They help to keep the immune system strong and healthy
Part of the citrus family, grapefruits are packed with the antioxidant vitamin, vitamin C. Antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals – nasty unstable molecules of oxygen that move around the body scavenging for spare electrons to help stabilise themselves. In doing so, they can cause damage to our cells and our DNA and if allowed to build up, can lead to chronic inflammation and diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dementia.
Free radicals can enter the body through breathing in pollution and environmental toxins, smoking and eating a poor diet high in fatty, salty, sugary and processed foods. But even if we lead a virtuous life, they’re still about as they’re also the unfortunate consequence of normal biological functions such as breathing and digestion.
Antioxidants are our saviour, as they selflessly donate their spare electrons to unstable free radicals, helping to reduce the level of inflammation in the body and lowering our risk of disease. But what does all this have to do with the immune system? Free radical damage and chronic inflammation can impair the immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to illness and infection. So eating antioxidant rich grapefruits helps to protect the immune system and lower our risk of disease.
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