The grapefruit diet has been around for many years but is still considered a fad diet, possibly because of its promise of losing a lot of weight in a short period. Some studies have shown that the grapefruit diet can help you lose weight, but it is not a healthy way to maintain weight loss over time.
Identification
The pink grapefruit diet is largely built around the consumption of grapefruit. The theory is that the grapefruit contains fat-burning properties that aid in weight loss. Each meal is eaten after you consume half a pink grapefruit. The diet recommends that you drink at least eight glasses of water each day. According to The Diet Channel, meats and vegetables are encouraged, as is plenty of butter. Carbohydrates and refined sugars are restricted.
History
The grapefruit diet has been around for decades. Often called the Hollywood diet, it can trace its roots as far back as 1930s Hollywood, reports Ringsurf. With the promise of large amounts of weight loss in a 12-day period, the diet has gained popularity through the years. Although the diet originally requires you to eat the grapefruit, you now can take a capsule in place of the grapefruit.
Rules
You may eat until you are full on the pink grapefruit diet. You can enjoy high fat-content meats, such as bacon, as well as healthier foods, such as salads. The weight-loss benefits work the best when you eat a variety of foods. You are forbidden to eat between meals, reports The Diet Channel, and desserts, breads and certain vegetables are off limits. You may help yourself to several helpings of meat, salad and allowed vegetables. Butter is encouraged, and you are to eat until you are stuffed. According to The Diet Channel, the more you eat of the suggested foods, the more weight you will lose
Benefits
A 2004 clinical trial by Dr. Ken Fujioka at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic in San Diego, California, showed that the average weight loss while eating a grapefruit before each meal was 3.6 lbs. The average weight loss when juice was used was 3.3 lbs. However, several of the participants lost 10 or more pounds. The researchers concluded that the chemical properties found in grapefruit do in fact reduce levels of insulin, encouraging weight loss.
Warning
If you are on any medications, consult your doctor before beginning the pink grapefruit diet. According to Diet and Weight Loss reviews, grapefruit can interact with some medications, preventing them from working properly. This is due to the grapefruit blocking an enzyme in your intestines.
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