The grapefruit diet was one of several fad diets to gain popularity among the general public. The grapefruit diet, sometimes known as the “Hollywood diet,” is eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice with every meal.
According to diet proponents, grapefruit can assist burn fat and contribute to weight loss for as little as 12 days. However, there is little data to support these claims. The grapefruit diet has been thoroughly researched, however it is still uncertain whether it is useful and safe for weight loss.
The Advantages of a Grapefruit Diet
Low-calorie, high-nutrient fruits, such as grapefruit, are a prudent and nutritious choice for your overall health, not just for weight loss, if that is your goal.
A grapefruit provides more than 60% of your daily vitamin C requirements.
Vitamin C is well-known for its antioxidant properties, which aid in the protection and improvement of your immune system.
Grapefruit consumption has been connected to higher intakes of magnesium, potassium, dietary fibre, and improved diet quality, as well as immune system preservation.[1]
Grapefruit, which is high in fibre and antioxidants, may help to avoid heart disease and stroke.
Also Read – Intermittent Fasting For Women
What You’re Allowed to Eat and What You’re Not
You’d better like grapefruit a lot. In most variants of this diet, it is recommended that you eat it with every meal. The original version of the diet consists of the following:
- Consumption of sugar and carbohydrates is being reduced (including rice, potatoes, and pasta).
- Certain foods should be avoided, such as celery and white onion.
- Increase your consumption of high-protein, high-fat, and/or high-cholesterol foods (such as eggs, pork, and red meat).
Eat a grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice before or with each meal. The majority of versions also cut calorie intake, with some lowering intake to as little as 800 calories per day. Additionally, while on the diet, you should drink eight glasses of water and one cup of coffee every day.
Effort Level: Moderate
In some situations, the grapefruit diet can be somewhat restrictive. Others are more adaptable than others. You’ll need a taste for the sour fruit in any case.
Limitations:
- These vary depending on the grapefruit diet.
- Some versions limit carbs while loading up on high-fat, high-cholesterol foods, while others drastically reduce calories. Others just request that you consume grapefruit with or before each meal and eat anything you like the remainder of the day. To produce the supposed fat-burning effect, the original approach entails pairing items such as bacon and salad.
Cooking and grocery shopping:
You’ll buy a lot of grapefruit, but there will be no additional prep work.
What about ready-to-eat goods and meals?
No.
In-person meetings?
No.
There is no need to work out.
Is it adaptable enough to dietary limitations or preferences?
Vegans and vegetarians:
The original version of the diet included meat. Vegans and vegetarians would need to modify the diet to make it work for them.
Gluten-free:
Some diet variations restrict carbs, including gluten-containing carbs. The diet, however, does not forbid the ingestion of gluten. You’ll need to study food labels if you’re aiming to avoid gluten totally.
What is the most effective approach to follow the grapefruit diet?
The diet is described in many ways, although many sources say it should last two or three weeks. Every variety has a high protein content and a low carbohydrate and calorie count. In certain variants, the diet requires you to consume no more than 800 calories each day.[2]
Grapefruit diet followers can generally prepare their meals anyway they choose, including with spices, salad dressings, or butter.
Here are some dinner examples:
- For breakfast, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices bacon, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
- Lunch consists of a salad with dressing, any amount of meat, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice.
- Dinner: any type of meat cooked anyway you like it, salad or red and green vegetables, coffee or tea, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice.
- As a bedtime snack, 8 ounces of skim milk
Is the grapefruit diet effective for weight loss?
Although scientific evidence for a magical fat-burning enzyme in grapefruits is lacking, grapefruit has been associated to weight loss in research.
According to one study, participants who ate grapefruit with their meals on a daily basis had a reduced waist circumference.
According to a 2014 study, female grapefruit users had lower body weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) than non-consumers.
More recent research is needed to determine the relationship between grapefruit consumption and weight loss.
Although the grapefruit diet can result in immediate and temporary weight loss, this is most likely due to eating less than 1,000 calories each day.
Promiseing to lose 10 pounds in 12 days is unrealistic and unsustainable.
You may lose weight at first on this diet. Low-calorie diets, on the other hand, almost never produce long-term weight loss.
GRAPEFRUIT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN STUDIES TO ASSIST WEIGHT LOSS, BUT WEIGHT LOSS ON THE GRAPEFRUIT DIET MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO CONSUMING FEWER CALORIES.
MORE RECENT STUDY IS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THE LINK BETWEEN GRAPEFRUIT AND WEIGHT LOSS.
Boiled Egg And Grapefruit Diet is a grapefruit diet that may help you lose 37 pounds.
Is it useful in certain circumstances?
No, this is not a recommended treatment strategy for any ailment. While you may lose weight, you are unlikely to keep it off because this diet is not long-term.
Grapefruit can interact with certain prescription drugs, including statins (cholesterol meds) and blood pressure medications. It boosts the effects of these medications and can cause negative effects hours before and after they are used.
If you have a medical condition, see your doctor to determine whether you should avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
Downsides
Despite the fact that grapefruits are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense meal with many health benefits, this diet is problematic for a number of reasons.
Grapefruits don’t seem to have any magical fat-burning enzymes.
The grapefruit diet’s rapid, transitory weight loss is most likely owing to its low calorie and carbohydrate intake. Even if the grapefruit wasn’t included, this would result in a quick, temporary weight loss.
While low-calorie diets may result in short-term weight loss, they are rarely beneficial in the long run.
- There are also health concerns.
- Low-calorie diets can lead to bone loss, decreased metabolism, fatigue, muscle atrophy, and vitamin shortages.
The diet plan’s limits are another downside.
Although twelve days on such a restricted diet may be possible, some people may abandon the plan due to the monotony of eating the same foods and ingesting so few calories on a daily basis.
The grapefruit diet is also a bit perplexing. If there are multiple versions, it is certain to cause confusion among followers.
Furthermore, the grapefruit diet’s salad dressings and meats, particularly the daily morning bacon, are high in saturated fats and cholesterol.
Conclusion
This diet is a complete waste of time. Boredom is caused by the limited variety of meals available in small servings. It’s the perfect storm for most dieters to give up on their weight-loss goals.
Grapefruit can be included in a healthy weight-loss diet because it is nutrient-dense, not because it has mysterious fat-burning properties. If you enjoy grapefruit, consume a serving before meals to reap the benefits of this super-nutritious fruit.
Consume half a grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice before meals to help you feel fuller and eat less calories, allowing you to lose weight.