Once you learn how to make grapefruit seed extract (GSE), you may not need to buy it again because GSE is cheap and easy to make at home.

Each fall and winter especially, when the citrus crops are in season, we regularly enjoy grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Not only for the fresh fruit, but also the many wonderful health benefits and to fortify our winter immunity.

Now, we no longer view the seeds as something to get rid of, but rather, beneficial gems to mine from the fruit for making grapefruit seed extract.

You can use this same process for making citrus extracts from the peel and pith as well.

Let Us Know

We do our best to deeply research our focus topic and to include official scientific studies as well as anecdotal information, with each labeled as such.

We also love learning from the direct experience of our readers, so if you have first hand knowledge of GSE that you’d like to share, or anything in our article that needs correcting or clarifying, please let us know and we’re glad to share and update this article accordingly.

But first, what is GSE?

If you’re interested in more info on GSE, and dehydrating seeds, etc., continue reading. Or you can skip that and go straight to the grapefruit seed extract recipe.

What is Grapefruit Seed Extract?

Grapefruit seed extract (GSE), is used as a supplement derived from the seeds of grapefruit, and/or the grapefruit seeds, pith and pulp. In other words, some extracts use the seeds alone, and others use the seeds and fruit, and some also use the peel.

There are many benefits of grapefruit seed extract for health and for cleaning. There are studies that indicate GSE has antimicrobial^[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7830962/^[2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12165191/, antiviral,^[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3131668/ and antifungal properties,^[4]https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217496 amongst many other benefits and uses.^[5]https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217496

What we love most about homemade grapefruit seed extract is that it turns refuse into food, medicine and more, such as this grapefruit seed extract cleaner.

How to Prepare Grapefruit Seeds for Making Extract

First, you will need to collect enough grapefruit seeds, which may take days or weeks, depending on how often you’re having grapefruit. After cutting a grapefruit, extract the seeds. If you’re making extract right away, you don’t need to do anything else to preserve the seeds before grinding, and we cover this in the recipe section below.

You can use fresh or dehydrated grapefruit seeds for making GSE. If you need to collect your grapefruit seeds over time as you consume enough grapefruit to accumulate the amount needed, you can preserve them through dehydration. Then store in a jar or envelope once they’re completely dry.

You can find more on seed storage here.

How to Dehydrate Grapefruit Seeds

• Air dry – place on a plate or wax paper (don’t use paper towels, as the paper can stick to the seeds and be hard to remove once it dries on
• Ambient warmth – Place on a plate or sheet pan a warm surface, such as the stove top while the oven below is on, or a nearby stove eye. The indirect heat will expedite the process. Just be careful to insure that the plate with the seeds doesn’t get too hot so as to break or burn bare hands.
• Food dehydrator – find more on food dehydration here.
• Oven on warming setting, (usually around 150°F / 65°C
• Sun – warm or hot sun is perfect; it’s free, quick, easy, and may even add intangible nutrients
• Yogurt maker – if you have a yogurt maker, you can place your citrus seeds in there without the lid.

Find more on best food dehydrators or how to dehydrate oranges here.

How Many Seeds Are Needed to Make Grapefruit Seed Extract?

The number of seeds you use will vary by recipe as well as by whether you’re using whole or powdered seeds, (which is not as efficient, as you will read further down under the “how to”). The quantity used is also dependent on how many seeds you have available and how much extract you’d like to make.

However, you can make an extract with even a few seeds, peel, pith (the non-juicy pulp), so long as you’re using enough solvent, aka menstruum, (the old fashioned word for solvents). The main thing is to use enough liquid solvent to easily cover the solids.

How Many Seeds in a Grapefruit?

Now if you’re looking into how to make GSE, then chances are you already have a supply of grapefruit seeds that you’re trying to put to good use. But if you’re planning from scratch, chances are you’re wondering how many grapefruit you’ll need in order to collect enough seeds.

The number of seeds in a grapefruit varies widely, depending on the variety and size of the fruit and of the seeds. So we searched around for grapefruit seed counts (we found only two), and have also performed our own count on our grapefruit as well.

There are an average of 49 seeds per seeded grapefruit, (based on a very limited poll). You can see that count below, however, again, the counts will vary dramatically amongst different grapefruit varieties.

Since you’ll need grapefruit seeds for making grapefruit seed extract, you’ll want to start saving the seeds each time you enjoy a grapefruit.

Here’s a summary of three different counts of grapefruit seeds in one grapefruit. I only took an average of the two, however, because ours turned out to be a seedless variety!

