Grapefruit, my Favourite

• Grapefruit belongs to the citrus family of fruits, same as lemon, lime, orange, etc.
• It is large and round to oblongate in shape with a thick yellowish orange outer skin. 
• The inside flesh is segmented like other citrus fruits, and the color of the segments varies from yellow to pink to bright ruby red, depending on which the grapefruits are classified as yellow, pink and red grapefruits.
• Red and pink grapefruits have more beneficial phytonutrients and pigments than the yellow variety.
• The fruits are very juicy with a very tangy, sour taste with a mild underlying sweetness.
• Most grapefruits have seeds inside the segments, while some do not.
• Buying and storage: Select firm, fresh, healthy-looking, sweet smelling (with a citrus aroma) grapefruits without any soft spots or oozing at the stem.  Store them at room temperature away from direct sunlight or heat.  It is easy to squeeze juice form grapefruits stored at room temperature.

Is it raw?

Yes and No.
Yes, fresh grapefruits are raw.
No, canned segments, canned juice etc are not raw.
Make sure you read the label.

Health Benefits:

1. Grapefruits are low in calories, proteins, fats and provide a very good amount of dietary fiber and vitamins.
2. Excellent source of Vitamin C, a natural water soluble antioxidant.  It enhances the body’s immune system, increases the elasticity of skin and blood vessels, and prevents bruising of the skin.
3. Vitamin C has the following important functions in the human body:

Enhances the immunity against infections.

• Maintains the elasticity of blood vessels and thus lowers the risk of atherosclerosis.
• Maintains the elasticity of skin, keeps it soft and supple and prevents bruising.
• Repairs the skin and other tissues.
• Increases the absorption of iron from the intestines.
• Improves would healing.
• Prevents the formation of clots in the blood.
• Reduces the risk of cancer.
• As an antioxidant, fights against the free radicals that damage our cells, reduces the risk of heart diseases, cancer and other degenerative diseases.

1. Excellent source of Vitamin A and betacarotenes.  They enhance the eye sight, fight against acne, and result in smooth radiant skin.
2. Regular consumption of grapefruit is shown to reduce the blood cholesterol levels.  This is due to the various beneficial phytonutrients, pigments, antioxidants, and flavonoids present in them.
3. Red grapefruits are good sources of a pigment called lycopene, which is shown to have a number of beneficial health effects including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
4. Grapefruit enhances the production of detoxifying enzymes from the liver, which are very active in removing harmful free radicals from our body, which are the cause of many modern diseases including heart diseases, cancers, inflammatory and degenerative diseases.  This process is called detoxification.
5. Moderate source of dietary fiber. Contrary to the popular notion, beans have more fiber than most fruits and vegetables.  It is a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
6. More research is also being done that shows promising results of grapefruit in reducing the risk of forming kidney stones, DNA repair in cancerous cells, and also promoting overall health.
7. Grapefruit has high amounts of natural antioxidants called anthocyanins, flavonoids, polyphenols, etc.  These are the plant compounds that have beneficial health effects.  They act as antioxidants and are very effective in neutralizing the free radicals that cause harmful damage to our cells from our body.