Thanks neetu for sharing this... i had no idea that grapefruit can help relieve sore throat....

Grapefruit is good source for nutrients, phytochemicals, vitamin-c
for best diet.Grapefruit reduces blood pressure.It is much helpful fot pregnent women can reduce water retention their body.

A good piece of informative post shared by Neetu and sarala..thanks for sharing. :)

Is Grape fruit different from grapes?.Many times I feel irritation in my throat after eating grapes.

Yes, although they are called grapefruit they are entirely different from grapes.

Please do share some pictures of grape fruits if you have some.

nagalakshmi.karunanidhi wrote:
[quote]Please do share some pictures of grape fruits if you have some.[/quote]

@ nagalakshmi
for images of grape fruit refer to the link below


http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/grapefruit.html

Health Benefits of Grapefruit


* Grapefruit is very helpful in removing or dissolving inorganic calcium which may have formed in the cartilage of the joints, as in arthritis, as a result of an excessive consumption of devitalized white flour products. Fresh grapefruit contains organic salicylic acid, which aids in dissolving such inorganic calcium in the body.
* Grapefruit can help in weight loss, since it is low in sodium, high in fat burning enzymes. Low sodium intake can help flush out excess water that is caused by high sodium food.
* Grapefruit has high water content, and an increased water consumption can help increase metabolism.
* Grapefruit is a rich source of Vitamin C
* Grapefruit is rich in lycopene (the red color/pigment), it helps to prevent the occurance of tumor and cancer.
* It is a liver tonic
* Helps in cases of Gallstones
* Helps in cases of Cold, Pneumonia, Fever
* It is a powerful drug-poison eliminator
* Helps in proper digestion of food
* Can help improve complexion
* Grapefruit is a natural antiseptic for wounds when used externally.

The Grapefruit Diet Plan

The Grapefruit Diet has been around for a long time. Although most experts believe the diet is not nutritionally sound, it does allow you to drop several pounds in a short amount of time. Many dieters lose between 12 and 30 pounds during the twelve-day program. Unfortunately, most dieter gain back what they loss when they resume their old eating habits.
How The Diet Works

The Grapefruit diet allows no more than 800 calories a day, which is very restrictive. Also:

* Eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice during each meal. The grapefruit acts as a kick-starter for fat burning.
* You must eat until you are full
* Limit coffee intake to 1 cup per meal.
* Don’t eat between meals.
* Butter can be added to your vegetables and you can fry using butter.
* No desserts, breads, white vegetables, or sweet potatoes are allowed on this diet.
* You can eat more than the specified vegetables, meats and salads.
* Stay on the diet for 12 days then stop for 2 days. Repeat.
* You cannot eat white onions, potatoes, celery, peas, cucumbers, carrots, green onions, potato chips, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, chili, cheese, mayonnaise, hot dogs, coleslaws, regular salad dressing green vegetables, dried nuts and butter/dill/bread pickles.
* You may have red onions, bell peppers, radishes, broccoli, cereal, corn, starchy vegetables, leaf spinach, pasta, peanut butter, corn chips jelly, jam, sweet pickles, pretzels, fruit, low-fat dressings.

Studies on the grapefruit diet

A 12 week study, lead by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored 100 men and women on the Grapefruit diet. Participants who ate grapefruit lost an average of 3.6 pounds and those who drank grapefruit juice lost an average of 3.3 pounds. However, many of the participants lost more than 10 pounds during the study. The participants did not change any of their existing diet except to include grapefruit or grapefruit juice to each meal.
Other Benefits

Another benefit of adding grapefruit to your diet is that researchers believe grapefruit reduces insulin levels, which help with weight loss. A high level of insulin indicates your body is not utilizing sugar for energy and the excess sugar can be converted and stored as fat on your body. High levels of insulin can also make people feel hungry even though they just ate! Studies indicate the consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice helps to lower the insulin levels, allowing the body to more effectively burn energy, increase the metabolic rate, and give us the feeling of being full.
Side Effects

If you are taking any medication, you should speak to a professional before starting this diet. Research has proven that grapefruit and grapefruit juice interacts with some medications causing potential side effects. Grapefruit inhibits an enzyme in the intestines, which provides for breakdown and absorption of many medications. Toxic side effects can happen when this process is blocked.

Many years of nutritional research has taught us that eating a wide variety of foods is the best way to lose weight. Restrictive diets that fall below 1,100 calories per day can be damaging. Many nutritional experts agree that more research is needed before results are conclusive. There is one thing to take comfort in, grapefruit will not damage your health, will boost your immune system due to the hight vitamin C content and should help with your weight loss program.

The grapefruit is a large orange-like fruit that belongs to the citrus family. It is a somewhat "new" addition to the family, deriving from a natural cross-breeding between orange and pomelo, thus its size.

The diameter of a grapefruit, depending on its variety, can range between four and six inches. Its albedo (the white matter under the skin) is about a quarter to half an inch thick. The fruit's skin looks like that of an orange, but its flesh comes in white, pink or red.

It is called a grapefruit simply because it grows in clusters, like grapes. The taste of a grapefruit can be bitter and sour but it has so many health benefits.



Nutritional Benefits

Grapefruit doesn't only contain vitamin C which is commonly known to be protective against cold or flu. It is not just one nutrient that helps prevent a certain disease, but rather the combination of several ingredients in it that does the trick. This is the kind of nutritional power that we can find only in the way God makes our natural food.

This juicy fruit contains citric acid, natural sugars, essential oils like limonene, pinene and citral. It has high amounts of vitamin C, and smaller amounts of vitamin A, B complex, E and K.

In the mineral department, larger amounts of calcium, folic acid, phosphorus, and potassium are found. The nutritive phytonutrients of this voluptuous fruit¾liminoids, flavonoids, lycopene and glucarates¾help fight cancer and various diseases.