FitSugar

Can Grapefruit Interfere With Medications?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:08 -0700

Orange and grapefruit juices are great sources of potassium and vitamin C, but some of you said you shy away from grapefruit - not because you don't love the taste, but because it interferes with the effectiveness of certain medications. It's true. There are chemical compounds in grapefruit known as furanocoumarins (FCs) that affect the enzymes in the intestines and liver that break down meds.

There's a list of drugs that doctors insist you avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking, because it can cause dangerously high levels of the drug in the blood, which can lead to serious side effects. Pomelos and Seville oranges, a type of bitter orange often used to make marmalade, should also be avoided.

To see a list from the Mayo Clinic of which meds may be affected by grapefruit, keep reading

Go Go Grapefruit?

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Remember the Grapefruit Diet from that wonderful decade the 80s? I just read a new variation of the diet – a half grapefruit with every meal, and I am not quite sure how I feel about it. While this new take on the diet is not nearly as extreme as just eating limitless portions of grapefruit and a few hard boiled eggs to keep you from fainting, it still seems a bit overboard.

A 2006 study found that beginning every meal with half a grapefruit can help shed unwanted pounds. In a 12-week study, participants who had half grapefruit starters at every meal, lost on average 3.6 pounds compared to others who were not eating the large citrus fruit and only lost on average one pound. Researchers think that plant compounds help to lower insulin levels and the smaller the amount of insulin in the blood after a meal, the more efficiently the body uses food for energy rather than storing it as fat.

I don't know about you, but the thought of starting every meal with a half a grapefruit for four months sounds unappetizing to me, and I love grapefruit. Grapefruit is in season right now though, so the fruit would be extra tasty and cheap. What about you? Tell me about it in the comments section below.

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Wake Up and Smell The Grapefruit

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 02:30:00 -0700

We've all heard that eating grapefruit can help aid in weight loss, heck there is even a grapefruit diet, but recent research shows that the sour fruit can be linked to breast cancer, which means I'm not loving the idea of eating it in large quantities. So what's a girl looking for help in weight loss supposed to do?

It turns out that the mere smell of grapefruit is apparently good enough to aid in weight loss. Preliminary animal studies show that the scent of grapefruit oil may help reduce appetite. Researchers speculate that this is because of the effect the oil's smell has on liver enzymes, which help nix cravings and spur weight loss. Clearly more research needs to be done, but if you like the smell of grapefruit (which I love, by the way) then why not give it a go and let me know if it helps reduce hunger.

Breast Cancer Linked to Grapefruit !?!

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I just found out some horrible news about a study involving vitamin C packed grapefruit. Eating this refreshing citrus fruit could raise your risk of developing breast cancer, particularly if you are a post-menopausal woman.

How is that possible? I thought all fruits and veggies were considered healthy. Here's the deal. Oestrogen is the hormone associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. An enzyme in your body called Cytochrome P450 3A4 (or CYP3A4) is involved in metabolizing oestrogen. Grapefruit may inhibit the metabolizing enzyme, which in turn makes oestrogen levels in your body rise, which could lead to breast cancer.

The study included 50,000 post-menopausal women and found that women who ate just a quarter of grapefruit a day increased their risk for breast cancer by up to 30%. Researchers are not suggesting you stop eating grapefruit, since more research is needed. These results definitely get us thinking about how our diets can affect our health on a molecular level.

Since these women were over 50, and we know that other lifestyle factors including drinking alcohol, being overweight, and eating red meat have also been linked to breast cancer, I'm going to let this whole grapefruit study pass by and wait for more research. What do you all think?

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Grapefruit: White vs. Pink or Red

FitSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 03:00:00 -0700

When the nights are warm, I always wake up craving something cool for breakfast. Grapefruit from the fridge is one of my top choices because it's so tangy, juicy, and refreshing - it really energizes me.

Not only do I love the taste, but grapefruit offers many health benefits. It acts as an excellent cleanser for the digestive and urinary tract, and promotes healthy skin.

Grapefruit is also rich in Vitamin C which supports a healthy immune system, and may help to reduce cold or flu symptoms. Vitamin C also helps to reduce inflammatory conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Drinking grapefruit juice can reduce your risk of kidney stones and helps protect against lung and colon cancer. Grapefruit also contains pectin, a form of soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol.

