Grapefruits offer a mouth-puckering option for fruit and juice, but the pulp and peel of this citrus fruit also serve up grapefruit pectin. Pectin, a type of fiber, offers many benefits that can improve your health. Do not take grapefruit pectin as a treatment for any disease unless your physician prescribes it; grapefruit may interact with some medications.
Reduces Cholesterol
Having too much cholesterol in your blood may increase your risk of heart disease. It may also increase your blood pressure when cholesterol sticks to the walls of your arteries and makes it harder for blood to push through. Adding grapefruit pectin to your diet may help prevent these conditions. A study published in the September 1998 issue of "Clinical Cardiology" followed 27 patients over a 16-week period and found that incorporating grapefruit pectin into their daily meal plans decreased cholesterol by nearly 8 percent; no changes to their diet or activity level occurred.
Protects Against Colon Cancer
The pectin in grapefruit may have benefits when it comes to cancer protection. Research featured in the March 2008 "Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology" explored the effect of a diet containing pectin on radiation-exposed rats. Scientists discovered that colon cancer cells die as a result of influence over tumor-suppressing genes. Studies on humans are necessary to confirm the results of pectin on colon cancer cells in men and women.
Prevents Atherosclerosis
When cholesterol attaches to the walls of your arteries, it can harden -- this condition is known as atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries. It presents health dangers, including blockages that can trigger heart pain, heart attacks and breathing problems. Including grapefruit pectin in your diet may help prevent hardened arteries. A study published in the December 2003 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" suggests that pectin protects the carotid arteries from thickening and developing into atherosclerosis.
Makes Healthier Eggs
Eggs offer a variety of nutritional value, but one large egg introduces 186 mg of cholesterol into your diet. Some people avoid eggs because of their cholesterol content, opting for omelets made of egg whites or using egg substitutes in recipes. A study in the February 2008 "Archives of Animal Nutrition" journal provides a possible alternative to these substitutes -- the egg yolks of chickens that were fed pectin from grapefruit peels laid eggs with considerably reduced amounts of cholesterol.
References
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 2011
- "Clinical Cardiology"; The Effects of Grapefruit Pectin on Patients at Risk For Coronary Heart Disease Without Altering Diet or Lifestyle; J.J. Cerda, et al.; September 1988
- "Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology"; Fish Oil and Pectin May Suppress Colon Carcinogenesis Via Inhibition of the MAPK and TGFβ Pathways; Y. Cho, et al.; March 2008
- PubMed Health; Atherosclerosis; May 2010
- "Circulation"; Inhibition of Atherosclerosis By Dietary Pectin in Microswine With Sustained Hypercholesterolemia; J.J. Cerda, et al.; March 1994
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary fiber and Progression of Atherosclerosis; H. Wu, et al.; December 2003
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