Grapefruit got its name from grapes as they grow in clusters and is available throughout the year. The fruit was first bred in the 18th century as a cross between a pomelo and an orange. Is grapefruit good for you? Well, if fruit lovers are concerned about grapefruit’s calories, they have more reason to dive into the tangy fruit. The low-calorie fruit has ample amounts of vitamin A and C.
If you are unacquainted with the health benefits of grapefruit, once you know grapefruit’s nutrition facts, you will want to add it to your healthy diet.
Calories in Grapefruit
Grapefruit varieties are red, pink or white in color and may come with seeds or may be seedless. Its size may vary from four to six inches round. The red and pink colored grapefruits have higher calories compared to the white. Also, the larger fruits have more calories than the smaller ones.
A large grapefruit that is about 4½ inches in diameter has 106 calories. A medium grapefruit measuring about 3¾ inches in diameter has 80 to 82 calories. The smaller ones of around 3½ inches in diameter has 64 calories.
We also have the answer to the next question popping up in your mind. Is grapefruit juice good for you? A cup of grapefruit juice contains only 96 calories.
Grapefruit Nutrition Facts
Credit:”Nutritional data and images courtesy of www.NutritionData.com.”
6 Health Benefits of Grapefruit
Lowers the Risk of Strokes
Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits have a compound which lowers the risk of strokes in women, according to the American Heart Association. Women who consume high amounts of citrus have a 19% lower risk of stroke than women who consume the least.
Grapefruit also has a good amount of potassium. People consuming 4069 milligrams of potassium per day have a 49% lower risk of death from heart disease compared with those who consume less. High potassium intake helps in preservation of bone mineral density and reduces the formation of kidney stones.
Helps Fight Cancer
Grapefruit has high amounts of vitamin C and other antioxidants which helps curb the formation of cancer-causing free radicals. Foods having high amounts of vitamin C and beta-carotene lowers the risk of esophageal cancer.
Fights Skin Damage
The vitamin C present in grapefruit helps fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution. It also reduces wrinkles, improving overall skin texture. It also helps with the formation of collagen which supports good skin health.
Grapefruit is packed with vitamin A, a higher water content (about 91%), and important electrolytes which benefit the skin, giving it a healthy look.
Prevents Asthma
People who consume high amounts of nutrients like vitamin C are less prone to asthma.
Lowers Blood Pressure and Increases Heart Health
Grapefruit has all the components essential to maintaining a healthy heart. It has fiber, potassium, lycopene, vitamin C, and choline. Consuming one fresh red grapefruit benefits people suffering from atherosclerosis by lowering their high lipid levels. The potassium contained in the fruit helps lower blood pressure.
Helps Weight Loss
Grapefruit may help to lose weight to some extent according to the “Grapefruit Diet” study by Dr. Ken Fujioka. Fujioka assigned 91 obese people to one of four groups depending on their grapefruit intake. This helped him to monitor their weight.
Each one received either placebo capsules along with seven ounces of apple juice, eight ounces of grapefruit juice with a placebo capsule, grapefruit capsules with seven ounces of apple juice, or half of a fresh grapefruit with a placebo capsule three times a day before each meal. They were monitored for 12 weeks and it was found that the fresh grapefruit group lost the most weight at 3.52 pounds.
Related:
Sources:
“Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas Nutrition Facts & Calories,” SELF Nutrition Data; http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1905/2#ixzz4csqtqEAz, last accessed Jan 16, 2017
“The effects of daily consumption of grapefruit on body weight, lipids, and blood pressure in healthy, overweight adults,” US National Library of Medicine; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22304836, last accessed Jan 16, 2017
