellow to pink and red and can range in taste from very acidic and even bitter to sweet and sugary. Grapefruits are available throughout the year, but the popular Florida and Texas varieties are in season between the months of November and June. Florida is said to be the world's largest grapefruit growing region. Popular varieties of Florida and Texas grapefruit include: Ruby Red, Pink, Flame, Thompson, White Marsh, Star Ruby, Duncan, and Pummelo HB.

Grapefruits are low in calories but are full of nutrients and an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Harvard Medical School states that grapefruit has a glycemic index of 25, suggesting that it does not significantly affect blood sugar and insulin levels. You can find out more about the nutritional breakdown of grapefruits in the nutritional profile section of this article.

Grapefruits support clear, healthy skin, can help to lower our risk for many diseases and conditions and may even help with weight loss as part of an overall healthy and varied diet.

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http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/grapefruit-shown-boost-weight-loss