Grapefruit essential oil can be used in an array of different ways. It has been used for centuries for its natural abilities to heal and relax. It is a very versatile oil and is often used in many beauty and cleaning products on the shelves today. But this essential oil alone can add so many health and beauty benefits that we can incorporate into our natural lifestyle.
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What Is Grapefruit Essential Oil
Have you ever peeled open a grapefruit and was greeted with a burst of fragrance and wet sticky fingers? You may have even been sprayed in the face by the juice of the rind. This is the grapefruit’s essential oils. The essential oils are extracted from the rind of the grapefruit plant, and it has been used for centuries for its healing benefits.
Grapefruit essential oil has been used to help beat inflammation, weight gain, sugar cravings and even hangover symptoms. It is considered a natural stress reliever, anti-inflammatory agent, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic agent.
Essential oils from grapefruit are one of the most versatile essential oils. The aroma is fresh, clean and a little bitter like the fruit itself. Due to its signature taste and smell of citrus fruits, many people like to use it in cleaning products for their household. Citrus oils are also used in beauty lotions, soaps or cosmetics.
Grapefruit essential oil is naturally high in antioxidants and phytochemicals that help reduce oxidative stress and disease- causing inflammation.
What is Grapefruit Essential Oil Used for
Grapefruit essential oil is usually used to fight throat and respiratory infections, fatigue, muscle aches as well as a natural remedy for arthritis. It is also used to help lose weight by increasing energy levels and metabolism. It helps curb sugar cravings and helps detox your body. It is used to cleanse the liver and the body of harmful toxins and waste as well as activate the lymphatic system and control fluid retention.
Benefits of Grapefruit Essential Oil for Wellness
Helps Reduce Stress
Grapefruit essential oil is uplifting, soothing and clarifying. This makes it perfect to help relieve stress and anxiety while bringing on feelings of peace and relaxation. When used as aromatherapy, within your home can help turn on relaxation responses within the brain and even lower your blood pressure naturally.
Natural Energizer and Mood Booster
Grapefruit oil is another popular oil used in aromatherapy because it can increase your mental focus and give you a natural mood boost. When inhaled, its stimulating effects can make it effective for reducing headaches, sleepiness, brain fog, mental fatigue and even poor moods.
Helps Boost Weight Loss
When inhaled or applied topically, grapefruit essential oils are known to lower hunger cravings. This makes it great for those who want to lose weight the healthy way. You can’t lose weight by just using grapefruit. However, it can be used in combination with dietary and lifestyle changes.
Another way grapefruit essential oil can help with weight loss is that it is an excellent diuretic and lymphatic stimulant. This means it can increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine. For these reasons, it is also used to help get rid of cellulite by being added into cellulite creams and blends that are used for dry brushing.
If you need to lose excess water weight, grapefruit essential oil can help you do just that. This can help kick start a sluggish lymphatic system and get rid of excess waste.
Works As a Natural Anti-bacterial Agent
Grapefruit essential oil has anti-microbial effects. This helps reduce or eliminate harmful strains of bacteria that enter the body through contaminated food, water or parasites. It may even be strong enough to fight strong bacterial strains that are responsible for food born illnesses including E. Coli and salmonella.
Grapefruit essential oil is also used to kill skin or internal bacteria and fungus, fight mold growth, kill parasites in animal feeds, preserve food and disinfect water.
Helps Fight Acne and Improve Skin Health
Citrus oils can be found in many commercially made lotions and soap due to their antibacterial and anti-aging properties. Grapefruit essential oil helps to fight bacteria and greasiness that can cause acne and blemishes. It also can be useful for keeping your skin’s immunity strong against indoor and outdoor pollution. As a bonus, it may help get rid of cellulite, heal wounds, cuts and bites and help prevent skin infections.
Improves Hair Health
Due to the anti-bacterial properties in grapefruit essential oils, it can enhance the susceptibility of microorganisms that are usually resistant. For this reason, when applied to the hair and scalp or added to shampoos and conditioners (2-3 drops), grapefruit essential oil may help to cleanse your hair and scalp thoroughly. Grapefruit oil can also reduce the amount of grease build up in your hair minimizing the greasy look in your hair while adding volume and shine.
Helps Relieve Hangover
Grapefruit oil is a powerful gallbladder and liver stimulant. This is good to help stop headaches, cravings and sluggishness caused by a night out of over drinking. It also helps to increase detoxification and urination which helps get rid of the toxins. It can put a hold on cravings that can occur due to hormonal and blood sugar level changes resulting from alcohol.
Aids in Digestion
Grapefruit oil can help with detoxification because it can increase blood to the digestive organs such as the bladder, liver, stomach and kidneys. It can help you shed fluid retention and fight negative and harmful microbes in the intestines, gut and other digestive organs.
Reduces Sugar Cravings
If you’re like me, you may get a sweet tooth more often than you’d would like. Grapefruit oil may help to reduce those sugar cravings and help kick that sugar addiction.
Boosts Circulation
Limonene, a main component found in grapefruit oil and other citrus oils, is known to help reduce inflammation. Therapeutic-grade citrus essential oils are known for their ability to help lower inflammation and increase blood flow. Grapefruit oil can be used as a natural remedy for PMS cramps, headaches, bloating, fatigue and muscle pains due to the blood vessel- dilating effects.
Grapefruit Essential Oil Precaution
Generally, grapefruit essential oil is safe to use, but it can interact with certain medications including anti-depressants and blood pressure medication. Check with your healthcare provider before adding grapefruit essential oil to your diet or using it as a natural medicinal remedy if you take medications or have skin sensitivity.
Be sure to avoid direct sunlight or sun exposure directly after applying grapefruit essential oil topically. Grapefruit essential oil, as well as most citrus essential oils, can increase photosensitivity. Be sure to wait at least an hour before going into the sunlight.
It is important to not use high levels of grapefruit essential oils. It can overstimulate the gallbladder and cause spasms and serious digestive issues. Often, information on the internet can be misguided in terms of using the oil as weight loss, especially with low-quality brands that might also contain dangerous additives and fillers. Be sure to use only high-grade therapeutic oils and follow the directions on the labels carefully.
General Essential Oil Precautions
Essential oils are powerful, and it’s important to use them responsibly. Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before topical application. Essential oils should not be ingested unless under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Keep essential oils out of reach of children and pets, and store them in a cool, dark place to maintain their efficacy.
To visit our Essential Oil Safety blog where you can learn an array of essential oil safety guidelines, click here.
Final Thoughts
Grapefruit essential oil can be used in an array of different ways. From promoting skin and hair health, to aiding in detoxifying our bodies, this citrus oil can help. As always, be sure to perform a patch test before full body applications and read and follow the directions on the label carefully. Hopefully, grapefruit essential oil can be an added benefit in your natural lifestyle.
There are so many natural remedies in this world and finding the ones that meet your specific needs are just a few natural ingredients away. Welcome to your new journey of being a Naturel. Hope to see you a lot more in the near future !
XO Zaya
How has grapefruit essential oil benefited you? Let us know in the comments below.
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About the Author
Leaza is a licensed cosmetologist and a natural enthusiast. The love of writing combined with the love of nature and wanting to help others has influenced her to write blogs and create natural home, bath and body products.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. Neither Zaya Naturel nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. Be sure to contact your physician before trying any of the items stated in the above article.