Eating 3 grapefruits a day for 7 days straight or more is certainly on the ‘too much’ scale. According to LiveStrong, too much of this fruit can lead to heartburn and may also cause digestive issues in people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS (25). Corroborating those results, a study from the journal Metabolism concluded that eating half a grapefruit before every meal for three weeks didn’t lead to significant weight loss compared to a placebo. Despite the fact that science hasn’t proven the grapefruit diet to be effective, people continue to rely on this slightly sour citrus as a weight loss tactic. The risk of a severe interaction between grapefruit and prescription drugs can be minimized by checking with a physician or pharmacist before adding large amounts of grapefruit or grapefruit juice to the diet.
Understanding the Grapefruit Diet: Food List, Meal Plan, Benefits, and Risks
Based on the latest scientific research and delivered in an easy-to-understand and motivating style, The Mayo Clinic Diet is a standout among the diet plans on the market. Expect weight loss to slow to 1-2 pounds per week during the Live It! Grapefruit contains a lot of water and is, therefore, very hydrating. First, grapefruit is fairly high in potassium, a mineral responsible for many aspects of heart health. Eating grapefruit may help control insulin levels, meaning it may have the ability to reduce your likelihood of becoming insulin resistant. While there are many drugs that interact with grapefruit, here are some of the most common ones, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Health Categories to Explore
The diet is generally low in carbs and calories, focusing on protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, and eggs. You’re also supposed to avoid certain foods like sugar, white onions, and celery. The grapefruit diet plan is quite restrictive and doesn’t offer much variety, which can make it hard to stick to. The idea is to create a calorie deficit, but it’s not a balanced or sustainable way to lose weight in the long run.
People taking any form of medication are especially advised to tread with care when following the diet because it interferes with the potency of certain drugs. According to common perception, the strict dietary unimeal customer service regimen emerged after the Great Depression, when actresses popularized it. Most people know they need to eat less and exercise more, but they don’t know how to go about it. Grapefruit contains a decent amount of fiber — 2 grams in half of a medium-sized fruit.
Basic nutritional information about grapefruit
It can be used by people who are curious about the week-long variation, but are not willing to fully commit to the diet. As the name suggests, people typically follow this eating plan for 7 days, but some continue following this diet plan for 12 days or even up to 3 weeks (29, 26). People who take statins or blood pressure medication such as calcium channel blockers should also avoid the grapefruit diet, as these medications can have negative interactions with grapefruit. Like clothing and hairstyle trends, fad diets come and go, only to return in slightly new variations years later.
Fats
That 2006 study I just mentioned also found that those who consumed whole (unjuiced) grapefruit lowered their insulin resistance, which is a key driver of type 2 diabetes. And a 2019 review article notes that naringenin has displayed antidiabetic properties in many test tube and animal studies. Grapefruit is also a popular fruit for juicing because it’s high in water, per Encyclopaedia Britannica. Grapefruit juice may be a more convenient way to obtain some of the nutrients from the fruit without having to deal with the rind and pulp.
- Despite its longevity, it hasn’t gained much credibility in the scientific community.
- Sugars, carbs, and highly processed foods are not advisable to include in the diet.
- Despite the fact that science hasn’t proven the grapefruit diet to be effective, people continue to rely on this slightly sour citrus as a weight loss tactic.
- Therefore, while grapefruit can be a healthy addition to a well-rounded diet, the grapefruit diet itself is not recommended as a long-term plan.
- The grapefruit diet shares many characteristics with other restrictive fad diets that claim to offer quick and easy weight loss, such as the egg diet and the three-day military diet.
- And a 2019 review article notes that naringenin has displayed antidiabetic properties in many test tube and animal studies.
How the grapefruit diet kickstarts weight loss
Since this diet is not recommended by nutritionists, it may pose multiple health risks. Though there is not sufficient information available on what to include and what not to include in this diet, here is a sample plan to help you gain some idea about how to plan your meals. The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid — which is similar to the U.S. government’s Food Pyramid — recommends eating a variety of nutritious foods.
Consuming grapefruit juice with statins may increase the levels of statins in your blood, which could cause increased side effects from the medication. As you might expect, this plan goes far beyond simply eating one grapefruit a day. Dr. Petrucci notes that just focusing on grapefruit won’t work long term. On older versions of the diet, “people got results, but they couldn’t stick to it because they were starving,” she says. Grapefruit has a unique ability to interact with various medications, and not in a good way. It contains compounds called furanocoumarins, which can inhibit an enzyme in the liver responsible for breaking down medications.
Research on Grapefruit’s Impact on Fat Burning
According to the American Dietetic Association, the fad type of grapefruit diet began in the 1930s, when it was also known as the Hollywood diet. There were two regimens, a 7-day and a 21-day version, both of which were very low-calorie diets or VLCDs. The dieter consumed little except black coffee and half a grapefruit at each meal, with small amounts of salad and lean meat. The grapefruit diet typically tops out at less than 1,000 calories per day. That’s far fewer than the amount recommended by the USDA, even if you’re trying to lose weight.
Is the Grapefruit Diet a Healthy Choice for You?
If you’d like to add more protein to your weight loss meal plan, grapefruit or its juice may not be the best game plan. While daily intake for weight loss and maintenance varies from person to person, the average consensus is that an intake of 1,500 kcal helps women lose weight. With this in mind, it’s clear to see that just 800 calories is too low for the average person, regardless of their age. It also won’t be a very sustainable process as most of your weight comes right back once you go back to your normal eating habits.
Grapefruit is filling and may help with weight loss
More current research is needed to determine the connection between grapefruit and weight loss. Despite anecdotal evidence, there’s no research that supports claims of this fat-burning enzyme. A grapefruit contains around 72 milligrams of vitamin C, equivalent to 120 percent of the daily recommended intake. Because there is no single grapefruit diet, instructions differ from one plan to the next. Grapefruit is high in water content, likely contributing to your feeling of satiety after eating it.
Grapefruit Diet – Uses, Side Effects, and More
The grapefruit diet, also known as the Hollywood diet, involves eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice with every meal. The diet has been around since at least the 1930s and has been popularised by celebrities and novelists such as Fannie Hurst. It is typically followed for days and promises rapid weight loss due to claims that grapefruit contains fat-burning enzymes. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims. The grapefruit diet is a weight loss plan that involves including half a grapefruit in every meal and adhering to an extremely strict low-calorie eating plan.
The New Grapefruit Diet: Top Doc’s Easy Twist Is Helping Women Over 50 Lose Weight Fast — Without Feeling Hungry
At breakfast, add a serving of a protein-rich in natural fat, such as eggs https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/your-guide-to-healthy-eating-habits-that-stick or chia. (Click through for the best protein sources for weight loss.) At lunch, stick to veggies and healthy fat. At dinner, mix protein, veggies, fat, and one cup cooked quinoa, farro, freekeh, spelt, or teff. It promises the moon with quick weight loss and minimal effort, which is a red flag right there.
Leave a Reply