Isn't that amazing? With all that said, I was wondering if there was a difference between white and pink or red grapefruit. Is one healthier for you? To find out read more

Here's the nutritional breakdown of both white and pink/red grapefruit:

	White	Pink / Red
Serving Size	1/2 fruit	1/2 fruit
Calories	39	52
Total Fat	.1g	.2g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	0mg	0mg
Carbs	9.9g	13.1g
Fiber	1.3g	2g
Sugar	8.6g	8.5
Protein	.8g	.9g
Vitamin A	1%	28%
Vitamin C	65%	64%
Calcium	1%	3%
Iron	0%	1%

Fit's Tips: By the looks of that chart, it seems like the pink or red variety has a little bit more of everything, but the differences are nothing major. However, studies have shown the pink and red varieties contain higher amounts of antioxidants than the yellow kind. Pink and red grapefruit also contain lycopene, which has anti-tumor properties, and can help fight oxygen free radicals which are compounds that damage cells. So when you're shopping for grapefruit, opt for pink or red - they supply more bang (or should I say tang) for your buck.

Source

Great Fruit: Grapefruit

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:15:17 -0800

Grapefruit is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C and fiber. In fact, half a grapefruit provides 110% of the recommended value for vitamin C and contains more than 60 phytonutrients, which health experts believe help your body battle heart disease, cancer and other maladies -- a high level of pectin found in the fruit may also help you maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.

With health in mind, the Florida Grapefruit for Your Best Life Chef Recipe Contest was born! The contest was hosted by The Florida Department of Citrus and Bob Greene (Oprah's personal trainer) -- Together, they sought out recipes that bring flavor and good health together using grapefruit and fit the health criteria of The Best Life Diet (Bob's book).

And the winning recipe is...
Florida Grapefruit and Jerk-Grilled Chicken with Arugula Salad by Chef Matthew Laman (pictured)

To read the recipe, read more

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 Servings

Chicken:
4 (6oz.) boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon jerk marinade

Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Non-stick cooking spray
2 cups no-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 2 Florida grapefruits (about 16 oz. of juice)
1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped

Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Florida grapefruit (peeled, segmented and coarsely chopped)
2 papaya (peeled, seeded and diced)
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
16 grape tomatoes sliced in half (lengthwise)
4 fresh ¼ inch pineapple rings

Place chicken breasts and jerk marinade in large zip-top bag, seal and refrigerate for one hour. Remove chicken from zip-top bag and place on hot grill. Grill chicken breast until thoroughly cooked, about 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic with non-stick cooking spray, then add chicken stock and grapefruit juice. Bring to a boil, lower temperature to medium low and reduce to syrup. Add cilantro. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine arugula, olive oil, chopped grapefruit and pepper together. Toss the ingredients to coat arugula. Add tomatoes and papaya.

Place one pineapple ring on the center of 4 dinner size plates. Top each ring with one grilled chicken breast. Divide salad into 4 equal parts and place on the grilled chicken breast. Drizzle plates with sauce.

Nutrients per serving: 414 calories , 39 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 10 g total fat, 142 mg sodium, Vitamin A 70% DV, Vitamin C 339% DV, Calcium 12% DV, Iron 14% DV.

To get the other two winning recipes, check out the Florida Grapefruit For Your Best Life Contest site.

Citrus Shortage: Vitamin C Alternatives

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:00:00 -0800

Recently California suffered when temps (remember we are talking about California here) dipped to around 30 degrees killing a good amount of the bountiful citrus crops.

So even though we are facing a minor citrus shortage, it is still recommended that you get at least 75-90 mg per day of vitamin c. In light of all this, you can still get your oranges from Florida, but there are lots of other foods high in vitamin c that you may also want to consider such as:

Papaya: 313.1 mg in one
Bell peppers: 174.80 mg in one cup
Broccoli: 205.7 mg in one cup
Brussel sprouts: 161.2 mg in one cup
Strawberries: 136.1 mg in one cup
Cantaloupe: 112.5 mg in one cup
Kiwi (the fruit, not the bird): 95 mg in one
Cauliflower: 91.5 mg in one cup
Kale: 88.8 mg in one cup

Fit's Tip: It is recommended that adults don't consume above 2,000 milligrams in one day.

Fad Diet Predictions

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:27:16 -0800

A writer with the Associated Press thinks our fair country is due for a new fad diet since carbs were demonized oh so long ago. Will it be a revival of the grapefruit diet returning from the 80s along with leg warmers and pegged jeans? I'm thinking something involving green tea and miso soup sounds more 2007. What do you think?

Well the Calorie Control Council has made some very optimistic predictions for dieting trends for the year 2007. They are:

1) Restaurants will serve more low-calorie and reduced-fat foods.

