The grapefruit diet emerged as one of the initial fad diets introduced to the public. Known as the "Hollywood diet," it involves consuming grapefruit or its juice with every meal. Proponents of the diet assert that grapefruit can aid in burning fat, resulting in rapid weight loss in as few as 12 days. However, there is limited scientific evidence to substantiate these claims.
What is the Grapefruit Diet?
Unlike single-food diets like the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet encompasses more than just grapefruit. The diet prescribes a protein-rich meal plan that incorporates a grapefruit or grapefruit juice at each meal. The grapefruit diet promises quick and rapid weight loss based on the claim that grapefruit contains fat-burning enzymes. Supporters of the diet believe that one can lose as much as 10 pounds in 12 days. Despite anecdotal evidence, there's no research that supports claims of this fat-burning enzyme.
Multiple versions of guidelines for the diet exist, but many sources claim it should last 2 or 3 weeks. Generally, people following the grapefruit diet can prepare their foods however they like, including with spices, salad dressings, or butter.
Examples of meals include:
- Breakfast: Two boiled eggs, two slices of bacon, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces of grapefruit juice.
- Lunch: Salad with dressing, any meat in any amount, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces of grapefruit juice.
- Dinner: Any kind of meat prepared any way, salad or red and green vegetables, coffee or tea, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces of grapefruit juice.
- Bedtime snack: 8 ounces of skim milk.
Nutritional Benefits of Grapefruit
Incorporating low-calorie, highly nutritious foods like grapefruit into your diet is a smart and healthy choice - not just for weight loss, if that’s your goal, but for your overall health. A single grapefruit contains over 60% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties known to protect and strengthen your immune system . In addition to protecting your immune system, research shows that grapefruit consumption is associated with higher intake of magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and improved diet quality . Fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits like grapefruit may help protect against heart disease and stroke. Grapefruit’s fiber-rich content may also help you feel fuller and eat fewer calories throughout the day , which may help with weight loss.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Although grapefruit has long been associated with weight loss , more research is needed to support this claim. Since no clearly established guidelines for the grapefruit diet exist, it’s impossible to evaluate the full benefits of this diet. Grapefruits are low in calories and highly nutritious. That said, more research is needed to support claims that they can help with weight loss.
Debunking the "Fat-Burning" Myth
Although grapefruits are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense option with many health benefits, this diet is problematic for other reasons. There’s no evidence of magical fat-burning enzymes associated with grapefruits. Quick, temporary weight loss associated with the grapefruit diet is likely due to the low calorie and low carb intake . This would result in quick, temporary weight loss even without the grapefruit.
Drawbacks and Risks of the Grapefruit Diet
While low-calorie diets may result in initial weight loss, they’re rarely successful for those seeking long-term results. There are health drawbacks, too. Low calorie diets can weaken your bones, lower your metabolism, and cause fatigue, muscle loss, and nutrient deficiencies. Another negative aspect of the diet plan is its limitations. Twelve days on such a restricted plan may be possible, but eating the same foods and such few calories every day could lead some people to ultimately abandon the plan.
The grapefruit diet is also ambiguous. With multiple versions, it’s bound to cause confusion among followers. In addition, most salad dressings and meats you can eat on the grapefruit diet - especially the daily morning bacon - are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Low calorie diets like the grapefruit diet may result in initial weight loss, but they have their share of health drawbacks. The restrictive diet is also unsustainable, limiting, and confusing.
Research on Grapefruit and Weight Loss
Although claims of some magical fat-burning enzyme in grapefruits aren’t backed by research, studies have found grapefruit to be positively associated with weight loss. One study found that participants who consumed grapefruit daily with meals experienced reduced waist size . A 2014 study found that body weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) were lower among female grapefruit consumers when compared to non-consumers . More current research is needed to determine the connection between grapefruit consumption and weight loss.
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Although quick and temporary weight loss is possible on the grapefruit diet, it’s probably due to the fact that you’re consuming less than 1,000 calories a day . Promises of losing 10 pounds in 12 days is unrealistic and unsustainable. You may initially lose weight on this diet. But studies show that low calorie diets rarely keep weight off for good . Studies have found grapefruit can help with weight loss, but weight loss on the grapefruit diet may be due to consuming fewer calories. More current research is needed to determine the connection between grapefruit and weight loss.
Grapefruit and Medication Interactions
Grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit can be part of a balanced, healthy diet . However, grapefruit juice tends to interfere with the action of certain drugs because it contains a class of chemicals called furanocoumarins. Studies show that furanocoumarins may increase the blood levels of over 85 medications . By slowing down how your body normally breaks down medications in your gut and liver, grapefruit can increase the side effects of these drugs, increasing your risk for complications. For other drugs, such as antihistamines, grapefruit may have the opposite effect, reducing the drug’s effectiveness .
Examples of medications that can interact with grapefruit include:
- Some statin drugs that lower cholesterol, such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin).
- Some drugs that lower blood pressure, such as Procardia and Adalat CC (both nifedipine).
- Some organ-transplant rejection drugs, such as Sandimmune and Neoral (both cyclosporine).
- Some anti-anxiety drugs, such as buspirone.
- Some corticosteroids that treat Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, such as Entocort EC and Uceris (both budesonide).
