Ever wondered how the word grapefruit came about? It was initially called “shaddock” but then, it was named grapefruit because the fruits simply looked like clusters of grapes on the tree! What a convenient name. The essential oil of grapefruit comes from the citrus paradisi grapefruit plant and contrary to popular belief, its oil actually comes from the peel of the fruit, instead of the pulp! The aroma is fresh, clean and slightly bitter, making it the signature smell of most citrus fruits.

Grapefruit essential oil is no doubt a unique and potent one, as it contains a wealth of wonderful benefits that includes it being a disinfectant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and a detoxifying agent. Read on to find out more about why you need to have grapefruit essential oil as part of your essential oils collection and how to use it safely to reap maximum rewards!

Health Benefits of Grapefruit Essential Oil

1. Antibacterial and Antimicrobial

Grapefruit essential oil contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that make it good for reducing or eliminating harmful bacteria festering within the body, such as E.coli and salmonella.

Not only that, it can also prevent the body from getting new infections, thus protecting the body from possible complications. As such, this oil is very useful for treating infections within the colon, stomach, intestines, urinary and excretory systems as well as the kidneys.

Being a potent disinfectant, it can also help to fight mold growth and kill parasites as well as preserve foods. Additionally, its antibacterial properties make it effective against candida, which is a common condition that affects the health of the gut. This is because it can reduce the yeast and bacteria growing within your gut.

A 2005 research that was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine has also shown that grapefruit essential oil can possibly cure urinary tract infections as well as treat lung and nasal infections when it is inhaled through a vaporizer or diffuser.

2. Improves the Condition of the Skin

Since it is an antiseptic, grapefruit essential oil is also very useful for treating various infections, cuts, scrapes and bruises on the skin. It prevents wounds from worsening and possibly developing tetanus or becoming septic. In addition, grapefruit oil greatly helps in treating acne as it wards off bacteria and greasiness which are the main causes of acne, hence, acne blemishes will be kept at bay!

3. Natural Detoxification

Grapefruit essential oil is also a potent detoxification as it has diuretic and a range of other properties that promotes purification. Being a diuretic, it promotes increased urination which helps in the removal of excess water, fats, salt, uric acid, urea and other harmful substances trapped within the body. As such, this helps to purify the blood and keeps diseases at bay since your body is healthy. Frequent urination, which might be quite inconvenient and discomforting, is good because it can also prevent urinary tract infections and keeps the kidneys healthy!

Not only that, it can also reduce blood pressure levels and prevent many heart diseases. As it is a a natural detoxification agent, grapefruit can also help to boost metabolism levels and reduce appetite as well as craving pangs. As such, it can help to promote weight loss in the most natural and healthy way as possible!

In fact, a 2003 study carried out in the Nagata University School of Medicine indicated that inhalation of grapefruit essential oil can activate the sympathetic nerve activity and possibly result in the suppression of body weight gain as it affected the olfactory senses of the anesthetized rat.

4. Potent Antidepressant

Grapefruit oil, with its soothing and fresh aroma, is essentially uplifting and puts you in a positive mood. So when you are in need of something to relieve you of the tension, stress and fatigue of the tiring day, you can use grapefruit essential oil! It induces relaxation and tranquility within you, thus helping you to fight off unwanted, negative feelings.

Not only that, it is also a natural energizer. Its stimulating properties help to provide mental clarity and fights off headaches, sleepiness and even mental fatigue. It can also give you a motivation booster and helps you overcome sluggishness to promote mental focus and concentration!

For example, a 2002 research study that was published in the Japanese Journal of Pharmacology found that those in inhaled essential oils such as pepper oil, estragon oil, fennel oil or grapefruit oil actually had lower blood pressure levels. They indicated that such inhalation of these fragrance oils can modulate sympathetic activity in normal adults as these oils induce relaxation and affected brain activity positively.

5. Stimulates the Lymphatic System

Akin to the detoxification properties, grapefruit essential oil is a great agent to boost and protect the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is very important because it is involved in the removal of unwanted and toxic substances.

