Grapefruits get the thumbs up from every nutritionist. Like other citrus, grapefruits are packed full of
vitamin C
, providing an entire day's needs in just half an grapefruit. This vitamin can enhance
iron
absorption, speed up wound healing and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Containing little in the way of fat, sugar or protein, grapefruits are high in water (over 85 % of their flesh is water) with natural fruit sugars. They give us sizable quantities of a type of fibre that's rich in soluble fibre including the gelling fibres pectin and several
gums
- well know to home marmalade makers.
potassium
They offer much potassium and smaller amounts of other minerals as well as
vitamin B1
, making them a nutritional all-rounder. Few other fruit can match this overall nutrition profile.
To top it off, they contain natural compounds that research shows can help prevent colon cancer and reduce the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Even the peel contains nutritional ‘goodies' that lower
cholesterol
or ward off cancer, so use it wherever you can in desserts or as a marinade.
Ideally go for whole grapefruits when you can. Freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice is heavenly but lacks the original fibre and is concentrated in kilojoules. A 250ml glass of juice is equivalent to 4 whole grapefruits in
kilojoule
value - a trap for anyone on a diet.
One grapefruit (weighing 210g) supplies: 1g protein, trace of fat, 13g sugar, no
starch
, 4g dietary fibre and 265 kilojoules (63 calories).
1 per cent protein, trace of fat, 8 per cent sugars, no starch, 3 per cent dietary fibre and 163 kilojoules (39 calories).
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