A Drink for Longevity: Grapefruit Plus Lime-ade or Lemonade
- by Nils Osmar. August 14, 2023
- This post is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice.
- See full Medical Disclaimer
Looking for a refreshing drink that might add a few years to your life? Try home-made grapefruit lime-aid:
Start with:
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon malic acid
- 1/2 teaspoon allulose (naturally lowers blood glucose)
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia (non-caloric herbal sweetener)
- 1/2 teaspoon xylitol (has been found to help prevent tooth decay) (see study)
- 5 grams creatine
- 1/2 teaspoon electrolytes
Then wash, peel and blend at high speed::
- 1/2 grapefruit (peeled, but leave the white pith)
- 1/2 lime or lemon (peeled; okay to leave some pith)
Why is this anti-aging?
According to this article, grapefruit is rich in naringin, a compound which protects against lung aging and “may enhance longevity by activating the SIRT1 gene, a protein involved in decreasing cellular stress and known to be anti-aging”. it’s also rich in Nootkatone, “a characteristic constituent of grapefruit, stimulates energy metabolism and prevents diet-induced obesity by activating AMPK”. See study.
Lime peels contain limonene, which has skin=protective effects: “Limonene protects human skin keratinocytes against UVB-induced photodamage and photoaging by activating the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant defense system.” But as with many hormetic compounds, we don’t want a huge dose. See study
Health benefits of malic acid
From a 2015 study: Malic acid is an important metabolic process produces organic body, is an intermediate metabolite of three shuttle acid cycle, directly involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism; but it is also part of malate-aspartate shuttle, between cytosolic and mitochondrial reduction equivalent transfer plays an important role
Hydroxycitric acid in citrus can decreases appetite
Studies done on mice suggest that hydroxycitric acid, another compound in some citrus fruit, suppresses the appetite and can stimulate weight loss by slowing down fat-producing enzymes. See study
Allulose lowers blood sugar.
From a Healthline article:
“In one study, 30 participants without diabetes received a 50-g dose of sucrose followed by either a placebo or allulose. The allulose group experienced significantly lower blood sugar levels after 30 minutes than the placebo group, though this difference was not maintained at later time points “
Why peel the fruit?
When making drinks like this, I used to blend whole lemons and grapefruit, but stopped doing so after learning more about the natural insecticides in the outer peel. In small amounts they can be beneficial; in larger amounts they could be toxic. The nootkatone in grapefruit does switch on the SIRT1 gene, but large doses might possibly cause stomach upset or other issues.
Caution:
For those taking rapamycin, grapefruit has natural compounds in it that can increase its concentration in the body. For this reason, I always avoid drinks like this on the day I take rapamycin or the following day. I’d recommend checking with your doctor before eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice if you’re taking any drug it might interfere with.
Not medical advice
This article is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice. I’m not advising that people eat any particular diet or take any particular supplement(s), just reporting on what I’m doing. Supplements, like medications and other interventions, can have side effects; I would encourage people to research both possible benefits and side effects before starting on any supplementation regimen, and consult with a medical professional about any issues which might have a medical component. See full Medical Disclaimer
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