As such, grapefruit oil contributes to the smooth and healthy functioning of this vital system as it boosts its detoxification activities and fights off various problems. This includes cellulite, blood urea, rheumatism, arthritis, gout and renal calculi.

Since it also boosts the lymphatic functions of the body, grapefruit essential oil can greatly help to promote fat loss, thereby facilitating weight loss by removing excess substances within the body.

6. Improves Circulatory System

The antioxidant properties found within grapefruit essential oil can help to reduce inflammation, thus making it an anti-inflammatory agent as well. As such, it increases blood flow to the vital organs in your body, contributing to its smooth and healthy functioning. With a few drops added into your daily night bath, or on your wrists, grapefruit oil can cure headaches, bloating and various muscular pains as it increases blood flow and circulation to these places.

7. As an Air Freshener

Grapefruit essential oil can also be used to disinfect your homes and offices due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial nature. It helps to kill off bacteria that is lingering in the corners of these places. These bacteria can be the cause of foul odors in your house. Hence this oil is especially useful in getting rid of bad odours and unpleasant smells within your homes and offices. In its place, the grapefruit oil gives off a warm, citrus-like and pleasant fragrance that leaves your room feeling very fresh and clean!

Hence, you do not need to spend so much on chemical room fresheners, which might not even do the job of killing off the bacteria that causes such foul smells in the first place! Grapefruit essential oil does the job perfectly and swiftly.

How to Use Grapefruit Essential Oil?

Now that you have read about the wonderful and amazing benefits of grapefruit essential oil, here’s how you can use it effectively in your everyday use to reap its rewards and benefits.

• Grapefruit essential oil can be diffused in a vaporizer, burner, diffuser or distiller. It can also be inhaled directly in small doses from the bottle itself.

• The oil can also be applied topically, directly onto the skin. However, be sure to dilute it with a carrier oil such as jojoba or coconut oil in a 1:1 ratio before topical application onto the skin. You can use this method to help improve acne-prone skin, or to provide relief from sore muscles or digestion problems.

• The oil can be ingested but proceed to only do so when you purchase a 100% pure, top-brand, high-quality, therapeutic-grade oil from a reliable and reputable seller. Simply add one drop to a glass of water or mix it in your tea.

• You can also add a few drops of it into your daily night bath to soak the stress, tension and anxiety away. Alternatively, adding a few drops of it into a spritz bottle containing water to spray around makes for an effective room freshener!

Safety Precautions:

• Be sure to consult with your doctor/medical physician first before proceeding to ingest grapefruit essential oil as a form of treatment. The standard protocol is to only add one drop of it to your drink as the oil is highly concentrated.

• If you are taking any other medications such as antidepressants or blood pressure medications, be sure to consult with your doctor first too to seek for professional advice as the grapefruit oil can potentially interfere and react negatively with these medications.

• Be sure to perform a skin patch test first before applying the diluted oil onto your skin to ensure there are no sensitive or allergic reactions.

• If you have applied the oil topically onto your skin, it is wise to avoid direct sun exposure as the oil makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays. It is best to wait for atleast an hour first before going out to the sun.

• If you are pregnant or nursing, be sure to consult your doctor first before proceeding to use grapefruit oil as a form of natural treatment.

• Do not consume grapefruit oil in large doses as it can overstimulate the gallbladder, result in spasms and other serious digestive problems. Always consume it in small doses.

References:

Oyelami OA, et al., “The effectiveness of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) seeds in treating urinary tract infections”, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2005); 11(2)

Haze S, Sakai K, Gozu Y, “Effects of fragrance inhalation on sympathetic activity in normal adults”, Japanese Journal of Pharmacology (2002); 90(3)

Niijima A, Nagai K, “Effect of olfactory stimulation with flavor of grapefruit oil and lemon oil on the activity of sympathetic branch in the white adipose tissue of the epididymis”, Journal of Experimental Biology and Medicine (2003); 228(10)