Food Worship #13: Grapefruit

I am a huge fan of the grapefruit.  If given the opportunity, I'll eat at least two a day, sometimes more.  They're juicy, delicious, filling, packed with nutrients, and HUGE.  They're a fantastic source of natural sugars, and boy do they taste great.  Many of you are probably familiar with the grapefruit as a breakfast food, and probably remembering preparing it by sawing it in half, adding some sugar, and digging in with a spoon.  But did you know that eating these things as you would an orange works just as well?  A ripe grapefruit is plenty sweet on its own, and if you can eat one in its natural state (without the added sugar) you're doing your body a TON of good.  And as I always do with this article series, let's look a little closer at the grapefruit.

Firstly, where does this thing even come from?   Well, it's a subtropical citrus fruit, and actually the largest producer of grapefruits in the world is our own United States of America (obviously in the more southern parts, where it stays a little bit warmer.)  The actual tree that sprouts these remarkable fruits is an evergreen tree, which to me seems somewhat strange, but then again nature always seems to confuse me at least slightly.  Grapefruits generally come in three main varieties, containing either red, white, or pink flesh.  I've only tried the first and the last, and I can say both are absolutely heavenly.  But what makes the grapefruit so darn healthy?  Let's explore a few of the unique health beneficiaries a grapefruit possesses.

Antioxidants:  The grapefruit is packed with a large amount of the very beneficial antioxidant lycopene, which can help to protect your cells from oxidative damage from free radicals.  This means grapefruit has an anti-carcinogenic effect, which I'll take any day of the week.  In fact, a study was recently done on a large group of men, and it was found that men who consumed foods rich in lycopene (such as grapefruits, tomatoes, etc.) had an 82% less chance of contracting prostate cancer.  That's pretty amazing.

Lowers Cholesterol:  Grapefruits have the fantastic ability to significantly lower cholesterol levels.  They contain a type of fiber called pectin which slows the process of atherosclerosis, which in layman's terms means that consumed high cholesterol foods are less effective at raising LDL or "bad" cholesterol.  Red grapefruit also lowers blood triglycerides, another nice benefit to get whenever you can.

Low Calorie:  Surprisingly, despite grapefruits being so large, they're actually a low calorie fruit.  Even the big ones only have about 100 calories, which is fantastic if you want a nice, filling meal without all the calories you're trying so desperately to avoid in your quest for a slimmer waist.  And believe me, a grapefruit can really bulk up a meal.  They're loaded with water, meaning they're very filling.  After you eat an entire grapefruit, you'll more than likely stay satisfied until your next scheduled meal, meaning it's much easier to stay on track with your diet.

Vitamins/Minerals:  Grapefruits are packed with these little guys, and everyone will do your body and mind a whole-lotta good.  Probably the most significant vitamin in grapefruit is vitamin C.  A grapefruit has a whopping 70% of your daily vitamin C, which besides being a great immune system booster also has awesome anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.  Honestly, the more you can get, the better.  Grapefruit is also very rich in vitamins A, B5, and B1.  In terms of minerals, grapefruit is a great source of potassium.

Fiber:  Last but not least, grapefruits, like most fruits and veggies, are packed with fiber.  This stuff is extremely important to get a lot of, and will help to keep your digestion system healthy as well as provide a full, satiated feeling for hours on end.  That's a pretty sweet double whammy.

So there you have it, a little look at a pretty hefty fruit.  As I've said many times before, I LOVE grapefruits and eat them on a regular basis.  I suggest you do the same, as they give a great energy boost and have a TON of healthy features inside that peel.  What are you waiting for?  Go pick some up and enjoy!

Keep peeling, munching, and living healthy.  GOOD LUCK!




References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=25

Dark Chocolate, Justified Or Not?

In my personal opinion, dark chocolate is a little gift from heaven.  It's smooth, rich, savory, sweet, and gives you that momentary escape from the world around you.  I've always preferred it to milk chocolate, as has the rest of my family.  There's just something about that dark flavor that isn't quite as "in your face" sweet that captivates me, pulls me in and ties me down.  No other taste has really grabbed me quite the same way.  And if you're like me, you may love chocolate, but have a hard time finding a place for it in your strict diet.  Diets and desserts don't tend to go together too often, at least in the traditional sense.

But wait, you've heard about dark chocolate, you've heard that it has a secret.  Rumor has it that dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, and actually is GOOD for you.  Yup, you may have heard it from a friend, family member, the radio, TV, newspaper, health magazine, really anywhere, as this so called fact is quite prevalent in society today.  Dark chocolate has antioxidants, and that's good enough for you.  You embrace that chocolate bar with renewed enthusiasm. Hello beautiful, where have you been all my life?

I can't tell you how frustrated I get every time I see my friends crunch into a dark chocolate candy bar, screaming "hey, dark chocolate's good for you!" in defiance as they see the disappointed look cross my face.  Listen folks, I love dark chocolate as much as anyone else, but lets put this rumor to bed.

So what are these antioxidants we're talking about in the same sentence as dark chocolate?  They're called flavanoids, and play a big role in decreasing blood pressure and supporting overall cardiovascular health.  It's powerful stuff, and getting more into your diet is certainly a good idea.  And dark chocolate does have a LOT of flavonoids....er...excuse me...cacao beans have a LOT of flavonoids.  Dark chocolate doesn't quite pack the same punch as these raw, natural ingredients, however it still has a significant amount of these powerful antioxidants.

But what is significant?  Measurable?  A good percentage of the daily dosage?  Well, yes to both, but I'd consider a significant source to be a sustainable, every day source of antioxidants, not something similar to dessert.  Dark chocolate may contain flavanoids, but I'm here to say there are FAR BETTER sources.  And although I'm starting to sound repetitive, take a guess as to what those better sources are?  

You got it:  Fruits, and Vegetables.  

Dark colored fruits are an amazing source of powerful flavonoids.  These include most berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries), as well as citrus fruits, like oranges and lemons.  Vegetables rich in flavonoids incude onions, tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, and peppers.  Although it can be argued that almost all vegetables have at least some flavonoids in them.  

Flavonoids are actually repsonsible for all the different colors fruits and vegetables take on.  This is why it is prevalent to some degree in any fruit or vegetable you could imagine, and also why the darker the pigment, the more dense the antioxidant punch.

Dark chocolate owes its flavanoid content to the cacao bean.  But dark chocolate is definitely not the healthiest source of flavonoids you could be eating.  You can think of it this way:  if dark chocolate tastes yummy to you, it's got plenty of sugar in it which make it to be that savory dessert you love oh-so-dearly.  And while sure, you may be getting some antioxidants with that bar of dark chocolate, that small benefit is not NEARLY enough to justify all the extra sugar and saturated fat you're putting into your system.

Especially when you could have just grabbed a banana and been done with it.  

So here's my final word.  ENJOY DARK CHOCOLATE.  But enjoy it for the right reasons.  Don't claim it to be some super food that it clearly is not.  Enjoy it because you love it's savory sweet goodness, and because you know you deserve a treat.  Keep your intake moderate, 1-2 ounces a day, at most.  Eat it when you're not incredibly hungry, so you don't over-indulge.  It's a treat, not a health food.

Keep on track, love chocolate, and good luck!