Bright, delicious citrus is one of winter’s bright spots. But I sometimes avoid grapefruit just because it has the connotation of being a “diet food.” I don’t even want to think about the word diet...at least until January 1 rolls around.
Then the tart citrus fruit finds its way onto weight loss menus because it acts as a trigger for the body’s natural detox function. And in the aftermath of the holiday sugar rush, we could all use a little detoxing.
Plus, the delicious fruit is loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and lycopene. The good news? You don’t need a crazy fad diet to get grapefruit’s toxin-cleansing benefits both inside and out.
On the Outside: Grapefruit Cinnamon Salt Scrub
Exfoliation is one of the most important parts of your winter skincare regimen—don’t skip it! A regular session with a body scrub will slough off dead skin cells and allow those rich moisturizing lotions to penetrate dry skin and hydrate more effectively.
Citrus fruits are abundant this time of year, so use the leftover zest from the smoothie in the recipe below to amp up the exfoliation and aroma in this body scrub. Add a few drops of grapefruit essential oil, which has large amounts of the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain, to help break down fat and cellulite [source].
-½ cup of sea salt
-½ cup of jojoba, almond, or olive oil
-1 teaspoon of grapefruit zest
-10 drops of grapefruit essential oil
-Pinch of cinnamon
Measure the carrier oil and add the essential oil, then stir together to blend. Combine the sea salt and oils, and mix well in a bowl until the salt is saturated. Then add the zest and cinnamon.
Store in a covered jar and use as needed on your body, elbow, and heels. Apply with your hands in a circular motion, and then rinse with warm water.
On the Inside: Grapefruit Immune-Boosting Smoothie
Tart grapefruit helps ward off the common cold, improves liver function, and even helps with weight loss. The fruit’s antioxidants and enzymes give the liver a big assist by protecting the cells from damage and helping it break down toxins more efficiently [source]. Look for red and pink grapefruits, which contain lycopene and more antioxidants than yellow or white grapefruit [source].
To keep your immune system humming, whip up this sweet, tart smoothie with grapefruit, ginger, beets, chia seeds, and probiotic-rich yogurt.
Immune-Boosting Grapefruit Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into slices
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 banana
- ½ inch ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ cup purified water
- ½ medium beet, peeled and cubed
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients (except the beet) into a blender and process to obtain a smooth liquid.
- Divide half of the amount into serving glasses.
- Add the beet cubes to the remaining blended mixture and process to obtain an intense pink liquid.
- Top the serving glasses with the beet layer and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Rina Mary Allawh, M.D., a dermatologist who practices adult and pediatric medical dermatology, skin cancer treatment, and cosmetic dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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