Health Benefits of Grapefruit: Weight Loss: Diabetes

Grapefruit may not be liked by everyone because of its bitter sour taste. But it is highly nutritious and has a variety of health benefits. Grapefruit contains very low amounts of fat, cholesterol and sodium. Grapefruit juice is very good for the heart. It helps to keep the skin healthy and lowers the cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It also aids weight loss. It is highly beneficial to drink a glass of grapefruit juice twice a day along with breakfast and dinner.

Grape Fruit

Source: Wikimedia Commons: Aleph

Grapefruit Nutrition Facts

Health benefits of grapefruit include its very high nutritional value. It contains

- Vitamin A, C and B5

- Folate

- Calcium

- Dietary fiber

- Antioxidants like lycopene

- Phytochemicals

Grapefruit for Weight loss

Grapefruit has a fat burning enzyme which helps to promote weight loss. It helps to reduce the starch and fat content in the body. It is very low in calories. It is a very good source of vitamin C and potassium. It is said to be a high volume food as it has high fiber and water content. As a high volume, low calorie food, it will lessen your appetite without adding too many calories. It helps to increase insulin resistance. Higher levels of insulin make the body to store excess glucose as fat. Grapefruit helps to keep the blood sugar levels stable and reduce levels of the release of insulin. This helps you to lose weight.

Grape Fruit for Diabetes

Grapefruit helps to flush out excess sugar and starch from the body. It contains certain enzymes that reduce the levels of sugar in the blood. It also has abundance of dietary fiber and low content of carbohydrates. For people with a family history of diabetes, it helps to prevent or at least postpone the advent of the disease.

Immune System

Grapefruit helps to strengthen the immune system. Regular intake of grapefruit juice help to fight a variety of infections. It is very effective against cold and fever. Drinking grapefruit juice helps you to get rid of cough and throat infection

For Digestion

Grapefruit helps to strengthen the digestive system. Its fibre content helps to prevent constipation and improve bowel movement. Grapefruit juice has alkaline properties. It is an excellent remedy for acidity.

 For Fatigue

A glass of grapefruit juice helps to get rid of fatigue. It also helps to rid insomnia. Grapefruit juice before going to bed helps you to sleep better and overcomes insomnia.

 For Atherosclerosis

Grape fruit contains pectin fiber which will help to prevent or slow down atherosclerosis. It helps to lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). It will also lower the levels of triglycerides which is a fat, linked to heart disease. It has very high antioxidant content.

Other Health Benefits

- It is an effective drug poison eliminator

- Offers protection against cancer

- Fights against urinary problems and acidity

- Acts as a natural antiseptic for external wounds

- Aids bowel action

- It contains natural quinine which helps to treat malaria.

These are some of the health benefits of grapefruit.

Yogurt Health Benefits

Yogurt provides a wide range of health benefits. It is beneficial for the skin and aids digestion. it also helps to bring down blood pressure.

Yogurt is produced by the fermentation of milk. It is an excellent nutrient. It is called a probiotic, which means that it contains bacteria which are beneficial to health. The sour taste of the yogurt is due to conversion of lactose into lactic acid by bacteria during fermentation.

Yogurt  for Digestion

Yogurt made from cow's milk is one of the easiest foods to digest as it contains the digestive enzyme, lactase. It is more easily digestible than milk. It also helps to prevent stomach ulcers and colon cancer. It also aids in the reduction of weight. It creates sour conditions in the stomach which destroy other bacteria like the coli bacteria. So it helps in the prevention of diarrhea.It also acts a colon cleanser. 

Some people have problems in digesting lactose. The live bacteria contained in yogurt, aids the digestion of lactose. Fat free yogurt is one of the best health foods available. It can be blended with fruits for taste. Banana, berries, peaches are some of the fruits which can blend very well with yogurt. They can either be mixed in a blender or mixed with yogurt in a bowl and eaten.

Yogurt can fight cancer of the stomach. It can act as a mouth freshener as it can kill the microbes that cause foul smelling mouth. It can reduce the cholesterol content in the blood, as it absorbs cholesterol in the small intestine. Thus it can help prevent coronary heart disease.

Yogurt contains calcium in good quantities which prevents osteoporosis. Calcium also helps in developing and maintaining strong teeth and gums. 

Yogurt Benefits for Skin

Yogurt is a very good moisturizer. application of yogurt 2-3 times a week to your face will make your skin soft, smooth and hydrated. 

Application of yogurt to your face will provide relief from sunburn

As yogurt has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, it helps to get rid of acne.

Yogurt helps to dissolve the dead cells from from the skin pores and tighten the skin. it slows down the formation of wrinkles and lines.

Studies have shown that it can add years to your life. It can also prevent vaginal infection. Yogurt helps to improve your immune system and helps the prevention of diseases. Daily consumption of yogurt can prevent any kind of infection.