A new collaborated study conducted by a group of scientists from both the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) revealed that grapefruit can actually treat diabetes. According to the study, the bitter flavor in the grapefruit, which is called, naringenin, is an antioxidant that can treat diabetes.

The reason behind naringenin’s ability to treat diabetes is that this substance pushes the liver into burning fat rather than storing it. The author of the study, Professor Yaakov Nahmias, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said, “Chemicals like naringenin were long sought after by the pharmaceutical industry, but their development was plagued by safety concerns”.

The study also showed that naringenin, in citrus fruit in general, would enhance the insulin’s sensitivity to digest fats, diabetes does mainly occur as a result of the body’s inability to produce enough insulin, a hormone that breaks down fats, as properly as it is needed by the body to regulate blood-sugar levels. Grapefruit can also treat unhealthy cholesterol levels, fight metabolic syndrome and improve glucose levels, which would ultimately lead to diabetes.

The grapefruit has a further advantage, which is that it helps in reducing weight, putting off diabetes.