Yes, grapefruit is an excellent food to add to your diet if you are trying to lose weight. Grapefruits are low in calories but high in nutrients helping to maintain healthy body functions. They are also full of fiber which helps promote fullness. Grapefruits are also high in potassium which studies show may support good heart health.
Grapefruits are considered a weight-loss-friendly food. What does that mean? It means that grapefruits contain various nutrients which will help you stay full for longer and keep your body functioning properly. Read on for our deep dive into the wonderful superfood.
How do grapefruits help with weight loss?
It may be surprising that grapefruits can help with weight loss considering how delicious and refreshing they are. But this tasty superfood is packed with nutrients that promote a healthy body which helps with weight loss. Let’s examine this in more detail.
Grapefruits are low in calories
This superfood is surprisingly low in calories considering how many nutrients it contains. 100 grams of grapefruit has approximately 42 calories on average. In comparison, 100 grams of banana will weigh in at about 90 calories while 100 grams of pear comes out at about 60 calories. Considering all the incredible health benefits of grapefruits, just 42 calories seems like a bargain!
Grapefruits are high in fiber
Fiber sticks to your intestines and keeps you full for ages so you won’t find yourself snacking in between meals or indulging in cravings. An average size grapefruit will have around 4 grams of dietary fiber in it. Women should aim to consume about 20 grams of fiber per day while men should look for about 30. So, if you start your day off with just one delicious grapefruit, you’re already well on your way to your daily intake.
Plus, the fiber content per calorie in grapefruit is exceptionally high when compared to other high-fiber foods.
Grapefruits are superfoods
A key component in one’s weight loss journey is their health. Far too often, people try to cut calories to lose weight without considering the importance of certain nutrients in facilitating one’s weight loss. For instance, grapefruit is a fruit, meaning it has more sugar than other food groups. At first glance, someone may think this implies that they should cut it out to lose weight. But that couldn’t be more wrong!
Firstly, grapefruits are very low in sugar when compared to other fruits. Secondly, the sugar they do contain is completely natural, and alongside it, grapefruits are full of vitamins such as A and C which will boost your immune system keeping you on your workout plan.
Grapefruits are also high in potassium which may promote a healthy heart. An efficient and effective heart is essential to weight loss as it dictates the health of the rest of your body.
Grapefruits promote a healthy gut
The healthy gut craze began a few years ago when nutrition experts began talking about the importance of our gut. Grapefruits contain polyphenols which increase short-chain fatty acids production. All that means is that grapefruits can help fight bad bacteria in your gut which helps to maintain a well-functioning system overall.
Studies show the accumulation of bad bacteria in a person’s gut can hinder weight loss and make people feel unwell which makes exercising and eating well more difficult. So, load up on those grapefruits and keep that gut in top shape.
When is the best time to eat grapefruit for weight loss?
Ultimately, there is no good or bad time to eat grapefruit. As long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight. A caloric deficit simply means that you are intaking fewer calories than you are outputting. This can be done through exercising if you burn off more calories than you are consuming throughout the day. Alternatively, a caloric deficit can be reached by consuming fewer calories than your body naturally burns throughout the day. Or, through a mixture of both!
How should I eat grapefruit to lose weight?
The most common way to eat grapefruit is to simply cut it in half and use a spoon to eat the fruit inside. However, sometimes it can be difficult to get the fruit out, so we recommend going around the perimeter of the fruit with a knife first. Alternatively, there are spoons designed specifically for grapefruits which make the whole process far easier!
As grapefruit can be quite tart, some like to sprinkle some sugar on the top to add some sweetness to cut the tartness. This will add a few extra calories, however, so long as it’s just a sprinkle, it won’t hurt!
If you’re looking to eat your grapefruit on the fly, you can also try making it into juice. If you have a juicer, you can put a few grapefruits in for a vitamin-packed blend that will keep you glowing all day. But be sure to put the whole grapefruit in the juicer rather than just squeezing it yourself as lots of the fiber is contained in the fruit itself.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know all about the incredible benefits of eating grapefruit, don’t forget that the key to weight loss is the caloric deficit. You can eat just about anything and lose weight as long as you consume fewer calories than you expend. However, because grapefruit is so healthy, nutritious, and tasty, it will make your weight loss journey much easier and maybe even quicker!
