It probably comes as no surprise that I live at the grocery store. I’m literally there 3-4 times a week. It truly is my favorite place to be and where we have spent many a Friday or Saturday night. Poor Coach Kozak, he’s so patient with my wackiness. 🙂
One morning, I ventured to Whole Foods all by my lonesome and saw a huge display of local grapefruit on sale! Grapefruits are listed on the Clean 15 list and therefore safe to buy the conventional grapefruit as opposed to buying organic all the time. I couldn’t resist, I scooped up a few! Now, I don’t eat grapefruit very often mainly because I eat citrus tropical fruits in moderation because of the sugar content but grapefruits have an outstanding nutritional profile.
Aside from being low in calories, containing 52 calories in half of a large red grapefruit, it’s full of of vitamin C. Vitamin C of course helps fight colds and aids in keeping your immune system healthy. Grapefruit is also a good source of vitamin A, folate, potassium, vitamin B5 and dietary fiber. It is also very low in saturated fat and contains ZERO cholesterol.
The dietary insoluble fiber pectin found in this fruit helps protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time to toxic substances in the colon. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon. In short, grapefruit is great for reducing cholesterol and protecting your colon from dangerous cancer cells.
This particular morning, I paired half of a juicy grapefruit with one cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt because remember, you have to get your protein in every meal and snack. I sweetened my Greek yogurt with 1 heaping teaspoon of stevia and topped it with 1/2 a tablespoon of hemp seeds and 1 tablespoon of slivered almonds because I like a little crunch. It’s a deliciously nutritious way to start the day.
A warning when consuming grapefruit: The National Institutes of Health warns that grapefruit and grapefruit products can interact with certain medications. The interaction can change the effect of the medicine and may possibly cause serious side effects. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist to determine if any of your medications are likely to interact with grapefruit, and if so, you should avoid all grapefruit products while taking those medicines.
Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 255.4
Total Fat 6.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 86.9 mg
Potassium 272.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 25.3 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Sugars 9.4 g
Protein 26.9 g
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