The grapefruit tree grows in subtropical regions and it yields a bitter fruit. The flesh of a grapefruit can vary in colors of red, pink and white. According to Medicinal Food News, the pink variety of grapefruit contains a much higher concentration of vitamins and minerals that the white variety. Due to the increased vitamin and mineral concentrations of pink grapefruit, you can gain a variety of health benefits by eating it.
Antioxidant Benefits
According to CancerProject.org, pink grapefruit has a high concentration of lycopene, which is the pigment that gives the grapefruit its pink color. Consumption of lycopene increases the body's concentration of antioxidants, which fight free radicals that can cause cell damage and promote heart disease and some forms of cancer. One halve of a pink grapefruit contains 4.9mg of lycopene.
Lowers Cholesterol
According to the "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry," pink grapefruit contains several bioactive compounds that lower blood cholesterol levels. A study performed by Shela Gorinstein at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products, School of Pharmacy at The Hebrew University established that pink grapefruit lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels more than white grapefruit in those previously diagnosed with atherosclerosis.
Antibacterial Properties
According to the iHealthDirectory, pink grapefruit contains a substance called pectin, which is a complex carbohydrate that gives pink grapefruit antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic properties. Thus, the consumption of pink grapefruit will boost the body's immune system to fight any bacteria, fungi or parasites it may come into contact with. This in turn boosts the level of overall health.
Detoxification Properties
According to World's Healthiest Foods, the consumption of grapefruit juice is beneficial for liver detoxification. Grapefruit juice will significantly increase the activity of the liver enzymes responsible for breaking down toxins and thus allows greater excretion of toxins from the body. Since certain carcinogens are among these excreted toxins, the risk of cancer is reduced.
References
- The Cancer Project: Protective Foods
- Medicinal Food News: Stay in the Pink
- World's Healthiest Foods: Grapefruit
- The Bastyr Center for Natural Health: Red Grapefruit Fights Heart Disease
- iHealthDirectory: Grapefruit Pectin
- "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry": Red Grapefruit Positively Influences Serum Triglyceride Level in Patients Suffering from Coronary Atherosclerosis: Studies in Vitro and in Humans
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