That fruit which ripens in the cold of winter and is distinguished by its colors from yellow to orange to red, and its tangy acidic taste that announces its richness in citric and ascorbic acids or vitamin (C).
Grapefruit remains the first choice that comes to mind when a person decides to adopt a diet to lose weight, relying on reducing calories and selecting vegetables and fruits that provide low-energy sources with great benefit, high in content of various vitamins and minerals.
One grapefruit can provide a person with all their daily vitamin (C) needs along with varying proportions of minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and some iodine and zinc.
It also contains a significant amount of folates (folic acid), which is one of the important elements of the vitamin B complex group, known for its important role in the formation of red blood cells and preventing anemia.
The grapefruit fruit is rich in dietary fibers (pectin), which turn into a jelly-like substance when they encounter water in the digestive system. Although they are not absorbed, they fill the stomach space, giving a feeling of fullness without a need for energy, thus achieving a desirable balance without notable losses.
It is also a fruit rich in water, which constitutes 85 percent of its actual weight, dissolving all the beneficial elements. Like all fruits, it lacks fats in its composition. The benefits of grapefruit extend to the use of its peels in extracting essential oils that are used in many cosmetics and perfumes, including volatile oils that maintain a feeling of relaxation and psychological calm. It also remains a source of sugars that bring energy but in smaller amounts than all citrus fruits, especially orange.
The relationship between consuming grapefruit and lowering cholesterol levels is still under study, even though the relationship between fibers and cholesterol particles floating in the blood is known, as some of them are trapped to be excreted from the body with the fibers that the body uses but does not absorb or digest.
The most important point that allows us to enjoy the dual benefit of grapefruit remains. Despite all the many benefits it enjoys, it has a property that makes it a double-edged sword for those who do not know it.
Grapefruit inhibits the digestion of some drugs and their breakdown in the liver, so they remain intact to return to the blood again and accumulate with subsequent doses, which represents a real danger to human life.
This group of drugs includes medications for treating high blood pressure, heart muscle diseases, blood thinning, diuretics, cholesterol reducers, as well as pain and inflammation drugs such as Feldene, Voltaren, Brufen, and aspirin. Therefore, it is advised to consume grapefruit at least four hours before taking any dose of these drugs if you want to get their benefit and avoid their harm.