Grapefruit is a famous name when it comes to the fruit world. Some might find it sweet, but I personally do not like grapefruits because of the sour taste of too much citrus acid.
Though the research has proven that grapefruits help lose weight. It has numerous benefits for which one should include grapefruits in their breakfast.
People with a keto diet might find it troublesome to include grapefruit in their schedule. Therefore, is grapefruit keto friendly?
You are about to find out when you reflect on this article through my intensive research.
After reading this article, you will have a clear idea about the benefits of grapefruit, a conclusion about grapefruit being keto-friendly, and other alternative fruits that can be included in the keto diet instead of grapefruit.
Enjoy!
Table of Contents
What Do We Know About Grapefruit?
The one mystery about grapefruits is that no one drives the conclusion of whether they are sweet or sour. They contain a sufficient amount of citrus acid, which will help kill harmful bacteria inside the body. Citrus acid also lowers the pH level of urine and helps with human homeostasis.
Coming to grapefruit once again, they are widely known as the Fruit of the Gods. The reason behind this wholesome title is that they arrive in various colors, such as pink, white, yellow, and most interestingly, different colors come with slightly different tastes.
The darker the outer region of a grapefruit, the sweeter it will get. Grapefruit is also used to make juice which is even more delicious.
Therefore, if you ever need to refresh your guests on a summer morning, you know what to serve them.
Ketogenic Diet- What Is It, How It Works, And What Are The Benefits?
So, what is the keto diet? It is a standard method of diet used by many celebrities over the years, which helped them stay fit and healthy. A keto diet restricts the amount of carbohydrate consumption in your body.
A person with a keto diet should consume a minimum of 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day. In doing so, your body reaches a stage called ketosis, where the metabolic enzymes start to burn down stored fat for aerobic respiration.
It is also suggested to include food with high fat in your keto diets, such as cheese or avocado.
How does a keto diet work? You start taking too much fat and protein-based food every day and lower the level of carbohydrate intake. In months, you will notice that you are gradually losing weight, and your body’s metabolic activities have increased a lot.
What are the benefits of a keto diet? As is already mentioned keto diet burns the stored fat in your body; therefore, your body will start to lose weight.
Furthermore, it will also decrease inflammation and increase your brain function. Because of low carbohydrate consumption, you can now maintain your blood sugar level and put an end to diabetes.
It also reduces the level of insulin circulating in the body. A ketogenic diet will save from the risk of sudden cancer in the body.
Medical research nowadays suggests a ketogenic diet for all families, and it is also proven that the fitness level of Americans is increasing, thanks gradually to the keto diet.
Nutritional Facts About Grapefruits
Suppose we want to conclude whether a grapefruit is keto-friendly or not. In that case, we need to consider the nutritional composition of an average-sized grapefruit and compare the results with the general rules and regulations of the keto diet.
The table shows the composition of nutrients contained in a grapefruit
| Names | Nutritional Values |
| Total Carbohydrates | 16.2 grams |
| Fat | 0.2 grams |
| Fiber | 2.2 grams |
| Protein | 1.3 grams |
| Net Carbohydrate | 14 grams |
| Calories | 64 Cal |
Apart from all the nutrients mentioned above, grapefruit also contains Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Lycopene. All these vitamins and metal ions have their benefits for the efficient function of the human body.
Grapefruits- Is It Keto Friendly?
At last, we have arrived at the long previous question, “Is grapefruit keto friendly?” From the above table, you can see that the macronutrients contained inside a grapefruit consist of 16.2 grams of total carbohydrates.
The minimum carbohydrate consumption in a keto diet is 20-50 grams per day. Therefore, if you wish to eat a reasonable amount of grapefruit in your keto, the consumption level will exceed the boundary condition.
So, grapefruits are not keto-friendly. Furthermore, the overall composition of other macronutrients does not balance the requirement for a keto diet.
Let us assume that you are a grapefruit lover and cannot resist cutting it from your keto diet list. If you can control your cravings at a certain level, you can turn a non-ketogenic grapefruit into a ketogenic fruit.
All you need is to eat grapefruits in a meager amount but regularly. The tricks below will show you the perfect method of maintenance.
- Small grapefruit contains lower grams of carbohydrate. If you eat one in 2-3 days, you can maintain the boundary condition of the keto diet.
- When you arrive from a heavy cardio exercise, you have burned many calories, i.e., carbohydrates, from your body. Consuming some carbohydrates after a long workout helps with the diet and refreshments.
- Salad is the most crucial dish in a keto diet as it is filled with lots of proteins. You can add grapefruit as one of the ingredients for the salad, which will fulfill both your keto diet and your cravings for the fruit.
Health Benefits Of Grapefruits
Apart from grapefruit not being keto-friendly, it has many health benefits based on which a person might consider eating grapefruits regularly. Some of the benefits are briefly explained below:
Prevents Cancer
You might have noticed the macronutrients Lycopene above, which can prevent cancer in the human body.
Lycopene is considered an antioxidant, and medical research suggests that it can reduce the probability of chronic diseases such as cancer.
Furthermore, it kills the harmful bacteria that are situated in the intestine. Researchers are still sure that grapefruit contains more antioxidants that will prevent different cancer variants, and the research is still in progress.
