Can you eat red grapefruit during your menstrual period?

It is best not to eat red grapefruit during your menstrual period. Red grapefruit is considered a cooling food, and consuming cold-natured foods during menstruation may cause uterine contractions and poor blood circulation, leading to blood clots and symptoms of dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain).

Regular consumption of grapefruit can have supportive therapeutic effects for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and vascular hardening, and it may help overweight individuals maintain fitness and improve skin health. However, women should eat warm foods during their menstrual period to aid in the expulsion of stagnant blood. Since grapefruit is cold in nature, eating it may lead to reduced menstrual flow and hinder the discharge of stagnant blood. In particular, women with cold uterus syndrome should minimize grapefruit intake during menstruation and wait until after their period ends to consume it.

Women should pay special attention to staying warm during their menstrual period, avoiding exposure to cold, wading through water, getting caught in rain, excessive sun exposure, or taking cold showers. Sexual intercourse, sitting baths, and swimming should be avoided, and good hygiene should be maintained for the external genital area, underwear, and sanitary pads. If menstrual flow is excessively heavy and accompanied by painful periods, women should avoid consuming foods with blood-activating properties—such as large amounts of red dates and brown sugar—during both the premenstrual and menstrual phases. Additionally, alcohol should also be avoided during menstruation.