All About Grapefruit
Grapefruit was discovered in the 1750s, probably in Barbados, at east of the Caribbean Sea. It was known as the shaddock until the 1800s. In 1830s, it was botanically distinguished from the pomelo, and given the name Citrus paradisi. Its true origins were not determined until the 1950s. This led to the official name being altered to Citrus × paradisi. The fruit has only become popular from the late 19th century; before that it was only grown as an ornamental plant. The US quickly became a major producer of the fruit, with orchards in Florida and Texas.
Grapefruit is a sub-tropical citrus tree grown for its fruit, which are also known as grapefruit. The height of this evergreen tree reaches 5-6 m, and even 13-15 m with age. The leaves are dark green, ovate in shape, measuring 3 to 6 inch long and 2 to 3 inch wide. It produces white four-petalled flowers which are 1 to 2 inch cross and borne singly or in clusters in the leaf axils.
Grapefruit got its name from the way it grows in clusters (like grapes) on the tree. The fruit is yellow-skinned, nearly round or oblate to slightly pear-shaped and ranges in diameter from 4 to 6 inch. The center may be solid or semi-hollow. The pale-yellow, nearly whitish, or pink, or even deep-red pulp is in 11 to 14 segments with thin, membranous, somewhat bitter walls; very juicy, acid to sweet-acid in flavor when fully ripe. While some fruits are seedless or nearly so, there may be up to 90 white, elliptical, pointed seeds about 1/2 inch in length. The number of fruits in a cluster varies greatly; a dozen is unusual but there have been as many as 20.
Benefits of Grapefruit Seed Extract
The hidden therapeutic power of grapefruit seed extract, also referred to as citrus seed extract, was discovered by physicist Dr. Jacob Harich in 1972. It has shown to be non-toxic, as well as highly bio-degradable and environment-friendly, despite lack of scientific demonstration of its efficacy. Since its discovery, grapefruit seed extract has been widely used in food, cosmetics, and sanitary products to improve the health of people, plants, and animals.
Grapefruit seed extract is essentially a liquid drawn out from the seeds, pulp, and white membranes of grapefruit. Practitioners have claimed continually that this particular fruit extract is a form of alternative medicine possessing properties to fight viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Some nutritionists have in fact recommended grapefruit seed extract to patients of candidiasis, earache, diarrhea, and throat infections. As far as food is concerned, grapefruit seed extract has been reported by food retailers to be an effective – not to mention safe and natural – food preservative.
Although scientific or clinical evidence still has to be gathered to prove all these claims, grapefruit seed extract remains popular and well-received as having strong, natural healing properties. In fact, you can find several websites that offer products containing the said extract; there are food supplements and cosmetic merchandise. With a few clicks of your mouse, you can fill out an order form and have these goods in your hands in a matter of days. You too will be able to avail of and enjoy the therapeutic value of grapefruit seed extract.
About the Grapefruit Diet
The Grapefruit diet is based upon eating lots of ‘fat-burning’ grapefruit to kick-start your metabolism. This plan lasts for 12 days, if practice correctly you can lose up to 10 lbs. After 12 days of dieting, if you wish to continue you must take at least 2 days off before doing so.
There are quite a few different Grapefruit Diet plan versions available but the principal behind each and every of the plan is the same i.e. eat half a grapefruit before every meal, to enjoy the benefits of the fat-burning enzymes. The calorie intake is limited to not more than 800 per day.
Fat-free, low-calories and low in sodium, the Grapefruit diet plan causes rapid weight loss, primarily due to loss of body fluids. The best part about this plan; that is No Starvation. You will be enjoying normal meals at normal times.
Grapefruit diet began in 1930s as the Hollywood Diet. This diet claims that grapefruit contains a special fat-burning enzyme that activated when you eat half a grapefruit along with small amounts of other food for each meal.
At the time, nutrition experts dismissed it as another fad diet, explaining that the ‘fat-burning’ properties of grapefruit were, in fact, a myth and any weight loss that occurred was due to the extremely low and potentially dangerous calorie intake. With the recent research, grapefruit is back in favor.
A 2004 study led by Dr. Ken Fujioka at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found in a 12-week pilot study that on average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds , while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. Additionally, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.
Furthermore, the research indicates a physiological link between grapefruit and insulin, as it relates to weight management. The researchers speculate that the chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels and encourage weight loss.
The importance of this link lies with the hormone’s weight management function. While not its primary function, insulin assists with the regulation of fat metabolism. Therefore, the smaller the insulin spike after a meal, the more efficiently the body processes food for use as energy and the less it’s stored as fat in the body. Grapefruit may possess unique chemical properties that reduce insulin levels which promotes weight loss.
The overall study shows grapefruit can play a vital role in overall health and wellness. Whether it’s the properties of grapefruit or its ability to satiate appetites, grapefruit appeared to help with weight loss and decreased insulin levels leading to better health.
The Grapefruit Diet is now a common diet which is being tried all over the globe. It dates back to the ancient times of metal age when cultivation began. Basically it is a fruit grown in trees which are 5-6 m in height. The fruit itself is yellow in color and has a size of approximately 10-15 cm in diameter. There are other types of grapefruit as well which are white grapefruit and another one which is red in color.
