The Grapefruit Diet Plan
Naturally, this involves an awful lot of journeys to the fruit shop to buy the quantity of grapefruit that we’d typically associate with a zookeeper and some exotic animals! So be warned, you are pretty likely going to get tired of this bitter, ball-shaped fruit!
The general idea is that you eat half a grapefruit with every meal of the day, you were warned! The only cheating allowed is to skip the solid fruit and drink the juice from it! This is after all a nice break from using the all too familiar saw-toothed spoon on your grapefruit stock.
However, the grapefruit is not some magical dietary tool, the other part of this is to drastically reduce your calorific intake.
One plan suggests that your daily intake is limited to 800 calories a day, which is harsh considering it is less than half the recommended calories for an average healthy adult.
One leading nutritionist, Dr Sullivan of the Cleveland Clinic, suggests: “Think of it like gasoline in your car. If you’re not fuelling up properly, your engine is going to sputter.”
Other elements of the grapefruit diet are to eat foods that are rich in protein and high in fat, like red meat and eggs. It also advocates avoiding sugars and carbohydrates.
A Grapefruit diet Meal:
- Half a grapefruit or the equivalent in 100% grapefruit juice.
- Mixed salad or a cooked green or red vegetable. This should be cooked in butter, and spices are permitted.
- Any meat or fish
- A cup of tea or coffee without milk or sugar
However, there is no one ultimate grapefruit diet but many variations and synonyms, including the so called Hollywood diet that sounds very glamorous and chic!
Fat Melting – Myth or Fact?
Let’s face it, it’s a bit of an ask, isn’t it? Although the fruit may well be an aid to a successful diet nutritionist Dr Sullivan commented:
“It’s a healthy food, it’s not magic though!”
A recent study, however, suggested that because your average grapefruit consists of 88% water, eating it alongside a lower calorie meal can definitely aid weight loss. The idea is that ‘preloading’, the term given to this dietary phenomenon, makes you feel fuller and that in turn, means you will eat less of the bad stuff!
However, the myths surrounding grapefruit as a miracle fruit for weight loss are clearly unfounded, as any loss in weight is mainly due to reducing vast amounts of calories on a daily basis.
Dr Sullivan also commented on the diet: “You lose weight on the plan because you’re not eating as much. It’s that simple.”
Benefits and Restrictions
Despite the associations with miracle diets, the general truth is that grapefruit is a very good fruit to eat for a healthy balanced diet. Dr Sullivan also commented that even though there are many claims about the fruit, don’t be put off eating the fruit as the nutritional values are clearly of benefit. Due to the stong flavour of the fruit it can be part of a successful diet plan, but to not rely on it for anything above this.
Grapefruit has many benefits, including the following:
- High in Vitamin A and Vitamin C
- The high fibre content is advisable for a healthy heart
- It is an antioxidant and can fight cancer
- Very low on the glycaemic index
The only restrictions on eating grapefruit are aimed at people who take any medications, that may include statins for cholesterol conditions.
Enjoy this delicious fruit and incorporate it into a healthy balanced diet. That’s the best advice!
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