One of the most well known of the fad diets, the grapefruit diet has a long history in popular culture. Grapefruit is itself a very low-calorie food but the folklore surrounding the grapefruit diet includes additional claims that a specific enzyme in the fruit causes fat burning and weight loss.
Grapefruit diet plans are generally very low in calories. The program promises a rate of weight loss of around 1 pound per day, an extreme amount when compared with healthy weight loss recommendations of 1 to 2 pounds per week. The grapefruit diet resembles a low-carb diet in that it allows fair amounts of meat, fats and oils but limits starchy vegetables and bread products. If you follow a very low calorie diet like the grapefruit diet, you will undoubtedly lose weight.
What to Look for
There are multiple versions of the grapefruit diet plan, but most resemble the popular "low carb" diet model. Foods that are often included are most meats, vegetables, eggs and black coffee. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice are recommended at every meal. Snacks are limited, and starchy foods such as bread, peas, beans, corn and potatoes are restricted.
If you are thinking of trying the grapefruit diet plan, look for a plan that doesn't restrict entire food groups and doesn't ban all snacks, as the original grapefruit diet does. These types of food and calorie restrictions can prevent you from getting adequate nutrient intake. The best advice for an overall healthy diet is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables plus whole grains and lean proteins.
Common Pitfalls
There is nothing wrong with snacking on grapefruit every day, but there is also no reason to believe the practice will result in magical weight loss. Plus, enjoying only one type of fruit prevents your from enjoying the taste and health benefits of eating a variety of fruits.
Eating a low calorie, low carb diet such as the grapefruit diet will result in weight loss. The problem arises when you cannot stick to extreme restrictions such as avoiding starches or eating a very low calorie diet, and the result is rebound weight gain.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are known to interfere with certain medications, so speak with your health care provider before embarking on a plan that includes grapefruit everyday.
Finally, the grapefruit diet is sometimes referred to as the Mayo Clinic diet but is not, in fact, associated with that well-respected medical organization.
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