Grapefruit isn’t exactly the “go-to” fruit when you’re hungry for something sweet. However, more and more studies are showing that grapefruit is an amazing fruit with “super fruit powers.”
Among those many superpowers happens to be boosting fertility, something no one suspected before, but which scientists have now proven. To clarify, grapefruit won’t exactly create supercharged sperm or make women produce a ton of super fertile eggs, however it will create the perfect formulation for egg fertilization to occur.
Your Body Needs Extra Vitamin C
The human body needs a perfect balance of chemicals, minerals, and vitamins just to function on its own. When a woman’s body ramps up to produce an egg with the intent of becoming pregnant, the body must have double the perfect balance. Among the many nutrients needed for optimal fertility, a woman has to have even more vitamin C to help support implantation and pregnancy. Along with vitamin C, she also needs an ample supply of folic acid, both of which are found in citrus fruits.
Conveniently enough, the combined high amounts of vitamin C and folic acid are found in grapefruit. While it may be difficult to swallow such a sour fruit without a lot of sugar or sweeteners, that is exactly what some fertility dieticians recommend. Not only do these added nutrients help boost fertility health, the juice from grapefruits indirectly causes elevated estrogen levels, something necessary for egg production. What’s more, it also causes cervical mucus to thin out, which in turn allows sperm an uninhibited pathway into the uterus for fertilization.
The benefits of this fruit aren’t limited to women however, the juice of this fruit also helps men’s fertility. High in antioxidants, and their sperm benefits, grapefruit juice has the potential for aiding in increasing motility, and decreasing the degradation of DNA in sperm. If conception issues are not a problem for the woman but they are for her male partner, consumption of pure grapefruit juice or the fruit itself (without sweeteners) can be quite beneficial in some cases.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Relief
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects thousands of women. This condition interferes with normal menstrual cycles, causes excess bleeding or the absence of periods, and can also causes would-be eggs to turn into cysts on and in the ovaries. These troubling symptoms are just a few of the problems that can cause a woman to have difficulties with conceiving and carrying a baby to term.
Because PCOS can also cause an increase in miscarriages, women have the condition are encouraged to do everything they can to create a healthy womb. Part of this routine care is avoiding spikes in insulin which can lead to insulin resistance, excessive weight gain, and eventually diabetes. All of these conditions can negatively affect fertility and prevent a healthy pregnancy, but a PCOS diet that includes regular grapefruit and other sour citrus fruits may be just the ticket for avoid such issues.
Grapefruit juice and sour citrus fruits of the like, can help with PCOS concerns because it’s one of the foods that can limit spikes in insulin and adrenaline, unlike caffeine in coffee or tea. Because sour fruits do not contain the same amount of sugar as other fruits such as oranges or watermelon, it makes them a staple of a PCOS diet for moderating insulin while still providing the nutritional benefits of many other fruits.
Increasing Uterine Lining Thickness
The super fruit benefits don’t stop there. On one hand it increases estrogen to thin cervical mucus, and on the other hand it has been found to help thicken the lining of the uterus, an essential environment for implantation and conception. While estrogen and progesterone are usually not elevated simultaneously throughout your cycle, they have their moments. Whether you eat the fruit or just drink the sour juice straight, you can regulate the necessary hormones that are most responsible for creating the most inviting baby room for your partner’s sperm.
Consumption Levels
If your nose curls at the thought of consuming something as sour as a grapefruit, you may be wondering how much of it you have to muster the strength for to eat or drink. The good news is there’s really no hard and fast rule, since it’s not a magic fruit. However, consider the amount of vitamin C your body needs for conception and how much is in a serving of the fruit or its juice and go from there to add it into your diet on a daily or every other day basis for overall fertility health.