The Grapefruit Diet Review: Pros and Cons

The grapefruit diet was among one of the first fad diets to be introduced to the public.

Popularized as the “Hollywood diet,” the grapefruit diet involves eating grapefruit or drinking its juice with every meal.

Supporters of the diet claim grapefruit can help burn fat, quickly leading to weight loss in as few as 12 days. But there’s limited research to support these claims.

This article explores the research behind the grapefruit diet and whether a grapefruit diet is effective and safe for weight loss.

Unlike single food diets like the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet consists of more than just grapefruit.

The diet calls for a protein-rich meal plan that incorporates a grapefruit or grapefruit juice at every meal.

The grapefruit diet promises quick and rapid weight loss due to claims that grapefruit has fat-burning enzymes.

Supporters of the diet believe you 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.

Summary

The grapefruit diet incorporates grapefruit into every meal and promises rapid weight loss due to fat-burning enzymes found in grapefruits. However, there’s no research to support this claim.

There are multiple versions of guidelines for the diet, but many sources claim it should last 2 or 3 weeks.

Every version is low in carbohydrates and calories and high in protein.

In some versions, the diet calls for consuming no more than 800 calories per day.

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

Summary

Multiple versions of the grapefruit diet exist, but every version is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and calories. Some versions limit you to just 800 calories per day.

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 (1).

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 (2).

Fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits like grapefruit may help protect against heart disease and stroke (3, 4).

Grapefruit’s fiber-rich content may also help you feel fuller and eat fewer calories throughout the day (5), which may help with weight loss.

Although grapefruit has long been associated with weight loss (6), 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.

Summary

Grapefruits are low in calories and highly nutritious. That said, more research is needed to support claims that they can help with weight loss.

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 (7). This would result in quick, temporary weight loss even without the grapefruit.

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 (8, 9, 10, 11).

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.

Summary

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.

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 (12).

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 (13).

More current research is needed to determine the connection between grapefruit consumption and weight loss.

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 (14).

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 (15, 16).

Summary

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 juice and fresh grapefruit can be part of a balanced, healthy diet (17).

But grapefruit can also interfere with certain medications, including:

• 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)

Grapefruit juice tends to interfere with the action of these drugs because it contains a class of chemicals called furanocoumarins.

Studies show that furanocoumarins may increase the blood levels of over 85 medications (18).

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 (19).

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can have fresh grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking these and other medications.

Summary

Grapefruit can be part of a healthy diet, but it can also interfere with certain medications. Ask your doctor before consuming grapefruit when taking medication.

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.

Well-rounded diets incorporate a variety of healthy foods and fruits.

Instead of focusing just on grapefruits, aim for the recommended 2 to 2. 5 cups of fruits per day (20).

Grapefruits can be part of these servings — but you don’t need to consume them at every meal.

The Grapefruit Diet Review: Pros and Cons

The grapefruit diet was among one of the first fad diets to be introduced to the public.

Popularized as the “Hollywood diet,” the grapefruit diet involves eating grapefruit or drinking its juice with every meal.

Supporters of the diet claim grapefruit can help burn fat, quickly leading to weight loss in as few as 12 days. But there’s limited research to support these claims.

This article explores the research behind the grapefruit diet and whether a grapefruit diet is effective and safe for weight loss.

Unlike single food diets like the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet consists of more than just grapefruit.

The diet calls for a protein-rich meal plan that incorporates a grapefruit or grapefruit juice at every meal.

The grapefruit diet promises quick and rapid weight loss due to claims that grapefruit has fat-burning enzymes.

Supporters of the diet believe you 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.

Summary

The grapefruit diet incorporates grapefruit into every meal and promises rapid weight loss due to fat-burning enzymes found in grapefruits. However, there’s no research to support this claim.

There are multiple versions of guidelines for the diet, but many sources claim it should last 2 or 3 weeks.

Every version is low in carbohydrates and calories and high in protein.

In some versions, the diet calls for consuming no more than 800 calories per day.