• 3 seeds – We counted an average of 3 seeds per grapefruit from two different batches. I don’t know if these are classified as seedless grapefruit, but they may be which would explain the low count. This does not include any count of the several (or many) tiny seeds that don’t really have seed value, either for nutrients or offspring, and seem more like flecks of shell more than a full bodied seed.
• 23 seeds – answered by someone on Answers.com🤔^[6]https://www.answers.com/biology/How_many_seeds_does_a_grapefruit_have
• 53 seeds – counted by a lady with a blog about living in Dominican Republic^[7]https://colonialzone-dr.com/dr_gringa_blog/2011/03/02/how-many-seeds-in-a-grapefruit/
• 118 seeds – the number of seeds in a pomelo type grapefruit^[8]https://celllevelhealing.com/how-many-seeds/

Please send us your grapefruit seed counts (photos and the type too if that’s available), and we will continue to update this list for greater accuracy amongst a larger number of grapefruit seed counts. Because we wanted to know, we figured others would too!

A count of 4 types of grapefruit yielded an average of 49 seeds per grapefruit. [3 + 23 + 53 + 118 ÷ 4 = 49.25]

~GardensAll

So if you’re going to make grapefruit seed extract from scratch, you’ll need to be sure to get the seeded variety and NOT the seedless type. I ended up eating the two seeds extracted from my two small seedless grapefruit.

Yes, you can eat grapefruit seeds in moderation. These were mildly bitter and mildly pleasant, and with some free vitamin C and protein!

Now, let’s get on with how to make GSE.

How to Make Grapefruit Seed Extract

It’s far more effective to make grapefruit seed extract with ground or crushed seeds. The active compounds in grapefruit seeds are found in the seed membrane and the white, spongy pith that surrounds the seeds, which are exposed when the seeds are ground.

NOTE: You can also use this same recipe for making other citrus seed extracts. See our article on Poncirus trifoliata orange medicinal benefits and uses.

Grapefruit Seed Extract With Ground Grapefruit Seeds

Materials:

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Strainer – a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• Grapefruit seeds, ground, (can be fresh or dried)

Ingredients:

Quantities are approximate. As with any extract, the main goal is to have enough solvent liquid to completely cover the ground seeds.

• ~1 cup of fresh grapefruit seeds (preferably organic).* Collect grapefruit seeds from grapefruit that has been washed before cutting.
• ~2 cups of solvent, such as vegetable glycerin or alcohol such as vodka or brandy at a minimum 80-proof
• A glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, (preferably plastic)*
• Cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer

*NOTE 1: Quantities are approximate.
The goal is to aim for approximately 33% grapefruit seeds to 67% solvent medium, (based on the ratio used by the bestselling GSE extract, Nutribiotic). A solvent can be an alcohol like vodka, brandy or rum at a minimum 80-proof (35% alcohol as recommended by FDA guidelines),^[9]https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=169.3 or it can be a food grade vegetable glycerin.

Instructions:

1. Grind grapefruit seeds in a coffee or spice grinder or blender, (if you have a Vitamix grain blender), or, you can do it the old fashioned way with a pestle and mortar until well ground, (can be rough or fine).
2. Transfer the ground seeds to a plastic container or glass jar.**
3. Add the alcohol to the jar, making sure that the seeds are completely covered. Some of the ground seeds may float, but shaking this infusion daily, should help keep them immersed enough to be preserved and infused.
4. Tightly seal the jar and store it in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks. Shake the jar every few days.
5. After 4-6 weeks, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer to remove any solids. You might need to double strain it. I prefer to use a wire mesh colander, then follow up with a finer mesh tea sieve
6. Store the extract in a dark glass bottle and keep it in a cool, dark place. The extract should have a shelf life of several months. Alternately, I like to use clear glass bottles so that I can keep an eye on the freshness of the extract. However, it is stored in a dark cabinet, to help preserve freshness.

**NOTE 2: If using mason jars, we prefer to use plastic mason jar lids to keep the alcohol from possibly causing the lid to rust or leach tin into the extract. Once it’s ready, we transfer the GSE extract into glass bottles with plastic lids with a spout, spray bottles or tincture bottles with a dropper.

The grapefruit seed extract should last for up to a year or more. You can use it as a natural disinfectant by adding it to a spray bottle with water or use it to preserve food by adding a few drops to jars of homemade jams and jellies.

Grapefruit Extract Using the Whole Grapefruit

Here is a recipe for making grapefruit extract using the entire grapefruit of seed, pulp, pith and peel.

Materials:

• 4 grapefruits: including skin, seeds, and pith. (This is perfect for juicing grapefruit and then using what remains).
• Solvent – enough to cover of:
  • 3 parts vegetable glycerin or alcohol
  • 1 part distilled water
• Glass jar with lid
• Cheesecloth or sieve
• Dark glass dropper bottle, (or clear glass, but store in a dark cabinet)to

Instructions:

1. Wash the grapefruits thoroughly to remove any dirt or chemicals.
2. Cut the grapefruits into small pieces, including the seeds, pulp, and white membranes.
3. Add the grapefruit pieces in a glass jar to about 2/3 full.
4. Fill with liquid solvent to cover (as given above):
   • 3 parts solvent
   • 1 part distilled water
5. Close the jar with the lid and shake well to mix the contents.
6. Wait & Shake daily to stir mixture for better infusion.
7. Strain after 4-6 weeks, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or colander into another glass jar.
8. Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract as much liquid as possible.
9. Pour the liquid into a dark glass dropper bottle*
10. Store the grapefruit seed extract in a cool, dark place.

