Some fad diets claim grapefruit (and grapefruit juice) has an enzyme to burn fat, according to The Cleveland Clinic. According to a wide range of studies and studies, a number of citrus foods — specifically, grapefruit — may help your body burn fat. Advocates for a grapefruit diet say that grapefruit helps to burn fat, and they have seen results with weight loss after just 12 days. The premise behind The Grapefruit Diet is the purported magic ingredient in grapefruit, which, if consumed in conjunction with protein, will theoretically stimulate fat burning and weight loss.
The diets claim of fame is that grapefruits are supposed to contain fat-burning enzymes, which boost metabolism and increase the capacity for fat burning. The grapefruit diet debuted in the 1930s amid claims that its namesake fruit contained fat-burning enzymes that could shed pounds. Going back all the way to the 1930s, what was called The Hollywood Diet, claimed grapefruit contained a unique fat-burning enzyme that boosted metabolism and led to drastic weight loss. Summary The grapefruit diet included grapefruit at every meal, and promised fast weight loss because of the fat-burning enzymes found in grapefruit.
Summary Research has found that grapefruit can aid weight loss, but the weight loss in the grapefruit diet is likely attributed to eating fewer calories. Adding grapefruit to a normal diet can provide some benefits, but it likely will not lead directly to weight loss. It is possible to lose weight with the grapefruit diet because of its strict caloric restrictions, but a more sustainable option would be to follow a healthy diet including grapefruit if it is safe for you, as part of a smart weight loss plan. Grapefruit is a nutritious food, and restrictive diet plans consisting mostly of grapefruit remove other healthy food groups that are part of a well-balanced diet.
While there are many versions of the grapefruit diet, the basic premise of the grapefruit diet is the consumption of grapefruit (typically the whole fruit, although some versions permit a powdered grapefruit supplement) prior to all three meals a day, for seven to 10 days or longer. While there are a number of variations on this diet, the most popular plan requires eating one-half of a grapefruit or a cup of grapefruit juice before each meal, pairing it with protein and however many vegetables you want. Many variations on the more popular plan also say grapefruits enzymes may work even harder when combined with superfoods, which allows you to remain satisfied and have relatively normal meals at regular times. To help you achieve visible results on a grapefruit diet fast, the plan keeps calories down – but it also provides plenty of nutrients from the grapefruit and other foods to curb hunger and cravings, so you barely even notice eating less.
It is really a miracle for fat loss, though exactly why is still undecided, other than that insulin resistance, which grapefruit helps to promote, helps boost your metabolism. What is more, data from the famed Scripps clinic found that nutrients found in grapefruit–including all of its antioxidants and fiber–dramatically lower the hormone insulin, helping regular grapefruit eaters lose up to 500% more weight than those who skipped the fruit, making it a must-have for any long-term eating plan.
While there is no clinical data confirming that eating grapefruit will literally torch belly fat until you are blessed with a lean figure in just days, a few studies suggest eating the fruit can support your weight-loss goals naturally, which, in turn, helps you lose abdominal fat. Since losing weight usually means cutting back on your visceral fat mass, including grapefruit in a healthy diet could indirectly help your body burn that stubborn abdominal fat as you embark on your weight loss journey. While additional studies are needed to validate the fat-loss benefits of including grapefruit in your diet, including this juicy fruit as part of an overall healthy diet can help provide your body with the kick it needs to see the results that you are craving.
This study is older, so newer, larger studies are needed to better establish a connection, if one exists, between grapefruit juice and fat loss. While grapefruit has been the best studied and verified citrus fat-burning food, a few studies suggest other citrus foods may have fat-burning effects as well. For instance, the Nutrition & Medical Research Center at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego has initiated studies demonstrating how simply eating grapefruit or grapefruit juice leads to a substantial reduction in fat and body weight.
In another study published in 2011 in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, fresh grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and water were tested to see whether fresh grapefruit helped with weight loss when added to the diet. According to a study published in PLOS|One in 2014, mice lost weight when given a high-protein diet containing grapefruit juice. One study found 91 obese subjects consuming a half-grapefruit before meals lost substantially more weight than those who did not.
Another October 2014 study in aPLOS Onea found that mice following a high-fat diet gained less weight when given grapefruit juice compared with water. The Journal of Medicinal Food concluded in 2006 with a study posted to the PubMed website showing obese people who drink grapefruit juice, eat grapefruit, or take a grapefruit supplement lost more weight than those who did not consume any grapefruit. Despite the few studies showing some effect on weight loss from grapefruit, there is very little high-quality (large, randomized studies of humans) research to back up the claims. There are some smaller, recent studies showing correlations between eating grapefruit before meals and weight loss (as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol) but that is probably because the fruit contains up to 88% water and a fair amount of fiber.
The nutritionists new-and-improved Grapefruit Diet Meal Plan Turbocharges Fat-Fighting Compounds in the Fruit using state-of-the-art science, along with an array of other super nutrients. Grapefruit is a storehouse for an impressive amount of vitamins A and C. It also contains other antioxidants, namely lycopene, that help your body build defenses against free radicals found in your environment and in the foods you eat.
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