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

Summary

Multiple versions of the grapefruit diet exist, but every version is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and calories. Some versions limit you to just 800 calories per day.

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 (1).

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 (2).

Fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits like grapefruit may help protect against heart disease and stroke (3, 4).

Grapefruit’s fiber-rich content may also help you feel fuller and eat fewer calories throughout the day (5), which may help with weight loss.

Although grapefruit has long been associated with weight loss (6), 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.

Summary

Grapefruits are low in calories and highly nutritious. That said, more research is needed to support claims that they can help with weight loss.

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 (7). This would result in quick, temporary weight loss even without the grapefruit.

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 (8, 9, 10, 11).

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.

Summary

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.

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 (12).

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 (13).

More current research is needed to determine the connection between grapefruit consumption and weight loss.

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 (14).

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 (15, 16).

Summary

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 juice and fresh grapefruit can be part of a balanced, healthy diet (17).

But grapefruit can also interfere with certain medications, including:

• 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)

Grapefruit juice tends to interfere with the action of these drugs because it contains a class of chemicals called furanocoumarins.

Studies show that furanocoumarins may increase the blood levels of over 85 medications (18).

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 (19).

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can have fresh grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking these and other medications.

Summary

Grapefruit can be part of a healthy diet, but it can also interfere with certain medications. Ask your doctor before consuming grapefruit when taking medication.

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.

Well-rounded diets incorporate a variety of healthy foods and fruits.

Instead of focusing just on grapefruits, aim for the recommended 2 to 2. 5 cups of fruits per day (20).

Grapefruits can be part of these servings — but you don’t need to consume them at every meal.

Grapefruit for weight loss, the effectiveness of the grapefruit diet

Whatever you say, grapefruit for weight loss receives only positive feedback. Why grapefruit is useful for weight loss – let’s figure it out!

One medium-sized grapefruit contains about 100 kilocalories and about two-thirds of vitamin C, the proportion you need to consume daily to strengthen the immune system and prevent early human aging. In addition, vitamin C helps strengthen teeth and gums.

Yes, whatever you say, grapefruit is the most valuable product among citrus fruits. This citrus is beneficial for both health and general well-being of the whole organism. It is recommended to use it for apathy and depression, after mental and physical overwork, as a prevention against diabetes.

Properties of grapefruit for weight loss

More recently, it turned out that in addition to the beneficial properties described above, this overseas product also contributes to weight loss. Organic acids and essential oils that it contains play an important role in the process of digestion: metabolism is stimulated, the production of digestive juices is enhanced, and digestibility of food is improved. Consequently, there is a process of removing excess fluid from the body, there is an activation of fat burning, which, in fact, contributes to a sharp weight loss and the removal of all toxins from the body.

This citrus also contains phenylalanine, a substance that gives a feeling of rapid satiety, which ultimately helps a person control his appetite, pacify hunger and at the same time prevent the human body from feeling defective and uncomfortable during the time of restriction in food. But for example, grapefruit juice for weight loss in the human body will be an indispensable assistant in the normalization of the intestines, gallbladder, liver and quench thirst.

The most effective grapefruit-based weight loss products

Grapefruit struggle with excess weight is a whole complex using this miraculous fruit. Grapefruit diet, fat-burning grapefruit-honey cocktail, wrap with this citrus oil, all this will be described in detail below. After reviewing all these “methods”, you will choose the best option for yourself.

Egg-Grapefruit Diet for Weight Loss

The Grapefruit and Egg Diet is a diet that preserves the vitamin-mineral complex, while this menu is low in calories and low in fat. If you look at eggs, they are an excellent store of minerals, fats, amino acids and vitamins. All these riches are stored in the yolk. So the egg-grapefruit diet requires a few raw egg yolks every day. But what about the cholesterol found in eggs? The rate of cholesterol intake per day for a person is 500 mg, and one chicken egg is 300 mg, and our body is able to absorb only 2-6% of the cholesterol that comes from food, which means that you will not raise your level too much with a diet on eggs and grapefruit cholesterol in the blood.

