Made from the seed, pulp and peel of the grapefruit, grapefruit seed extract may have a wide array of germ-fighting, disease-preventing and health-promoting benefits. This highly concentrated, affordable extract has been associated with everything from healing wounds to treating herpes. The benefits of grapefruit seed extract are still being clinically tested, so consult your primary care physician before personal or household use.

Disease Prevention

Grapefruit seed extract may have strong antimicrobial qualities. Jon Barron, in “Lessons from The Miracle Doctors: A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimum Health and Relief from Catastrophic Illness,” says the extract may be able to guard against a wide number of infectious diseases and viruses. The antipathogenic properties in grapefruit seed extract, in fact, may help to guard against everything from African swine disease and foot and mouth disease to E. coli and salmonella. These antimicrobial qualities may also protect against oral infections when added to toothpastes and mouthwashes.