Grapefruit is a fruit of the genus citrus and the family Rutaceae. It can be termed as a new member of the citrus family. It is actually a natural hybrid of orange and pomelo. The botanical name of the grapefruit tree is Citrus Paradisi. it is a subtropical evergreen tree, that was first discovered in the forest of Caribbean island. The fruit, i.e. grapefruit is known to have tart or a slightly bitter sweet taste, and a wonderful flavor. This juicy fruit looks quite similar to orange, but usually attains a huge size, just like pomelo. Grapefruit is one of those fruits that tops the list of highly nutritious fruits. Below here is a brief discussion about grapefruit nutrition facts and health benefits.

Nutritional Value of Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a rich source of many important vitamins and minerals, besides containing dietary fiber, proteins and carbohydrates. However, one of the most important grapefruit nutrition facts is that it is very low in calories. About 100 g of grapefruit provides approximately 41 calories, and contains 10.7 gm carbohydrates, 0.77 gm proteins, 0.14 g fats and 1.7 g dietary fiber. The same amount of grapefruit also contains about 1150 IU vitamin A, 31 mg vitamin C, 0.13 mg vitamin E, 0.2 mg niacin, 13 mcg folate, 0.043 thiamine, 0.262 mg pantothenic acid, 0.0563 pyridoxine, 135 mg potassium, 22 mg calcium, 0.08 mg iron, 9 mg magnesium, 0.1 mcg selenium, 0.022 mg manganese and 0.07 mg zinc. Find out more about grapefruit: calories in grapefruit.

Grapefruit Nutritional Benefits

Grapefruit health benefits can be largely attributed to its high nutrient content, and the presence of certain phytonutrients such as, lycopene, limonoids and naringin. All these nutrients have made grapefruit and grapefruit juice one of the most nutritious foods to have around. Following are some of the most noteworthy grapefruit nutritional benefits:

• One of the most important phytonutrient found in grapefruit is lycopene, a carotenoid responsible for imparting that rich pink and red colors to this fruit. This carotenoid is a potentantioxidant that helps to fight the free radicals, and thus, minimize the oxidative damage caused by them.
• By preventing the oxidative damage of the cells and tissues, lycopene can lower the incidence of several serious diseases including, cancer. Studies have observed the anti-tumor activities of lycopene.
• Regular consumption of grapefruit, especially the red variety can help to lower cholesterol. It contains many antioxidants and an enzyme, known as pectin, which can lower the risk for atherosclerosis.
• Grapefruit also contains salicylic acid, which can help a lot to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis. This acid can dissolve the inorganic calcium deposits, found in the joints of arthritispatients, and thereby, reduce the joint stiffness and inflammation associated with the condition.
• People trying to lose those extra kilos, can too get a lot of help from grapefruit and its juice. This fruit contains fat burning enzymes and naringin, which can promote metabolism and stop the uptake of fatty acids into the cells, to reduce body weight.
• Grapefruit can promote the production of liver enzymes that can detoxify the body by eliminating the toxic compounds including, potential carcinogens.
• The compound limonoid found in grapefruit has been found to exhibit anti-tumor activities, while the compound glucarates have been observed to prevent breast cancer.
• Grapefruit can prevent the formation of kidney stones, especially the calcium oxalate stones.
• Grapefruit can promote digestion by stimulating the flow of gastric juice. The dietary fiber found in this fruit can also aids bowel movements.
• Regular consumption of grapefruit can significantly reduce the risk for colon and prostate cancer, and hypertension, besides promoting heart health.

Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, which makes it an immune booster. This is the reason why, this fruit can enhance the ability of the immune system to fight diseases and infections. Considering all these grapefruit nutrition and health benefits, this fruit can be termed as one of the most nutritious fruits, necessary to lead a healthy life. However, grapefruit can interact with certain medications like, cholesterol lowering drugs and hypertension medications. So, if you are taking medications for certain underlying health disorder, please check with your physician, before taking grapefruit on a regular basis.