In a few days following this diet, you can lose as much as 3-4 kg of excess weight. The grapefruit and egg diet is an express diet, it is usually followed for 3 days. Longer sitting on this diet is undesirable.

1. Breakfast: one hard-boiled chicken egg, a cup of black coffee or tea with a slice of lemon. A piece of coarse bread and half a grapefruit.
2. Lunch: The second half of the required citrus, 2 hard-boiled eggs, a cup of black coffee.
3. Dinner: Tea with lemon, half a grapefruit and 2 hard-boiled eggs.

Honey-grapefruit slimming cocktail

Grapefruit with honey for slimming can be taken as a cocktail, this cocktail has a tonic property. If you drink this drink half an hour after your lunch meal, you will burn about half of the calories you eat. This is due to the fact that grapefruit contains a lot of pectins, which actively remove excess cholesterol from the body and normalize metabolism. Grapefruit also contains lycopene, it cleanses the body of toxins and is able to rejuvenate the skin. Cocktail Recipe:

1. You will need 1 large grapefruit and 30 ml of honey. Cut the citrus into 2 parts and remove all the pulp from it.
2. Place the pulp in a blender, add honey there and mix everything well. Such a drink can be a great addition to your drinking diet.
3. Such a drink is very useful to drink after an evening meal or even replace dinner with it.

Grapefruit mono-diet

This grapefruit diet helps to lose only up to 1 kg of excess weight, but in 1 day. Remember, you only need to do it once a week! You should consume only grapefruit and freshly squeezed juice from it on this day. Such citrus unloading will improve your metabolism, improve bowel function and fill the body with useful substances and vitamins. During this mono diet, it is not forbidden to drink tea, herbal decoctions or plain water. For the whole day you will need 4 large citrus fruits.

Grapefruit for weight loss at night

Grapefruit for weight loss at night is ideal for those people who cannot make a full dinner for themselves. For example: you do not know what to cook in order to eat this, so as not to get better. Unfortunately, grapefruit eaten in the evening did not reveal any overly active fat-burning properties. Naturally, if you eat this one big fruit before dinner, you will extinguish the stomach signal of hunger and eat less food on top of the citrus than without it. Grapefruit is best to “quench” hunger before bed if you have one, but be prepared for the fact that this fruit has diuretic properties, that is, you will want a little at night.

Slimming grapefruit oil wraps

Grapefruit oil for weight loss has been considered a panacea in the fight against body imperfections for centuries. If it is difficult for you to restrict yourself in nutrition and follow a strict diet, then this fragrant citrus oil will help you. It is very rich in organic acids, essential components, useful minerals and vitamins. This whole complex improves the metabolic process. And even if you inhale a little aroma of this oil every day, it will improve the metabolic process and satisfy your hunger.

Prescription №1

Another use of grapefruit oil for weight loss is cosmetic wraps. To do this, you need to prepare a mixture to treat the problem area. The mixture is prepared from the usual everyday cream and a few drops of grapefruit oil. You carefully rub all this into the necessary areas, wrap the body with cling film and walk for at least half an hour.

Recipe #2

Wrap mixture can be prepared with other ingredients. 200 g of hercules, 400 ml of milk, 6 drops of grapefruit oil, 100 ml of freshly brewed coffee.

Recipe #3

200 g of cosmetic blue clay, 100 ml of heavy cream, 6 drops of grapefruit oil.

Grapefruit weight loss diet for a week

So, we have already convinced you that using grapefruit to burn excess fat is a very effective solution, and now you have a chance to experience the properties of this citrus for weight loss on yourself. We bring to your attention a recipe for a grapefruit diet for 7 days:

1st day

• Morning meal: 3 slices of lean ham, 1 glass of grapefruit juice, or one grapefruit, unsweetened coffee or tea.
• Lunch: 250 grams of vegetable salad, tea or coffee and one of our main dietary fruits.
• Evening: 200 grams of lean fried or boiled meat, 200 grams of salad and one grapefruit with honey (one small spoon is enough).