- Some drugs that treat abnormal heart rhythms, such as Pacerone and Nexterone (both amiodarone).
- Some antihistamines, such as Allegra (fexofenadine).
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can have fresh grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking these and other medications.
Grapefruit as Part of a Healthy Diet
Outside of a couple of small studies, there’s no evidence to suggest there’s any magical power found in grapefruit other than the fact that it’s a low calorie, highly nutritious citrus fruit. While this diet may help you drop pounds quickly, the weight will likely return as quickly as it left. It’s a quick fix without any real potential of long-term sustainability.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Grapefruit can be part of a healthy weight loss diet because it's nutritious, not because of any mysterious fat-burning properties. If you're a grapefruit lover, reap the benefits of this super-nutritious fruit by enjoying a serving before meals. Reducing dietary energy density has proven to be an effective strategy to reduce energy intakes and promote weight control. This effect appears most robust when a low energy dense preload is consumed before meals.
Research Study on Grapefruit Consumption and Weight Loss
Eighty-five obese adults (BMI 30-39.9) were randomly assigned to (127 g) grapefruit (GF), grapefruit juice (GFJ) or water preload for 12 weeks after completing a 2-week caloric restriction phase. Preloads were matched for weight, calories, water content, and energy density. Weekly measures included blood pressure, weight, anthropometry and 24-hour dietary intakes. The total amount (grams) of food consumed did not change over time. Yet, after preloads were combined with caloric restriction, average dietary energy density and total energy intakes decreased by 20-29% from baseline values. Subjects experienced 7.1% weight loss overall, with significant decreases in percentage body, trunk, android and gynoid fat, as well as waist circumferences (-4.5 cm). However, differences were not statistically significant among groups. These data indicate that incorporating consumption of a low energy dense dietary preload in a caloric restricted diet is a highly effective weight loss strategy. But, the form of the preload did not have differential effects on energy balance, weight loss or body composition.
Benefits of Grapefruit Beyond Weight Loss
Don’t let the dubious claims about the grapefruit diet shape your opinion on the tropical fruit. Overall, grapefruit offers an impressive nutritional resume. Tangy, juicy, fragrant, with a versatile flavor all its own, the grapefruit originated on the island of Barbados, and is a cross between a sweet orange and a large citrus fruit called a pomelo. In addition to fiber, grapefruits have more in store. Grapefruits, like oranges and other citrus fruits, are high in vitamin C. A grapefruit supplies about 10% of your daily potassium needs, along with 8% of your requirements for thiamine and folate. You also get additional antioxidant power from lycopene, a natural, nutritious compound found in tomatoes and watermelon.
Grapefruit juice benefits include its potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium content, among others. Its high levels of vitamin C are especially important to skin health; when ingested, this nutrient plays a role in helping your skin protect itself against UV rays. Hydration is important to maintaining the appearance of your skin - and dry or dehydrated skin will mean more visible fine lines and wrinkles. Luckily, you can supplement your water intake with water-rich foods like grapefruit. Vitamin C is synonymous with immune health: its antioxidant content means better protection from microbes. Research shows that vitamin C can help shorten sickness time for colds; grapefruit juice offers the same benefit.
Studies have shown that those who eat grapefruit regularly showed improvements in blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol levels. Grapefruit’s potassium and fiber content may be responsible for helping to lower cholesterol levels by 15%. Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of grapefruit is its ability to help your gut microbiome. Recently, we’ve been learning more and more about how the gut affects the body - and how critical a healthy gut is for your overall health. While poor gut health may not lead directly to poor skin health, it is a factor that can exacerbate skin conditions.
One study even suggests that people with acne have different gut bacteria than other healthy patients. Another discusses the prevalence of gastrointestinal issues in those who have acne. An imbalance of bad bacteria in your gut can lead to increased intestinal permeability. This can compromise your body’s absorption of nutrients, leading to constipation and bloating. Ultimately, your digestive issues and skin conditions might be caused by an overgrowth or lack of gut bacteria: both lead to poor skin health. Eating the juicy fruit raw means you’ll be consuming a fair amount of fiber. Consuming healthier drinks and foods can influence your gut bacteria, too.
How to Incorporate Grapefruit into Your Diet
Choose a pink or red grapefruit to eat. Rather than reaching for a white grapefruit, the higher beta carotene and lycopene levels will be found in pink and red varieties. Add grapefruit juice to your smoothies. If you don’t enjoy the tart taste, you can still enjoy grapefruit juice benefits by adding it to a smoothie. Drink grapefruit juice in the morning (or evening). A morning glass of grapefruit juice benefits your senses, salivary glands, and gets your digestive system going. The grapefruit scent can help wake you up, too. Use grapefruit in your salads. This fruit can provide a tasty contrast to your greens and other veggies.
Precautions
Before you add this fragrant citrus juice to your breakfast routine, understand that like all citrus juices, it contains citric acid. If you’re not careful, this can wear away at the enamel of your teeth. If you already have sensitivities, you might need to avoid grapefruit or take certain precautions. Avoid contact with your teeth; using a reusable or biodegradable straw while drinking grapefruit juice can help protect your teeth. Brush after 30 minutes. The citric acid softens your enamel; brushing right away can damage it. Some medications you take may interact with grapefruit, too.
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