Grapefruit
Want something sweet at the beginning, bitter at the end and still call it a healthy relationship? Why settle for the same old citrus suspects when you can wrap your hands around a hard-skinned and gloriously fleshy grapefruit that will give your tastebuds a tickle, and is also good for your health.
Low in calories and highly nutritious, grapefruits are a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C - a single grapefruit contains over 60% of your total recommended intake - great news for your immune system. Pink and red grapefruit in particular are good sources of beta carotene - vitamin A, and lycopene, an antioxidant that has been linked to lower stroke risk.And in a classic case of it’s not you, it’s me, you can blame the bitter end on a particular flavanoid high in grapefruit called naringen, which research shows that your sensitivity is genetically determined.
Grapefruit also contains potassium, which is important for maintain healthy blood pressure, as well as natural plant chemicals called phytochemicals, specifically flavanoids, which studies show can help fight stroke and heart disease. A brilliant addition to your diet - not just for weight loss, if that’s your goal, but for your overall health.
Originating from subtropical Barbados as far back as the 18th Century and standing the test of time, this ruby fleshed fruit has been a long held fascination of diet fanatics throughout the years. The well-known grapefruit diet, or Hollywood diet, first rising to popularity in 1930’s America combines grapefruit at every meal resulting in a high protein, and low carbohydrate diet. Just don’t believe the hype surrounding grapefruit containing fat burning enzymes, this is a myth. In fact, grapefruit juice is an inhibitor to a specific gut enzyme that breaks down certain medications causing too little or too much in the body. But don’t panic, you can still enjoy the health benefits grapefruit provides bycan easily switch to a medication that doesn’t interact by consulting with your Doctor.
Keen to include grapefruit into your diet but unsure how? Grapefruit’s crisp and refreshing flavour makes it a fantastic addition to salsa, the juice makes a wonderful mixer to make your cocktail more healthy, like the popular tequila Paloma cocktail. Or, throw it in with your green salad for a bit of bite, and combined with fish it makes a great flavour combination.
And if you’re keen to enjoy the humble grapefruit on it’s own and lower your cholesterol by including the high fibre membranes of the fruit, simply sprinkle it with a little salt to counteract the sour taste, sounds counter intuitive but it works!