2) Consumers will create personalized eating plans, instead of eliminating entire food groups (read carbs).

3) Exercise will become part of the “everyday.”

4) Functional light foods will gain popularity.(I'm still trying to figure this one out - I think apples, bananas and oranges are functional since they travel well in a purse, diaper or gym bag.)

5) Healthy living will become a family matter as childhood obesity becomes more of a publicized issue.

None of these predictions scream FAD to me. They seem a bit more like sound advice we should all consider turning into personal trends this year.

Visit the Calorie Control website for more information on dieting and health.

Can Grapefruit Help Me Lose Weight?

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:11:22 -0800

The 80's were chock full of fun fads like Duran Duran, leg warmers, and the very popular "Grapefruit Diet."

The diet consisted of no more than 800 calories a day (no wonder people lost weight). You ate grapefruit in the morning, grapefruit in your salad, and even used grapefruit juice in your cocktails (goes great with vodka). This citrus fruit was consumed with as much black coffee as you liked, some daily protein (hard-boiled eggs), and an occasional piece of dry toast. Delish.

Grapefruit was considered a "fat-burning food" that could kick-start your metabolism, but the diet soon became another crazy weight loss fad that faded away like acid washed jeans.

In 2004, one Dr. Fujioka conducted a study on the grapefruit and discovered that people who included grapefruit in their diet actually lost weight. It seems that grapefruit helps reduce insulin levels, which affects blood sugar regulation. Also, grapefruit is high in fiber.

The juice of grapefruit supposedly enhances the fat burning process - but so does exercise, which by the way - is also part of the grapefruit diet.

Fit's Tips: Hmmm, seems to me this diet should have been put to rest with the big hair of the 80's. Adding grapefruit to your diet won't perform miracles. The best way to lose weight - cut back on the number of calories you eat and increase your physical activity.

Check it out - Weird Al Yankovic made a parody of "Zoot Suit Riot," called "Grapefruit Diet." It's hilarious. Want to see the lyrics, then read more

Grapefruit Diet (to the tune of "Zoot Suit Riot" by the Cherry Poppin' Daddies)

Who’s that waddlin’ down the street
It’s just me ’cause I love to eat
Fudge and twinkies and deviled ham
Who’s real flabby? yes, I am!
Every picture of me’s
Gotta be an aerial view
Now my doctor tells me
There’s just one thing left to do

Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Throw out the pizza and beer
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Oh, get those jelly donuts out of here
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Might seem a little sever
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
I’m gettin’ tired of my big fat rear
Blow, fatty!

Well, I used to live on chocolate sauce
Made sumo wrestlers look like kate moss
Walked down an alley and I got stuck
I got more rolls than a pastry truck
When I’m all done eating
I eat a little more
When I leave a room
First I gotta grease the door

Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Can’t have another eclair
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
I gotta decrease my derriere

I’m on a grapefruit diet
I’m on a grapefruit diet
I’m on a grapefruit diet

No more pie now
No more creme brulee
Lay off the gravy
And souffle
No french fri-yi-yies now
No ice cream parfait
Mr. cheese nacho
Stay away

Oh I think I’d sell my soul
For a triple patty melt
But I need a boomerang
When I put on my belt

Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Lay off the 3 musketeers
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Until my big booty disappears
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
Eat ’em till they’re comin’ out of my ears
Grapefruit diet (diet!)
’cause I haven’t seen my feet in years

I’m on a grapefruit diet
I’m on a grapefruit diet
I’m on a grapefruit diet

I think I’m about ready for a quarter pounder with extra cheese
I need a side order of onion rings
And don’t forget to super-size that

Juice It: Grapefruit vs. Orange

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:00:29 -0700

What breakfast is complete without a cold glass of juice? I love the flavor of both fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juices, but never thought about which was more healthy.

Since both are citrus fruits, they seem equally nutritious, but when I compared the two, there's more of a difference than I expected. To see what I discovered, read more.

Although the differences aren't major, I was surprised that grapefruit juice contains fewer calories per serving. So if you're trying to lose weight, and you drink juice every morning, choosing grapefruit over OJ will save you 140 calories a week. If it's potassium or protein you're concerned with, OJ has grapefruit juice beat. Will knowing these nutritional differences make you choose one over the other, or is flavor more important to you?

	8 oz. Grapefruit Juice	8 oz. Orange Juice
Calories	90	110
Total Fat	0 g	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	10 mg	0 mg
Potassium	300 mg	450 mg
Carbs	21 g	26 g
Sugars	18 g	22 g
Protein	1 g	2 g