Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are the Benefits of Grapefruit?How Nutritious Is Grapefruit?Beyond the Benefits: Grapefruit RisksA Couple of Ways to Eat GrapefruitWhat’s the Point of the Grapefruit Diet?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are the Benefits of Grapefruit?
How Nutritious Is Grapefruit?
Beyond the Benefits: Grapefruit Risks
A Couple of Ways to Eat Grapefruit
What’s the Point of the Grapefruit Diet?
Grapefruit is acitrus fruitknown as a strong source ofvitamin C, fiber,potassium, and other vital nutrients.
It’s also been a main ingredient in some weight loss diets, though more scientific evidence is necessary to back those claims. Though grapefruit is a healthy fruit choice for many, others should consume it cautiously because it interacts with various drugs and can impact certain health conditions.
This article discusses the health benefits of grapefruit, with tips for incorporating it into your meals.
Goodboy Picture Company / Getty Image
Grapefruit contains vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber that contribute to many health benefits. There has been much research on how this tart citrus helps support your health.
Research shows grapefruit helps promote:
Grapefruit is a high-nutrient superfood worth incorporating into your diet if it’s safe for you. Like other citrus fruits, grapefruits are a solid source of vitamins C and A. Additionally, grapefruit contains nearly zero fat, with substantial amounts of essential minerals likemagnesium, potassium, fiber, and calcium.
Grapefruit is also among the fruits with the highest water content, containing up to 91% water, which equals about 7.4 ounces per cup of grapefruit.
If you are concerned aboutelevated blood sugar levels,it is pretty low on the glycemic index. Eating grapefruit or drinking its juice regularly may help with cholesterol levels and body weight.
There are many different types of grapefruit. The most common grapefruit varieties include white, pink, and red. Grapefruit in the form of juice is another popular option for many people.
Though consuming grapefruit daily is safe for many people, there are some risks to be aware of, mainly if you take medications and have certain health conditions or allergies.
Which Fruits Are Best for Weight Loss?
Medication Interactions
There are more than 50 known prescription and over-the-counter (OTC)drugs with which grapefruit can interfere. This is partly due to its increasedmetabolization, which can strongly interact with medication dosing.
Discuss this with a healthcare provider before adding grapefruit to your diet if you are currently taking prescription medication.
Other drug classes have known strong interactions with grapefruit and grapefruit juice, including:
Always check medication levels because these should highlight whether they’re not to be taken with grapefruit.Even a cup of juice or a few slices of grapefruit can impact the effectiveness of your medication. The citrus fruitpomelohas similar drug interactions.
Medical Conditions
You should also consume grapefruit with caution if you have certain medical conditions, which may include:
Allergies
Thoughcitrus allergiesaren’t common, they may be possible with grapefruit consumption or exposure.
Signs of a grapefruit allergy can include a skin rash, inflammation, nausea, vomiting, and more.Though there’s no specific cure for this type of food allergy, a healthcare provider can offer guidance on avoiding hidden citrus in your daily diet and utilizing an EpiPen if necessary.
Before incorporating grapefruit into your diet, check with a healthcare provider to ensure that the fruit won’t affect any medications you may be taking, health conditions you may be experiencing, or allergies that may arise.
If it’s safe for you to consume, you can incorporate the tart flavor of grapefruit into your diet in several different ways, such as:
Grapefruit may be better stored at room temperature, even though it can also last in the refrigerator.
Decades after its surge in popularity over the 1970s and 1980s, research suggested that drinking grapefruit juice could help boost weight loss in people withinsulin resistance.
The study’s results spotlight grapefruit because it was incorporated into prominent weight loss diet plans. Thegrapefruit dietfad involves eating a hearty serving of grapefruit with or before every meal based on the thinking that grapefruit contains enzymes that burn fat, speeding up the metabolism.
Though more research is still necessary to support these claims, grapefruit’s high water content and filling fiber might help stretch your time between meals.
Summary
Grapefruit is rich in vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Research shows that the fruit’s health benefits range from faster wound healing to supporting heart health and reducing inflammation.
