Health Benefits of Grapefruit

There are different types of oranges are popular in society and among different types of oranges, which had the greatest measure of the Grapefruit or Pomelo (latin name: Citrus grandis syn. Citrus maxima). Grapefruit is known to have a much larger size than other types.

The fruit is yellowish green with a round shape tapered at the top and tend to be flat on the bottom. Flesh is juicy and thick enough to have bergam colors ranging from white, pink, to dark red. If it was easy with a little sour taste bitter, but when ripe it feels to be pretty sweet though a sense of bitterness is not entirely lost. One other feature of grapefruit skin is very thick with the scent that is not too sharp. Because the skin is thick enough, grapefruit tend to be more durable than other citrus fruits. Orange peel is often used as toys by children, but in recent years grapefruit skin is also processed into sweets that tasted quite delicious.

Content of Grapefruit

Apart from delicious to eat, it turns out grapefruit has a number of content that has many health benefits. Some of the content that can be found in grapefruit as follows:

Lycopene
Lycopene is a substance that functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are useful for the body to ward off free radicals. Apart from being an anti-oxidant, lycopene also has anti-bacterial and anti fungal so it can help fight infection.

Pectin
Pectin is a type of fiber that dissolves in water and shaped like jelly and can only be found in plants. If the fiber is extracted from animal (usually cattle or pigs) commonly referred to as gelatin, then the fibers of the plant is called pectin. Based on the research note that pectin can lower cholesterol levels. Because they contain pectin which has the ability to reduce cholesterol, one of the health benefits of grapefruit for the most important thing is that it can prevent heart disease and stroke. Pectin also has the ability to protect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines so that the organs would be spared from infection while being injured.

Potassium
One other important content of grapefruit are potassium. Potassium is a nutrient whose main function is to assist the performance of the nerves and muscles to work properly. Addition of potassium is also beneficial to keep the blood in the form of glycogen.

Based on the research note also other benefits which controls the levels of potassium in the body of water. Potassium is also believed to be able to prevent hypertension or high blood pressure. Addition of potassium also acts as a support for cardiac performance and participation to keep the contraction of skeletal muscle and smooth muscle.
Vitamin C
As with other citrus fruits, grapefruit also contains Vitamin C in large doses. Vitamin C has a very vital role in human immunity. Consumption of Vitamin C with the appropriate dose proven to regenerate damaged cells. Furthermore Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells due to free radicals.

Consumption of vitamin C with the appropriate dose in a given time period can also avoid the premature aging process and prevent the onset of the enzyme tyrosinase. This enzyme is responsible for assisting the formation of pigment. If too much skin will look dull. With the limitation of production of the enzyme tyrosinase, the skin will look fresher.

There are many health benefits of grapefruit that we can take. You should not hesitate to consume it regularly. However, keep in mind in order not to consume too much because of any good thing if done to excess will impact not good for your body.