Here’s Why Grapefruit and Some Drugs Don’t Mix

Women who ate grapefruit or drank its juice regularly had lower triglyceride levels tesdei/iStock

The flesh and juice of grapefruit offer many benefits if you have high blood pressure. However, grapefruit also has many food-drug interactions of which you need to be wary as some of these involve some antihypertensive drugs and statins. I’ve provided an overview of the pros and cons of eating grapefruit and drinking its juice, below, but if you are on any medication do check the Patient Information Leaflet inside your packs to see if any grapefruit interactions are listed.

Why Grapefruit Is Good for Blood Pressure

As a member of the citrus family, grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, with a single fruit supplying at least half your daily requirement. Grapefruit contain citrus bioflavonoids (eg limonene, hesperidin, tangeritin and naringenin) which also have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Together, these antioxidants help to protect against hardening and furring up of the arteries – a key contributor to the age-related increase in blood pressure that occurs in many people.