Grapefruit seed extract facts for kids

Grapefruit seed extract, often called GSE, is a liquid made from the seeds, pulp, and white parts of a grapefruit. Think of it as a special juice from these parts of the fruit. To make it, grapefruit seeds and pulp are ground up and then mixed with a sweet liquid called glycerin. You can find GSE in stores as a dietary supplement (like a vitamin) or in cosmetics (like lotions). It's also known as citrus seed extract.

The Story of Grapefruit

The grapefruit is a citrus tree that grows in warm places. Its fruit was first called the "forbidden fruit" in Barbados a long time ago. A person named Rev. Griffith Hughes wrote about it in 1750.

You can use almost every part of a grapefruit! People mostly enjoy its tangy juice. The peel can be used to make special oils for aromatherapy, and it also has lots of dietary fiber. The seeds and pulp are left over after making juice. These parts can be used to make GSE or even fed to cattle.

What's Inside Grapefruit Seed Extract?

Grapefruit seed extract contains many natural plant chemicals. These are called phytochemicals. Some of these include flavonoids, ascorbic acid (which is vitamin C), tocopherols, citric acid, limonoids, sterols, and different minerals. These are all natural compounds found in plants.

How Grapefruit Seed Extract is Made

To make grapefruit seed extract, the seeds and the part of the pulp that doesn't have juice are ground up. Then, this mixture is blended with glycerin. When you buy GSE in stores, it usually contains the seeds, pulp, glycerin, and sometimes other added ingredients.

Is GSE an Antimicrobial?

You might hear that grapefruit seed extract can fight germs, like an antimicrobial. However, scientists have not found strong proof that GSE itself has these germ-fighting powers.

Some studies show that the germ-fighting effects seen in some store-bought GSE products might come from other chemicals added to them. These added chemicals are often used to keep food fresh. When scientists made GSE in their labs without these extra chemicals, it did not show any germ-fighting effects. So, while you might find citrus seed extract in health food stores, there isn't clear scientific evidence that it can fight germs on its own.