Pectin is a natural compound concentrated in the rind and pulp of grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Grapefruit pectin has medicinal qualities that may benefit your digestive system, help lower your blood cholesterol level and blood pressure, reduce your risk of becoming obese and lessen the likelihood you will develop cancer. Discuss grapefruit pectin with your doctor to decide if it is a good choice for you.
Digestive Benefits
Because it is a soluble fiber, grapefruit pectin is generally healthy for your digestive tract. It forms a gel when consumed with liquid, slowing the digestive process and helping keep your blood glucose from increasing rapidly after a meal. According to MedlinePlus, soluble fiber also helps prevent or diminish buildup of visceral fat deep in your abdomen. This type of fat raises your risk for obesity, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease
High levels of cholesterol may raise your risk for heart disease and stroke. Several research studies suggest that consuming grapefruit pectin may help lower your blood cholesterol. In a study published in "Clinical Cardiology" in 1988, subjects with high cholesterol who took grapefruit pectin for four months had lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol, than a placebo group. In another trial with pectin and other fibers, published in "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" in 1999, subjects who consumed the fiber supplement had reduced cholesterol and LDL, and improvements in ratios between LDL and good cholesterol, compared to a placebo group.
Cancer
Citrus pectin that has been altered to make it more digestible is called Modified Citrus Pectin, or MCP. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports on laboratory studies that show MCP binds to a compound called galectin-3 on cancer cells. Binding to galectin-3 slows growth of cancerous tumors, reduces development of blood vessels in tumors and inhibits spread of cancerous cells to other locations. In a clinical trial published in "Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases" in 2003, subjects with prostate cancer who took MCP for one year had reductions in Prostate Specific Antigen, a marker of prostate cancer growth.
Recommendations
Grapefruit pectin powder is available as a supplement from most health food stores. The dose used in most clinical studies is 10 to 20 g daily, consumed by mixing with liquid. Pectin is generally considered a safe supplement, although it may cause some gastric upset or bloating. Do not take pectin with cholesterol-lowering medications and discuss the supplement with your doctor before adding it to your regimen.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet
- Memoroal Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pectin
- "American Journal of Preventive Medicine"; Long-Term Blood Cholesterol-Lowering Effects of a Dietary Fiber Supplement; R. Knopp, et al.; July 1999
- "Prostate Cancer and Prosatic Diseases"; Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) Increases the Prostate-Specific Antigen Doubling Time in Men with Prostate Cancer...; B. Guess, et al.; 2003
- "Clinical Cardiology"; The Effects of Grapefruit Pectin on Patients at Risk for Coronary Heart Disease...; J. Cerda, et al.; September 1988
- MedlinePlus: Soluble Fiber Appears Key to Trimming 'Bad Fat'; July 2011
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