We all want to live long lives. One way to ensure you live a healthy life is to take care of your heart! What better time to think about your heart health than during Heart Health Month in February.
Did you know that Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice have many qualities that make them great to include as part of a heart-healthy diet:1
- No sugar added
- Cholesterol free
- Saturated fat free
- Sodium free
- Contains a number of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, like carotenoids and polyphenols, that may support heart health
- Contributes fibre to the diet (Florida Grapefruit)
In clinical studies, Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice have shown to:
- reduce blood pressure2-5
- reduce total cholesterol6,7
- reduce “bad” cholesterol (LDL)4,6-8
- increase “good” cholesterol (HDL)9
- reduce or not affect triglyceride levels2,6,7,9,10
- reduce aortic arterial stiffness11
In addition, observational studies have associated grapefruit consumption with lower triglycerides and higher HDL cholesterol12 and reduced risk for coronary heart disease mortality13 in women.
Hear that ladies? Get eating!
Citrus and 100% Grapefruit Juice May Help Support a Healthy Heart
Epidemiological data suggest consuming fruits and vegetables, including citrus and citrus juices, may be beneficial to the cardiovascular system as they have been associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke.14-19
A meta-analysis found 100% citrus juice consumption related to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and ischemic stroke.19
Many heart benefits may be partially attributable to plant compounds such as flavonoids. In several prospective cohort studies, higher intakes of the flavonoids found in citrus, including naringenin and/or hesperidin, were associated with:
- 41% reduction in all-cause mortality20
- A decreased CV risk score, and lower changes in CV risk score over time in older men (45-64 years)21
- 22% decreased risk of ischemic stroke in men 22
- 19% decreased risk of ischemic stroke in women23
- 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease in post-menopausal women 24
In a prospective cohort study that included over 34,000 post-menopausal women, grapefruit intake was associated with a 15 percent reduced risk for coronary heart disease mortality when adjusting for a number of confounding factors including age, energy intake, blood pressure, diabetes, BMI, and smoking.25
There are lots of ways to keep your heart ticking! Try including Florida Grapefruit in your diet to support a healthy and balanced overall diet.
For more information on the benefits of Florida Grapefruit visit the rest of our website.
References
- American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/heart-check-foods.
- Reshef et al. Am J Hypertens. 2005;18:1360-1363.
- Diaz-Juarez et al. Phytother Res. 2009;23(7):948-954.
- Dow et al. Metabolism. 2012;61(7):1026-1035.
- Onakpoya et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017;57(3):602-612.
- Gorinstein et al. J Agric Food Chem. 2004;52:5215-5222.
- Gorinstein et al. J Agric Food Chem. 2006; 54:1887-1892.
- Jonsson et al. Scand J Food Nutr. 2006;50(3):118-123.
- Silver et al. Nutr Metab. 2011;8(1):8.
- Fujioka et al. J Med Food. 2006;9(1):49-54.
- Habauzit et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(1):66-74.
- Murphy et al. Food & Nutr Res. 2014;58.
- Mink et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85(3):895-909.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=lai+epidemiol+2015+eur+j
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21389640/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27655760/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10517425/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19646291/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28338764/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26152229/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27488237/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27488237/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22363060/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22363060/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22363060/