*Alternately, I sometimes — especially with tinctures I’ve never made before — like to use a clear glass dropper bottle so that the quality of the extract is easily seen so as to monitor for appearance. The solvent should prevent decay and mold, but it can happen if parts are left unsubmerged. However, I’m careful to keep any clear bottle extracts in a cool dark cabinet to make up for it not being in a dark glass bottle.

How to Use Grapefruit Seed Extract

To use the grapefruit seed extract, add 10-15 drops to a glass of water and drink it, or use it topically by applying it to the affected area. It can be used to help with various health conditions such as fungal infections, digestive issues, and respiratory infections.

CAUTION: It’s important to note that grapefruit seed extract can interact with certain medications, so be sure to consult with your appropriate healthcare provider before using it.

Challenges of Making Homemade Grapefruit Seed Extract

Longevity – There is Limited Information

Some of the most popular GSE’s use other or all parts of the grapefruit: seed, pulp, skin, and pith (the white part under the skin, surrounding the fruit). We could not find any definitive or congruent information on how long the extracts last, especially those made from all of the parts of the grapefruit.

If you have validated information on that, please let us know so that we may add it here.

Strength – There is Limited Information

It is important to note that the quality and concentration of homemade grapefruit seed extract may vary. There is no home method that we know of for identifying the strength of homemade GSE, nor how effective that made with the whole grapefruit may be as compared to extract made exclusively or primarily from the seeds.

So the biggest challenge in making your own grapefruit seed extract, is that the strength and longevity of it will be unknown and untested.

In other words, you won’t know exactly how much to use for the best strength for internal nutritional use or for an external disinfectant.

Towards that, here are some ideas on how to improve and refine your homemade GSE.

How to Improve Your Homemade Grapefruit Seed Extract

Whether your making homemade GSE or other DIY products, here are things we do to try to improve the quality and concentration of homemade extracts:

• Buy a quality manufactured GSE, (we use Nutribiotic GSE extract):
  • Maximum strength GSE – at 40% GSE / 60% vegetable glycerin; for external use only as a citricidal; 1 drop in 1 oz or more of water.
  • Regular strength GSE – at 33% GSE / 67% vegetable glycerin; can be used supplementally and taken internally according to MFGs instructions. A serving size of 10 drops contains 100 mg. of GSE.
• Become familiar with the taste, smell and appearance of this manufactured extract
• Work on making your GSE in commensurate proportions as given above.

Homemade extract will still vary in strength, even when using the same recipe. In manufacturing, they have equipment to help regulate and measure the amount of concentrate needed to achieve the desired strength, which is something we can’t do at home.

However, aiming for a similar strength in the store-bought versions can help guide you in identifying the strength of your GSE extract.

Uses for Grapefruit Seed Extract

In summary, grapefruit seed extract is commonly used as a natural remedy for various health conditions due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. GSE for cleaning, is another common use. We love that it’s easy to make and almost free.

IMPORTANT: remember, this is informational info only and not prescriptive. Home remedies are not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any health concerns, it is always best to consult with a relevant healthcare professional before using any new dietary supplement or treatment.

No Time to Make Grapefruit Seed Extract?

You Can Eat the Seeds

Once I learned that grapefruit seeds are edible and beneficial, with potent antioxidant capacity, vitamins and protein, I started eating the seeds along with the grapefruit. Sure, they’re not the greatest in taste or texture, but as I chew them, I appreciate the (bitter medicine) of these power-packed little seeds as equivalent to a vitamin pill.

I do the same with daily nibbles of herbs in the garden, including lavender, oregano, lemon balm, and rosemary, all with potent medicinal benefits.

I’m not an expert, but my intuitive and logical sense is that daily micro infusions of these things are basically as nature intended it, so that’s how I use so many of these natural remedies.

You Can Buy Grapefruit Seed Extract

If you don’t have the time — or enough grapefruit seeds on hand — to make your own extract (our grapefruit pictured below turned out to be seedless, with only one seed!), you can find all kinds of ready-made GSE products.

You may also enjoy this article on cold hardy citrus plants. One of our favorite citrus plants we’re growing is dwarf Meyer lemons. They’re not cold hardy, so we grow them in pots and bring them indoors in winter, but they’re worth growing and it’s lovely to see the large fruits turn from green to yellow for harvesting in winter.