Day 2

• Morning: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 main citrus or a glass of juice.
• Lunch: 100 grams of cheese (not fatty) or cottage cheese and again 1 main citrus.
• Evening: 200 grams of grilled or boiled fish, 30 grams of bread, vegetable salad.

Day 3

• Morning meal: 1 glass of natural grapefruit juice or 1 fruit, 2-3 tablespoons of oatmeal or muesli with 2 tablespoons of raisins.
• Lunch: a cup of lean meat broth, 3 crackers, a glass of grapefruit juice.
• Dinner: 200 grams of boiled chicken breast, 3 baked tomatoes and one grapefruit before bed.

Day 4

• Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, one glass of tomato juice, tea without sugar.
• Lunch: carrot and green vegetable salad, 1 toast, 1 grapefruit, slice of bread.
• Evening meal: 400 grams of boiled or stewed vegetables, grapefruit juice – one glass.

Day 5

• Breakfast: fruit salad, a glass of coffee or tea with cottage cheese casserole – one serving no more than 100 grams.
• Lunch: 300 grams of green salad, 2 baked potatoes.
• Dinner: 200 grams of beef or 250 grams of lean chicken, a glass of tomato juice or a baked tomato, 1 grapefruit.

6th day and 7th day

Choose any of the above recipes for the grapefruit diet menu and you are guaranteed a slim figure.

However, it is unacceptable to state that citrus fruits are useful for everyone without exception, that they rid the body of overweight or obesity. The human body is unique. For some, these fruits can help, for others they are simply contraindicated, but for others they are completely useless. Before using grapefruit for weight loss, you should listen to your body, weigh the pros and cons, and then only make the right decision.

It is also a good idea to consult a doctor, especially a nutritionist and gastroenterologist. And, of course, it is necessary to take tests and get their accurate results, and then, based on these results, we can conclude: is this fruit acceptable for you to use, and can it help get rid of excess weight.

Video: Grapefruit Diet for a Slim Figure

Grapefruit Diet

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– Jan 17, 2012

Parent Category: School of Nutrition

Category: Diets!

Published: – Jan 17, 2012

Another very popular diet today is the grapefruit diet. Grapefruit contains such natural “burners” of fat cells as pectin and inositol. In addition, it improves the functioning of the liver and digestion in general, lowers cholesterol and tones the nervous system. Grapefruit will also help improve memory, relieve fatigue, overcome insomnia and apathy. It is also indispensable during the period of spring beriberi.

On a grapefruit diet, you can lose four kilograms a week! Vitamin C contained in it will help the body resist disease. However, before you storm the shelves of grapefruit stores, remember that with the slightest suspicion of gastritis or an ulcer, not to mention the presence of such diseases, such a diet is strictly prohibited!

So, if you have no contraindications to the grapefruit diet, then get ready to completely change your daily diet for the next week.
Before each meal, nutritionists recommend eating half a grapefruit, and you also need transparent films that separate its slices, since they contain a whole range of useful substances.
There are no special restrictions on the grapefruit diet. A few standard rules for greater effectiveness are to avoid salt and sugar. Otherwise, you can safely afford ham, cottage cheese, cheese, boiled meat, chicken, fish, coffee and tea (without sugar). Of course, the consumption of all these products should be within the normal range and divided into several servings per day. It is strictly forbidden to eat after seven o’clock in the evening! The maximum allowed is to eat half a grapefruit before going to bed.
For breakfast, nutritionists most often recommend making a fruit salad consisting of one apple, orange and grapefruit. You can also add a couple of slices of ham and coffee (or tea).

If you don’t associate a fruit salad, even a very healthy one, with breakfast, make oatmeal or muesli with low-fat yogurt.
For lunch, grapefruit with cheese or vegetable broth with croutons is preferable. Also add a salad with any non-starchy vegetables. For dinner, you can eat 200 grams of boiled chicken breast or other lean meat.