Improves Heart Condition
This particular benefit is only achieved when someone is eating a red grapefruit. It has a record of decreasing the amount of cholesterol in the blood, preventing heart diseases.
Red grapefruit also contains high Potassium ions, which lowers the Sodium ion level in the blood, decreasing systolic blood pressure.
Increased systolic blood pressure is the main reason for a heart attack. So, consume an actual number of red grapefruit and keep your heart healthy.
Vitamin Benefits
It has already been mentioned that grapefruits contain three sets of vitamins- A, B6, and C. Each vitamin results in different protection in terms of health.
Vitamin A helps in the maintenance of the cornea of the eye, which results in better eyesight.
On the other hand, Vitamin B6 protects you from degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
Lastly, Vitamin C contained inside a grapefruit helps repair damaged skin cells, provides protection to the liver, and can treat other skin-related diseases.
Improves Immune System
Grapefruits contain Vitamin C, which is an excellent source of antioxidants and so helps to rebuild the body’s immune system, which tends to protect you from any kind of diseases attacking your body.
Furthermore, extracting oil from grapefruit is excellent for stress relief and reducing blood pressure.
Grapefruits Alternatives For Keto Diet
In my opinion, it is not worth it to include grapefruits in your keto diet and ruin the whole plan of getting slim. On contradictory, what you can do is find other low carbohydrates fruit that will comfortably fit in your keto diet.
So, here goes some fruits that you can consider a ketogenic fruit:
Watermelon
Watermelon is considered a perfect low carbohydrate fruit as the consumption amount is 8 grams of total carbohydrate per 100 grams. Additionally, it is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidants that can prevent cancer and heart diseases.
Avocado
100 grams of avocado contains 9 grams of total carbohydrate, and therefore, you can easily fit this into your keto diet. This fruit has a high level of fat which is perfect for keto.
Also, it contains Vitamin A, C, and Potassium to prevent numerous diseases.
Strawberry
Strawberries are known as the best keto-friendly fruit of all time, and 100 grams of strawberries contains only 8 grams of total carbohydrate. They contain enough antioxidant, which prevents diseases like cancer and improves the immune system.
Also, it has a large amount of dietary fiber to help with the problem of constipation.
Kiwi
One Kiwi contains 8 grams of net carbohydrates, including the perfect amount of Vitamin C to help with the immune system and prevent other heart diseases.
Lemons
Lemons contain a large amount of citric acid, which can detoxify the toxins roaming around inside the body, and it also helps to maintain the pH level in the urine.
As the consumption level is 5.5 grams of total carbohydrate, it is a must choice for the keto diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is grapefruit suitable for a diet with low carbohydrates?
An average-sized grapefruit contains 16.2 grams of carbohydrates. According to this data, if your diet is considered low carbohydrates, you can consider grapefruit suitable for a low carbohydrate diet.
2. Does grapefruit help in detoxification?
Grapefruits contain pectin, which is a gelatinous fiber and helps in the detoxification of the blood and liver. The impurities then gently flow through the urine, thus keeping you healthy.
3. Can grapefruits initiate weight loss?
Grapefruits contain a vast amount of nutrition which is excellent for losing weight. Though they have a considerable amount of carbohydrates, they can initiate stored fat burning if they are consumed at a reasonable amount.
4. Will it be okay to eat grapefruit every day?
Grapefruits have many advantages over human health, such as improving the immune system and preventing cancer and sudden heart attack. Eating sufficient amounts of grapefruit will result in keeping you healthy for a long time.
Ensure the amount for the people who follow a strict keto diet. Otherwise, the target of the keto diet will not be fulfilled.
5. Which type of grapefruit prevents heart diseases and how?
Red grapefruits are the essential food for people with severe heart conditions. They can reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood to a significant amount.
They also contain electrolytes such as Sodium and Potassium ion, which controls the rate of blood pressure, thus recovering a heart disease patient.
6. What is the right time to eat a grapefruit?
If you are on a keto diet and consuming grapefruit every day but on a small amount to maintain the minimum sugar level, then the best time to eat grapefruits will be at the time of breakfast.
As average-sized grapefruits contain 64 calories of energy, they will give you a kick start to your chores in the morning.
7. What are the side effects of eating too much grapefruit?
Grapefruits are considered a healthy source of fruit. But overeating grapefruit will not fill your body with a surplus of nutrients. Your body will take the exact amount it needs, and the extras will result in diarrhea, gastric, or nausea.
8. What type of carbohydrates are found in grapefruits?
The preliminary stage of sugar found in grapefruits is sucrose. The other isotopes also found in grapefruits are glucose and fructose, and these compounds result from certain respiration as bulky materials break down into small ones.
Final Thoughts
Is grapefruit keto friendly? Well, the answer is- Yes and No!
While you roam around the grocery store and think whether you should include grapefruits in your keto diet or not, beware about the number of carbohydrates.
If you tend to minimize the consumption level under 20-50 grams of carbohydrates, grapefruit is considered keto-friendly.
Overeating grapefruit will force you to stop your keto diet. Therefore, make your decisions wisely. If you love grapefruit too much, leave the diet and plan other ways to lose weight.
If you want to maintain a strict diet, cut the name grapefruit from your list, and include a suitable alternative. Apparently, there are many!