Grapefruit has strong and potentially serious interactions with many different prescription and OTC medications due to its interaction with the body’s metabolism. Pay special attention to medication warning labels and listed side effects before incorporating grapefruit into your diet, mainly if you take cholesterol- or blood pressure-lowering drugs.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bechara N, Flood VM, Gunton JE.A systematic review on the role of vitamin C in tissue healing.Antioxidants. 2022;11(8):1605. doi:10.3390/antiox11081605Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ.Nutrients for the aging eye.Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:741–748. doi:10.2147/CIA.S45399Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR.Flavonoids: an overview.J Nutr Sci.2016;5:e47. doi:10.1017/jns.2016.41Dow CA, Going SB, Chow H-HS, et al.The effects of daily consumption of grapefruit on body weight, lipids, and blood pressure in healthy, overweight adults.Metabolism. 2012;61(7):1026-1035. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.004Chen Z, Huang Y, Cao D, et al.Vitamin C intake and cancers: an umbrella review.Front Nutr. 2022;8:812394. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.812394Agarwal P, Sebghatollahi Z, Kamal M, et al.Citrus essential oils in aromatherapy: therapeutic effects and mechanisms.Antioxidants. 2022;11(12):2374. doi:10.3390/antiox11122374U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central: Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas.U.S. Department of Agriculture.17 fruits highest in water.American Diabetes Association.Fruit.Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Rampersaud GC.Consumption of grapefruit is associated with higher nutrient intakes and diet quality among adults, and more favorable anthropometrics in women, NHANES 2003–2008.Food Nutr Res. 2014;58:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179. doi:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.Bailey DG, Dresser G, Arnold JMO.Grapefruit-medication interactions: Forbidden fruit or avoidable consequences?CMAJ.2013;185(4):309-16. doi:10.1503/cmaj.120951American Heart Association.Before grabbing a grapefruit, understand its power.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.MedlinePlus.Grapefruit.Bourrier T, Pereira C.Allergy to citrus juice.Clin Transl Allergy. 2013;3(Suppl 3):P153. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-3-S3-P153American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Citric acid and citrus allergy.Sir Elkhatim KA, Elagib RAA, Hassan AB.Content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C and antioxidant activity in wasted parts of Sudanese citrus fruits.Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(5):1214-1219. doi:10.1002/fsn3.660Fujioka K, Greenway F, Sheard J, et al.The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome.J Medicinal Food.2006;9(1). doi:10.1089/jmf.2006.9.49Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Eat more, weigh less?
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bechara N, Flood VM, Gunton JE.A systematic review on the role of vitamin C in tissue healing.Antioxidants. 2022;11(8):1605. doi:10.3390/antiox11081605Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ.Nutrients for the aging eye.Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:741–748. doi:10.2147/CIA.S45399Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR.Flavonoids: an overview.J Nutr Sci.2016;5:e47. doi:10.1017/jns.2016.41Dow CA, Going SB, Chow H-HS, et al.The effects of daily consumption of grapefruit on body weight, lipids, and blood pressure in healthy, overweight adults.Metabolism. 2012;61(7):1026-1035. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.004Chen Z, Huang Y, Cao D, et al.Vitamin C intake and cancers: an umbrella review.Front Nutr. 2022;8:812394. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.812394Agarwal P, Sebghatollahi Z, Kamal M, et al.Citrus essential oils in aromatherapy: therapeutic effects and mechanisms.Antioxidants. 2022;11(12):2374. doi:10.3390/antiox11122374U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central: Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas.U.S. Department of Agriculture.17 fruits highest in water.American Diabetes Association.Fruit.Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Rampersaud GC.Consumption of grapefruit is associated with higher nutrient intakes and diet quality among adults, and more favorable anthropometrics in women, NHANES 2003–2008.Food Nutr Res. 2014;58:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179. doi:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.Bailey DG, Dresser G, Arnold JMO.Grapefruit-medication interactions: Forbidden fruit or avoidable consequences?CMAJ.2013;185(4):309-16. doi:10.1503/cmaj.120951American Heart Association.Before grabbing a grapefruit, understand its power.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.MedlinePlus.Grapefruit.Bourrier T, Pereira C.Allergy to citrus juice.Clin Transl Allergy. 2013;3(Suppl 3):P153. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-3-S3-P153American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Citric acid and citrus allergy.Sir Elkhatim KA, Elagib RAA, Hassan AB.Content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C and antioxidant activity in wasted parts of Sudanese citrus fruits.Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(5):1214-1219. doi:10.1002/fsn3.660Fujioka K, Greenway F, Sheard J, et al.The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome.J Medicinal Food.2006;9(1). doi:10.1089/jmf.2006.9.49Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Eat more, weigh less?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bechara N, Flood VM, Gunton JE.A systematic review on the role of vitamin C in tissue healing.Antioxidants. 2022;11(8):1605. doi:10.3390/antiox11081605Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ.Nutrients for the aging eye.Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:741–748. doi:10.2147/CIA.S45399Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR.Flavonoids: an overview.J Nutr Sci.2016;5:e47. doi:10.1017/jns.2016.41Dow CA, Going SB, Chow H-HS, et al.The effects of daily consumption of grapefruit on body weight, lipids, and blood pressure in healthy, overweight adults.Metabolism. 2012;61(7):1026-1035. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.004Chen Z, Huang Y, Cao D, et al.Vitamin C intake and cancers: an umbrella review.Front Nutr. 2022;8:812394. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.812394Agarwal P, Sebghatollahi Z, Kamal M, et al.Citrus essential oils in aromatherapy: therapeutic effects and mechanisms.Antioxidants. 2022;11(12):2374. doi:10.3390/antiox11122374U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central: Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas.U.S. Department of Agriculture.17 fruits highest in water.American Diabetes Association.Fruit.Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Rampersaud GC.Consumption of grapefruit is associated with higher nutrient intakes and diet quality among adults, and more favorable anthropometrics in women, NHANES 2003–2008.Food Nutr Res. 2014;58:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179. doi:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.Bailey DG, Dresser G, Arnold JMO.Grapefruit-medication interactions: Forbidden fruit or avoidable consequences?CMAJ.2013;185(4):309-16. doi:10.1503/cmaj.120951American Heart Association.Before grabbing a grapefruit, understand its power.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.MedlinePlus.Grapefruit.Bourrier T, Pereira C.Allergy to citrus juice.Clin Transl Allergy. 2013;3(Suppl 3):P153. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-3-S3-P153American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Citric acid and citrus allergy.Sir Elkhatim KA, Elagib RAA, Hassan AB.Content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C and antioxidant activity in wasted parts of Sudanese citrus fruits.Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(5):1214-1219. doi:10.1002/fsn3.660Fujioka K, Greenway F, Sheard J, et al.The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome.J Medicinal Food.2006;9(1). doi:10.1089/jmf.2006.9.49Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Eat more, weigh less?
Bechara N, Flood VM, Gunton JE.A systematic review on the role of vitamin C in tissue healing.Antioxidants. 2022;11(8):1605. doi:10.3390/antiox11081605
Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ.Nutrients for the aging eye.Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:741–748. doi:10.2147/CIA.S45399
Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR.Flavonoids: an overview.J Nutr Sci.2016;5:e47. doi:10.1017/jns.2016.41
Dow CA, Going SB, Chow H-HS, et al.The effects of daily consumption of grapefruit on body weight, lipids, and blood pressure in healthy, overweight adults.Metabolism. 2012;61(7):1026-1035. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.12.004
Chen Z, Huang Y, Cao D, et al.Vitamin C intake and cancers: an umbrella review.Front Nutr. 2022;8:812394. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.812394
Agarwal P, Sebghatollahi Z, Kamal M, et al.Citrus essential oils in aromatherapy: therapeutic effects and mechanisms.Antioxidants. 2022;11(12):2374. doi:10.3390/antiox11122374
U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central: Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.17 fruits highest in water.
American Diabetes Association.Fruit.
Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Rampersaud GC.Consumption of grapefruit is associated with higher nutrient intakes and diet quality among adults, and more favorable anthropometrics in women, NHANES 2003–2008.Food Nutr Res. 2014;58:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179. doi:10.3402/fnr.v58.22179
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Grapefruit juice and some drugs don’t mix.
Bailey DG, Dresser G, Arnold JMO.Grapefruit-medication interactions: Forbidden fruit or avoidable consequences?CMAJ.2013;185(4):309-16. doi:10.1503/cmaj.120951
American Heart Association.Before grabbing a grapefruit, understand its power.
MedlinePlus.Grapefruit.
Bourrier T, Pereira C.Allergy to citrus juice.Clin Transl Allergy. 2013;3(Suppl 3):P153. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-3-S3-P153
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Citric acid and citrus allergy.
Sir Elkhatim KA, Elagib RAA, Hassan AB.Content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C and antioxidant activity in wasted parts of Sudanese citrus fruits.Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(5):1214-1219. doi:10.1002/fsn3.660
Fujioka K, Greenway F, Sheard J, et al.The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome.J Medicinal Food.2006;9(1). doi:10.1089/jmf.2006.9.49
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Eat more, weigh less?
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