Grapefruit Pulp For Bone Health

The bone health ‘industry’ is dominated by Calcium and Vitamin D, as many people already know. I know this is an arthritis blog but for now I want to talk about our bone health. For somebody who has never been a religious milk drinker, I wanna take this opportunity to remind myself of the importance of starting early on milk. While I cannot take back  or even make up for the years lost of not drinking milk (I’m a true-blue coffeeholic!), I remain a work in progress in putting milk into my diet. (The time I was pregnant and breastfeeding and of course when I was a kid was the only times in my life I was on milk!)

There is always the option of taking the supplemental Calcium with Vitamin D. I was on this too when I got pregnant and even afterwards. However, I have always believed that taking the dietary sources are a lot better than taking the supplements. That’s why I have always resorted to other dairy products ( and other food sources rich in calcium) such as cheese and fruit yoghurt (yikes, i never thought the day would come I’d be brave enough to try yoghurt!). Just think non-fat dairy folks, that’s arthritis-friendly.

Speaking of grapefruit. Who likes it? It isn’t one of the nicest citrus fruits to eat but it has become popular in lose-weight fad diets. One time I bought grapefruit juice and was repulsed by the taste. Really. That time I thought maybe that’s why people lose weight with grapefruit because after eating (or drinking the juice) you feel horrible in the stomach and the mouth and then you can’t eat anything else anymore.

Now results of  Texas AMU research showed that red grapefruit pulp may compete with Calcium and Vitamin D for bone health, at least in their study using male rats:

The pulp of grapefruit may improve bone health and reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a new study with male rats.

Consumption of the red grapefruit pulp led to a slow down in bone resorption, and an increase in bone mineral build-up and calcium absorption, according to researchers from Texas A&M University.

If the results can be repeated in humans, grapefruit pulp may offer a new ingredient to the growing bone health market dominated by calcium and vitamin D.

Well…if grapefruit pulp later becomes a supplement, I guess I can take it better than eating fresh grapefruits! But then that’s just me. Other people may disagree and find grapefruit appealing to their taste buds.

So there, I’m just saying there goes maybe another option in the future for people who can’t drink milk. There are always substitute, even for people with cow’s milk allergy and even for the lactose-intolerant. Really I should be thankful because I only cannot take the smell and taste of fresh milk that’s why I have turned creative and put them in my fruit shake. Yum!

What about you, I want to here how you take care of your bones. And joints too!