Make Grapefruit an Important Part of Your Diet

By Sara Butler

When I found out that February was National Grapefruit Month, my first thought was, “There’s a National Grapefruit Month?” My second thought was that if there was one fruit that doesn’t get enough love, it’s the grapefruit.

Oh sure, you’ve heard of folks going on an all-grapefruit diet to help them reach a healthy body weight, but how many people do you know eat grapefruit as a part of their everyday diet? It turns out that it’s a fruit worth considering because it’s easy to find and it has a lot going for it. Here are a few of the benefits grapefruits have to offer that may encourage you to give them another look.

Grapefruit Packs a Nutritious Punch

For the number of calories found in grapefruit, it has a lot of nutrients. It’s one of the lowest-calorie fruits out there.

One half of a medium grapefruit has just 52 calories but has a significant amount of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. It even has one gram of protein.

Grapefruit Is Good for the Immune System

The nutrients found in grapefruit happen to make it good for your immune system. Vitamin C can help to protect your cells from viruses and bacteria while zinc, iron, and copper all help to support healthy immune function. They’re also good for your skin, which is your body’s first line of defense from things that want to make you sick.

Grapefruit May Help with Insulin Resistance

When your cells stop responding to the insulin your body produces, then you can develop a condition called insulin resistance, which also happens to be a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

If your body cannot use the insulin it produces properly, then that will cause your blood sugar to go up, which your body tries to counteract by releasing even more insulin. Enjoying grapefruit in your diet may help to even out your insulin levels and help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Grapefruit Is Good for Your Heart

Eating grapefruit regularly might also help to improve your heart health through the reduction of risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Studies have found that people who regularly consume grapefruit lowered their blood pressure and showed improvements in their cholesterol levels.

Researchers think that this is because grapefruit is full of important nutrients that help to play a role in the optimal function of your body, including the function of your heart. Potassium and fiber, both found in abundance in grapefruit, can help to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.

Grapefruit Is Hydrating

Making sure that your body is properly hydrated is essential to your health and wellness. Grapefruits are almost entirely made up of water. In fact, half of a medium grapefruit has 4 ounces of water in it. Remember, drinking water is one way to stay hydrated, but so is eating foods high in water content, such as grapefruit.

When you think about it, grapefruit is an amazing fruit. It’s in season now, so go out and buy some to add to your diet this February.

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