Low carb diets may vary regarding the amount of carbohydrates they allow, but most rely on the premise that restricting the amounts of carbohydrates you eat helps encourage your body to burn fat for fuel. Fruits, including grapefruit, are usually among the restricted foods in low carb diet plans.
Low Carb Diet
Carbohydrates play an important role in providing energy. During digestion, your body changes carbohydrates from food sources into sugar. Your muscles and liver store excess amounts of sugar in the form of glycogen. Typical low carb diets usually limit the overall intake of daily carbohydrates to levels between 50 and 150 per day. These diets generally encourage the consumption of meat, eggs, poultry and fish, while limiting dairy products, legumes, many vegetables and fruit, although some low carb diet plans allow limited amounts of these foods.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is too high in carbohydrates for most low carb diets. One-half cup of pink grapefruit contains close to 25 g of carbohydrates, an amount that may account for as much of half your carbohydrate allowance for a single day. However, grapefruit is a nutritious food that also contains vitamins and minerals. A 1/2 cup serving supplies your body with about 71 mg of vitamin C, 30 mcg of folate, 51 mg of calcium and almost 4 g of fiber.
Considerations
Low carb dieting can limit the majority of choices from entire food groups, such as fruits. Mayo Clinic advises eating a variety of foods that include fruits, leans protein sources, vegetables and whole grains. Diets that don't contain high-fiber foods, such as fruits, whole-grains and vegetables, may increase your risk of gastrointestinal problems and constipation.
Precautions
Check with your doctor before going on a low carb diet or any diet that limits certain food groups. Regardless of the type of diet plan you follow, eating grapefruit may cause alter the affect of certain medications. Grapefruit may interact with prescription drugs that treat high cholesterol, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin. Drinking the juice or eating the fruit may also interact with medications, including amiodarone and disopyramide; drugs that help normalize an irregular heartbeat. Discuss possible drug interactions with your doctor or pharmacist.
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