Two Week Grapefruit Diet

The two-week Grapefruit Diet is mainly a high-protein diet that involves eating plenty of grapefruit. Like many other fad diets, the Grapefruit Diet can help you lose weight in the short term, but is not suitable as a long-term weight loss program. Though grapefruit has a variety of health benefits, which may include promoting weight loss, grapefruit alone will not help you lose weight.

Features

While there are various versions of the Grapefruit Diet, the two-week diet involves eating mostly high-protein meals with added grapefruit or grapefruit juice for every meal. Though it is not recommended as a healthy diet, you can follow the Grapefruit Diet for as long as you like, taking two days off every two weeks.

Meals

The diet consists of three meals and a bedtime snack, but you must eat and drink virtually the same thing for every meal. For breakfast you eat two eggs and two slices of bacon, while lunch consists of any type and any quantity of meat, as well as a salad with any type of dressing. For dinner, you can eat any type of meat or fish, as well as vegetables cooked however you like. You also must include 1/2 grapefruit or 4 oz. glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice with each meal.

Foods Allowed

The vegetables you are allowed to eat during meals include red and green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots and peas. However, you cannot eat white onions, potatoes or celery. In addition to three daily meals, the Grapefruit Diet requires you drink a glass of milk or tomato juice before bed.

Benefits of Grapefruit

According to a 12-week study by the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic, adding grapefruit or grapefruit juice to your diet can help promote weight loss. Researchers believe the reason grapefruit can help you lose weight is that it might reduce insulin levels, which assists in metabolizing fat. Additionally, grapefruit provides you with vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, which promote heart health. Different types of grapefruits also have varying health benefits, such as providing you with antioxidants and improving cholesterol levels.

Precautions

While grapefruit may be a very healthful fruit to add to a healthy diet, that does not mean the Grapefruit Diet is a healthy diet. According to the American Dietetic Association, the Grapefruit Diet is just another fad diet, and is not the answer you're looking for. Like other diets based around one food, the Grapefruit Diet lacks variety, which can become boring and difficult for you to follow. Additionally, this diet does not provide you with a sufficient amount of the essential nutrients your body needs.