Grapefruit Juice Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Grapefruit juice is the juice that comes from the grapefruit fruit. Grapefruits are the citrus fruit that grow from the grapefruit tree known as the citrus paradisi. Grapefruits belong to the Rutaceae family, which includes the grapefruit’s relatives, the lemon and the orange. Grapefruits come in many colors, which means their juice does too. Grapefruit juice can range from pale yellow to pink to a deep red called ruby red.¹

Natural grapefruit juice has a somewhat bittersweet taste and usually contains pulp from the fruit. Grapefruit juice is widely available in grocery stores everywhere. But as consumers, it’s important to know the difference between healthy, natural grapefruit juice and the processed kind that has lots of added sugars and flavoring.²

Grapefruit Juice Health Uses and Health Benefits

Grapefruit juice health benefits come from the grapefruit’s high nutritional value. Grapefruit juice is high in vitamin C, which is an important vitamin for immune support. Grapefruit juice also contains vitamins A and B1 as well as critical minerals like potassium and copper. Grapefruits are also a good source of fiber and low in calories.³

The phytochemicals in grapefruit also help to improve health and lower the risk of disease through powerful antioxidant activity. Two phytochemicals found in grapefruit juice, naringenin and limonin, have been studied for their effectiveness in preventing carcinogenic activity as well as killing cancer cells and preventing them from spreading.^3,4

Other grapefruit juice health benefits include:

• Promoting weight loss 
• Controlling cholesterol
• Managing kidney health
• Improving skin health 

Grapefruit juice uses for preventing and treating conditions include:

• Joint Pain - The flavonoids in grapefruit juice help to reduce inflammation, which can ease joint pain and stiffness.
• Atherosclerosis (Arteriosclerosis) - The high vitamin C content in grapefruit juice can help prevent and treat atherosclerosis by helping to reduce the buildup of arterial plaque.
• Bladder Cancer - Grapefruit juice has shown to help kill cancer cells and prevent them from spreading in patients with bladder cancer.
• Fatigue (Chronic Fatigue - Syndrome)Grapefruit juice helps to support adrenal gland function and can naturally help boost energy levels in people suffering from fatigue and adrenal fatigue.

Grapefruit Juice Side Effects and Precautions

It’s critical to know about the possible grapefruit juice side effects that result from its interaction with certain medications.There are a few prescription drugs that cannot be combined with grapefruit juice as it can be fatal. Always check your prescription medications to make sure you can take them with grapefruit juice.³

References

1. https://www.britannica.com/plant/grapefruit 
2. http://www.doctoroz.com/gallery/5-benefits-grapefruit-juice 
3. https://draxe.com/grapefruit-benefits-weight-loss/ 
4. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=25