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Why
grapefruits put other citrus fruits to shame
While oranges, tangerines, lemons and limes
all have some great health benefits, none of
them are quite as powerful as grapefruits.
One thing all citrus fruits are known for is
vitamin C.
This versatile antioxidant plays a big role
in skin protection and repair. When most
people think of vitamin C, they think of
oranges or orange juice, but it turns out
that grapefruits contain more vitamin C than
any other citrus fruit (just half of one
provides about 80% of your RDA). And that's
not all. They also pack a lot more
vitamin A
and are richer in almost every B vitamin
(with nearly twice as much
vitamin B5
as oranges). It all adds up to make
grapefruits one of the best sources of
power vitamins
for acne prevention.
Besides vitamins, grapefruits also provide
skin-healthy bioflavanoids that help fight
bacteria, including lycopene (which is known
to aid in cancer prevention and guard
against excess UV radiation) and naringin
(which reduces toxicity in the liver).
However, while all these nutrients are nice,
one of the best things about grapefruit is
what it doesn't include. Several
citrus fruits, such as oranges and
tangerines, contain fairly high amounts of
sugar. They skew towards the top of the
fruit-sugar scale, making them less
attractive as everyday additions to an
acne-free diet. All that fructose can work
to offset their health benefits. In
contrast, grapefruits are much lower in
sugar, earning a spot on the low-to-mid
range of the scale. Sure, they're a bit more
sour, but the nutritional value is worth it,
and personally I love the taste of a fresh
grapefruit (sweet stuff tends to wear on my
taste buds, but grapefruit I can eat every
day). Just don't be a junkie and sprinkle
sugar on top!
What
about
grapefruit juice
or
topically applied
remedies?
For those who prefer to drink their citrus,
grapefruit juice has both benefits and
downsides, similar to any fruit juice. On
the up side, since the juice is more
concentrated, it can provide an even higher
amount of vitamins per serving than eating
the raw fruit does. Unfortunately, you lose
out on certain benefits, such as the fiber.
This is compounded by the fact that many
brands of juice add sugar to sweeten the
flavor. The end result is that eating
grapefruits is still better for you than
drinking grapefruit juice in most cases, but
the juice isn't bad.
Some acne remedies recommend applying
grapefruit slices or juice directly to your
skin, and indeed many skin care products now
include it among their ingredients. The
extract is touted as having
anti-inflammatory and antibacterial
properties, and like most citrus fruits,
applying it topically can also promote
exfoliation. If your skin has a high pH
level, grapefruit's acidity (pH of
approximately 3.3) may help to balance it.
That said, other citrus fruits may be more
potent for topical use. For instance, many
acne home remedies turn to lemon juice
instead, thanks to its higher acidity and
stronger effect in stimulating exfoliation.
Best
use and a few words of caution
There are very few foods out there that are
better for your skin than grapefruits, and
they're even easy to eat without getting
your hands sticky! Just slice one in half
(stem-side up, not along the core)
and grab a small spoon. It's like a fruit
bowl already prepared, and a great addition
to a healthy breakfast. Just be aware
that some of the phytochemicals in
grapefruit may block the action of certain
drugs (including drugs that lower
cholesterol). Ask your doctor about any
potential complications if you are currently
taking medications.
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