Fruit basics 101 tell us that the best natural sources for vitamin C are provided in the family of citrus fruits. If that was all they were good for that would be good enough. But citrus fruits provide so many other tangible benefits. Among the most potent of the citrus group is the grapefruit. One glass in the morning is pretty much all your need for your daily dose of vitamin C. But the good nutrients from a grapefruit doesn’t stop there.
One of the added benefits of adding grapefruit to your diet is the boost of fiber you will be getting. Yes, other fruits have fiber too but consider the facts. One orange delivers seven grams. A banana serves up four. With an apple you will get five grams of fiber. But eating a grapefruit will have you taking in a whopping twelve grams of fiber!
What will you be getting with all that fiber? Grapefruit fiber actually serves up a double benefit of insoluble and soluble fiber. The insoluble fiber is what keeps your digestive system happy and humming along. The added benefit is that keeping your digestive tract clean helps reduce the risk of colon cancer. On the soluble side, that type of fiber is going to assist in reducing your cholesterol levels. With these numbers, less is more. Low cholesterol means you’re doctor won’t be putting you on a crazy diet or prescribing medicine.
As all that good fiber is making its way through your stomach and blood stream you’ll also be reaping the benefits of strengthening your heart. That is why you need to keep your cholesterol numbers down. Open arteries means your blood is flowing freely and the heart pumps at a regular pace. When those arteries are clogged with plaque then your heart has to go into overdrive to keep the blood circulating. And if you’ve ever run your engine while in park, you know it’s not good. In fact, the American Heart Association has recently deemed grapefruit and grapefruit juice to be a part of a heart healthy diet.
Keep in mind, that the best way to get all the fiber benefit from your grapefruit is to eat it like an orange. When you scoop out the pulp with a spoon you’re depriving yourself of the good stuff. Peel and eat and you will be happy. Also, for the fiber benefits you need to eat a grapefruit, you can’t drink the juice because that has no fiber. However, grapefruit juice has been shown to help with the intake of certain kinds of blood pressure medicines. By drinking the juice with your pills they will get into the bloodstream a lot faster. But be on the lookout: some medications and grapefruit juice don’t mix. Always check with your doctor whenever you get a new prescription.
Author Resource:-
Article provided by Pittman and Davis, providing premium citrus gifts, including grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, honeybells and more.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlelog.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites