Grapefruit Seed Extract Benefits

When you eat a grapefruit, what do you do with the seeds? I’m guessing you spit them out or remove them from the start. What if I told you that those grapefruit seeds, particularly in grapefruit seed extract (GSE) form, actually might hold a wealth of health benefits.

This makes sense, considering grapefruit benefits include weight loss, cellulite reduction and immune system enhancement. Grapefruit seed extract actually has a different set of benefits almost entirely, but some of them do overlap with the incredible abilities of grapefruit essential oil. Practitioners of alternative medicine say grapefruit seed extract possesses antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and recommended its use for the treatment of candidiasis, earaches, throat infections and diarrhea. Grapefruit seed extract, especially when used internally, can be somewhat of a controversial supplement due to a lack of human studies as well as evidence of adulteration of grapefruit seed extract. The main controversy stems from study findings that some commercially produced grapefruit seed extracts contain harmful ingredients like benzethonium chloride and triclosan.

Without a doubt, if you’re going to use a grapefruit seed extract product, you should always read ingredients lists carefully and make sure that you buy from a reputable company. While brands might differ when it comes to quality, scientific research shows that pure grapefruit seed extract can kill all kinds of infectious microbes and even helps combat common health issues like candida and athlete’s foot. So are the seeds of a grapefruit actually good for you? Let’s discuss why this citrus fruit’s seedlings might be worthy of attention to your life as an internal, external and household natural remedy.

Fights Candida

Grapefruit seed extract is on my candida diet treatment plan for very good reason. Candidiasis, commonly referred to as “candida,” is a fungal infection that can affect men and women of all ages in various parts of the body. It most commonly occurs in the mouth, ears, nose, toenails, fingernails, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. A Polish study published in 2001 found that a 33 percent grapefruit extract has a potent antifungal effect against Candida albicans strains taken from patients with candida symptoms. GSE’s antifungal properties help it combat candida infestations by killing the yeast cells that have taken over in the body.

Kills Antibiotic-Resistant

A noteworthy case study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2005 found that grapefruit seeds were highly effective in killing antibiotic-resistant urinary tract infections. The study looked at several patients who were treated with grapefruit seeds (Citrus paradisi) orally for two weeks. The dosage was five to six grapefruit seeds every eight hours. Within those two weeks, all patients responded satisfactorily to the treatment minus one.

However, this patient initially had the bacterial UTI resistant to three different antibiotics, but after taking grapefruit seed there was a reversal of the antibiotic resistance pattern. Although a small human study, the data points toward the antibacterial ability of dried or fresh grapefruit seeds being comparable to proven antibacterial drugs, making it an effective home remedy for UTIs.