Is the Grapefruit diet good for weight loss?  

When I was ten years old I recall my mother eating lots of hard boiled eggs and fresh grapefruits or grapefruit juice. When I say “lots” they were on her menu every day – at a time when a week felt like an eternity to a 10 year old.

My mother said that “grapefruit is good for dieters.” In fact, even when she wasn’t “dieting” she always had a 6 ounce glass of grapefruit juice every day. Was my mom onto something back then (pre-cable TV days)?

Fast forward 12 years later, I just received my BS in nutrition; completed an internship and then the board exam to claim my registered dietitian status, and the grapefruit diet was still riding the tide of popularity.

To give it a bit more clout someone added the new title the “Mayo Grapefruit Diet” which has no connection with the Mayo hospital but gave the diet a new prestige it needed to enter the decade of the 80’s.

Take a leap 3 decades later and I still ask myself  “what makes the grapefruit diet so alluring and so “sticky” in the American dieting psyche even today?”

Below are four reasons why the grapefruit diet continues to thrive and can result in weight loss.

Why weight loss happens when you follow the Grapefruit diet.

1. Simplicity my dear Watson! There are many versions of the grapefruit diet yet they all possess one quality – simplicity. We love simple to follow instructions. Adding grapefruit juice to your diet doesn’t require Herculean strength. It’s also easier than the “cabbage soup diet.”

Whether it’s the cabbage soup or the grapefruit diet you can eat an unlimited amount of whatever the “fat burning” food is. Which initially sounds great. Then the reality hits you “you can only eat a limited variety of other foods.”

The idea of reducing the variety of foods we eat and experiencing weight loss has its merits. According to Dr. Barbara Rolls from Penn State University her work showed that if people are offered an assortment of three different flavors of yogurt, they’re likely to eat an average 23 percent MORE than if offered only one flavor.

Bottom line – increasing the variety of food increases how much everyone eats. Score one point for any mono-food diet.

2.  Clinical backup (sorta). Grapefruit diet devotees were delighted when clinical research showed that weight loss did occur in both humans and mice when they consumed daily grapefruit.

A closer look at the work shows a small human sample size of 91 participants was used. To date this study has not been replicated. The single study by the Florida Department of Citrus inferred by researchers that a reduction of insulin levels caused by the consumption of grapefruit promoted the significant loss of weight exhibited by participants. The significant weight loss average 3 pounds lost over 12 weeks, with some participants having a 10 pound weight loss. The additional advise of walking 3 times a day for 30 minutes is often a neglected footnote in this study.

Insulin regulates blood sugar levels and fat metabolism on the cellular level. Hence, a small amount of truth to grapefruit’s ability to promote weight loss continues to be under investigation among researchers. The effect of grapefruit juice on insulin production is likely no less stunning than the effect after eating lemon or lime juice. All three citrus family fruits have a low glycemic index.

Let’s not forget that grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin A, C, the B-vitamins, Thiamin and pantothetic acid (B5), as well as fiber and potassium. The fruits Vitamin C content helps eliminate a cold faster and contains immune boosting properties to help prevent getting a cold in the first place.

Vitamin C is also one of the vitamins that wears a second hat as an antioxidant which means it helps to prevents free radical damage. This helps with all aspects of aging, even to reduce wrinkles.

That is enough info for me to say “pass the grapefruit juice please!” and give this diet a second point.

3.  Duration is the key to weight loss success. The short cycle of following the Grapefruit diet (a “rinse repeat” cycle averaging 12 days on 2 days off) is something most women can fathom. This is especially true when they see their tummies retracting in front of their eyes by day 3. It’s not uncommon to hear of a 6 pound “weight loss” in the first 2 days.

It is amazing how when we stop eating foods from “boxes”, sugar-heavy beverages, desserts (including “healthy” dark chocolate), the “occasional” fast food meal, and of course, that nightly glass or two of wine, how our tummy shrinks all on its own – grapefruits or not!

The duration of the diet is also a red flag – any “diet” that promotes 800-1000 calories per day for over a week will result in weight loss but is considered a risk since there is not enough calories to meet vitamin and mineral needs. In addition, concerns in meeting protein needs and basic caloric needs to maintain a normal, active life are questionable on a very low calorie diet.

Time to subtract two points from this diet. Down to zero points for the grapefruit diet! Can it make a comeback?

4.  The grapefruit diet is an original quick-fix diet. The reason for the quick weight loss is the total reduction in daily calories. If followed, as advised the caloric intake is around 800 calories per day. Undoubtedly, you will lose weight eating 800 calories a day of ANY diet.

However, once you stop, you will gain it back – quickly! For some that doesn’t matter since their goal is to fit into their clothes for that one special evening. However, any promise of permanent fat weight loss is gone with your last drop of grapefruit juice. No points gained on this last note.

Why this dietitian loves the grapefruit diet for weight loss

The bright side of the grapefruit diet is it makes the person aware of what they are NOT eating! Once we stop eating over processed foods and larger than needed portions of even “health building foods”, we realize how controlling our  weight is based on everyday choices.

The perceived stealth weight loss experienced by the grapefruit diet coincides with the increased awareness that you feel better eating less white flour, less boxed foods, less sugar, less fat, even, less alcohol.

Final thoughts on weight loss and the Grapefruit diet

I thank the grapefruit diet for providing a quick weight loss fix for women as this may be the “jump start” they need to know they can “do it” and experience how good they feel without following the standard American diet (S.A.D.).

For those ready to take charge of their weight, achieving a healthy weight loss is a “process not a promise” like those made by an internet article or on a bottle of grapefruit extract pills.

While nutritious grapefruit certainly can be part of a healthy weight loss plan, the bottom line is that grapefruit contains no mysterious fat-burning properties. If it did, we wouldn’t have the obesity epidemic at our doorstep.

If you love grapefruit, reap the benefits of this super-nutritious food by enjoying a serving before meals. The addition of a half grapefruit or 4-6 ounces of grapefruit juice before meals may help fill you up so you’ll eat fewer calories at meals, potentially losing weight.

For added nutrition, choose pink grapefruit, which is rich in beta-carotene and the flavonoid, lycopene.

The caveat for ANYONE drinking or eating grapefruits is to check first with your physician or pharmacist to ensure that the grapefruit doesn’t interact with any medications you currently are taking. Note that if you are taking a statin-type medication (cholesterol lowering drugs) you are advised to avoid drinking or eating grapefruits.

Looking for more strategies to help you lose weight? Coming in January, group telephonic weight loss programs designed for women who are really ready to stand up and claim that 2014 will be their year for a trimmer and healthier body! Click here to contact Bonnie for details.

In health & happiness,