The fruit, grapefruit has glucose in it which helps in fighting diabetes. What happens in diabetes is that the content of sugar rises in the body to such a level that it starts traveling with the blood. The only thing that lowers the sugar content in our body is glucose infact insulin. Many doctors therefore advice patients suffering with diabetes to adopt Grapefruit Diet.
Not only this, the Grapefruit Diet also helps in losing weight. A person usually gets fat when the body cannot digest all the food, thus the food starts to form lumps in our body. In our dictionary when these lumps start to hang out a person becomes fat. But in a scientific dictionary a person becomes fat as soon as the digestive system cannot digest all the food and leaves out some of the food in the human body. The Grapefruit Diet encourages weight loss so having a grapefruit after a meal helps in digesting the food. The insulin present in grapefruit speeds up the human metabolism rate which turns the food into energy not allowing the body to store fat.
The Grapefruit Diet Rules
Eat grapefruit at every meal. Dieter has the choice of eating 1/2 a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice and the enzyme is touted to burn away body fat. This diet plan does not allow most complex carbs. Consumption of most vegetables is encouraged and dieter are allowed to prepare them in generous amounts of butter. Consumption of coffee or tea is allowable.
- Drink enough water, a minimum of eight 8-oz glasses/ 64-oz of water every day. Water is essential for all body functions and has no calories.
- Follow the exact amount of grapefruit or grapefruit juice suggested. The grapefruit act as a catalyst that starts the “magical” fat burning process.
- Although coffee is allowed, dieter should allow themselves maximum 1 cup a day as it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process.
- Do Not eat between meal. Stick to the stipulated meal time.
- Dieter should make sure they eat till they are full, so that they won’t get hungry later.
- You may double or triple portions of meat, salad or vegetables.
- Do Not eliminate anything from the diet. Especially the bacon at breakfast and the salads. Dieter must eat the bacon and salads. These combinations of food burn the fat, omitting either of the combination will cause the whole thing not to work.
- Generous amount of butter is acceptable in food preparation.
- Exercise during the diet is not recommended due to the severe restriction of calories. Exercise should only be performed when energy levels are high, and this diet does not provide enough calories for an exercise to be on.
- This diet last for 12 days, dieter who decided to continue carry-out the plan must take at least 2 days off before doing so.
Researchers have still not termed it safe but according to some having a natural fruit can never effect a person therefore it is a safe fruit. But on the other hand some researchers believe that on a long term basis it is harmful as people would gain back the weight they have lost. The counter argument is however that no natural fruit is harmful for humans and secondly after leaving any diet plan the person gains back his weight.
Grapefruit Diet Pros
- Grapefruit has no fat, is low in calories and sodium, and is packed with vitamin C
- Beta-carotene found in the exotic pink grapefruit which helps to reduce the cholesterol level and build a healthy heart.
- The white pith contains pectin and bioflavonoids are excellent antioxidant food.
- Early results from US researchers suggests that eating grapefruit really does help reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
- Enzymes in grapefruit help to reduce insulin levels and speed up weight loss.
- This is an easy-to-follow diet plan.
Grapefruit Diet Cons
- Calorie content may be so low and is insufficient for daily nutrition.
- Sign of dizziness and upset stomach, possibly from the combination of coffee and so little food.
- Low in protein, and several important vitamins and minerals.
- Too much of meat is bad for health. Meats are a healthy part of a balanced diet when eaten in MODERATION.
- The diet is strictly short-term. It doesn’t help in changing usual eating habits, which is actually needed to gain permanent weight loss.
In theGrapefruit Diet, the dieters are required to have a glass of grapefruit after every meal or half of the grapefruit. The exact diet plan of a grapefruit diet is as follows:
Breakfast:
In breakfast the person can have two eggs only the white yolk along with two slices of bacon. The person however must have half a grapefruit or 8oz of unsweetened juice. The juice is equal to half a grapefruit. The person may also have black coffee or tea but with out sugar or milk.
Lunch:
In lunch the person can have salad any style and any dressing along with red meat cooked in any style. The person in lunch also needs to have half a grapefruit or 8oz of unsweetened juice.
Dinner:
In dinner the person can have meat cooked in any way along with vegetables cooked in any style or used in salads or anything. The person in dinner too has to have half a grapefruit or 8oz of unsweetened juice. The person can also have tea or coffee wit no milk and sugar.
Bedtime:
In the Grapefruit Diet the person also has an 8oz of tomato juice or skim milk before going to bed.
Not only this, the person following this diet should know the instructions of this diet so that he can fully benefit from it. The additional instructions of Grapefruit Diet are as follows:
The person should know that he can eat as much as he want until he gets stuffed up. The minimum diet is this; the person can have more than the above diet.
The person should not eat between meals as this would upset the whole diet. In fact if the person has this diet he won’t feel hungry in between the meals. The person should know that he is not to eat desserts, breads or white vegetables of sweet potato.
The main thing that the person should know is that he should have at least 8oz of water which is about ½ a gallon. Water fills up the appetite, having so much water will not make people hungry.
The most important point is that the person won’t lose weight during the first four days. However he will lose five pounds on the 5th day. After which he can lose 1-2 pounds everyday.
Like in every other diet exercise is really important part of the diet. A person should exercise regularly.
This means that a person following the Grapefruit Diet can have almost everything that he still has, but with a grapefruit. So what are you waiting for, if you want to lose weight go and start following the Grapefruit Diet so that you can have what u always dreamed to during dieting.