Grapefruit recipe substitute to avoid medicine interaction?
A good friend just underwent a kidney transplant and the anti-rejection drugs are known to interact with grapefruit, so while he is of course incredibly grateful for his new kidney, he is a little sad that he will literally never have grapefruit again.
I know this is a weird one but I'm curious if anyone knows of good flavor extracts that contain absolutely no grapefruit but provide a credible grapefruit flavor so I can make him something grapefruity, yet medication-safe.
Best Answer
Two ideas come to mind:
- Artificial grapefruit flavor. Clearly not the most desirable ingredient, but they make it and you can buy it online if you look for it.
- Hoppy beer (IPAs) for aroma. Certain hop varieties have a strong grapefruit aroma. You can seek out West Coast-style IPAs for this (Lagunitas IPA or Lil' Sumpin and Ballast Point Sculpin are some that come to mind). Or homebrew your own beer with hops like Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, and there are several others. You can google for grapefruit hops.
Otherwise, you might try meyer lemon. It's sweeter than a lemon, but still has some sourness, though not the same as grapefruit.
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Why does my medication say avoid grapefruit?
Many drugs are broken down (metabolized) with the help of a vital enzyme called CYP3A4 in the small intestine. Grapefruit juice can block the action of intestinal CYP3A4, so instead of being metabolized, more of the drug enters the blood and stays in the body longer. The result: too much drug in your body.Does grapefruit flavoring affect medication?
Grapefruit's culprit chemical does not interact directly with your pills. Instead, it binds to an enzyme in your intestinal tract known as CYP3A4, which reduces the absorption of certain medications. When grapefruit juice blocks the enzyme, it's easier for the medication to pass from your gut to your bloodstream.Is it OK to eat grapefruit with blood pressure medicine?
Grapefruit contains compounds that may interfere with how your body absorbs some drugs, including some blood pressure medicines. It can leave too much or too little of the drug in your bloodstream, which may be dangerous. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist if grapefruit could affect the medicine you're taking.Does grapefruit seed extract interact with medications?
Drugs interacting with grapefruit and inducing serious clinical consequences (confirmed or very probable) include: immunosuppressants, some statins, benzodiazepines, most calcium channel blockers, indinavir and carbamazepine. There are large inter-individual differences in enzyme efficiency.Don't Take This With That: Grapefruit, Drug Interaction
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Answer 2
Most of our sense of taste is in fact smell. How about mild lemon/orange recipes but surround the serving with grapefruit scent? Worth a try on a glass of pink lemonade to start.
Also, Bergamot reminds me of the missing bitter note in grapefruit, is that going to have furanocoumarin too?
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