Grapefruits are among the most popular citrus fruits in the Caribbean region. However, persons taking certain medications need to be careful about their intake of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, because of the possibility of drug-food interactions.

A drug-food interaction occurs when the food a person eats reacts with a drug that the person is taking, in such a way that the drug does not work in the body in the way that it was intended to.

Sour oranges, such as Seville oranges, or their juice, may have an effect similar to grapefruit juice. The effects vary from one person to another, from one drug to another, and from one grapefruit juice preparation to another. To minimize the risk of adverse effects when consuming grapefruit or its juice, do the following:

• Do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit in any form until you talked to your doctor or your pharmacist about the potential for an adverse reaction;

and



• Read the labels on foods and natural health products to make sure they do not contain grapefruit or its juice or Seville oranges.