Fat Destroying Grapefruit Diet Plan
Consult your healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet. According to the FDA Grapefruit juice and grapefruit can affect the way your medicines work, and that food and drug interaction can be a concern.(1) The Grapefruit Diet is low in calories and carbohydrates and moderate in protein content, with most variants averaging 800 to 1,000 calories per day. Consuming 1,000 calories daily is significantly below the average adult’s daily caloric needs. (2)
The grapefruit diet plan shares many qualities with popular low-carb diets, including Keto, Atkins, Vegetarian, Paleo, and Calorie-counting.
Some diets limit calorie, fat, and carb intake, while others emphasize suppressing your appetite. The grapefruit diet (some describe it as the Hollywood diet or the Mayo diet) is one of the oldest fad eating plans, and it never fades away.
But does it really burn fat?
Watch the 7-Day Grapefruit Diet Plan Video
What is the Grapefruit Diet Plan, And Does It Help With Weight Loss?
Many people lose weight while following the grapefruit diet plan. However, most of it is likely water and muscle, with a small amount of fat thrown in.
Most people who restrict their calories and carbohydrates, in the same way, would lose weight regardless of whether they consumed grapefruit.
A look back at the history of the grapefruit diet reveals that it dates back to the 1920s and 1930s.
According to common perception, the strict dietary regimen emerged after the Great Depression, when actresses popularized it. It even got the name Hollywood Diet.
During the 1970s, the grapefruit diet grew in popularity, with numerous versions still in widespread use today.
According to the 2004 book “The Grapefruit Solution,” consuming grapefruit can increase the likelihood that your weight-loss plan will be successful.(3)
Most grapefruit diets revolve around the consumption of many grapefruits every day, with the remainder of the diet consisting primarily of fruits and vegetables.
The diet intended to be a short eating plan results in rapid weight loss, with some people reporting losing as much as 10 pounds in 12 days. However, this amount of weight loss in such short period of time is not sustainable. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), People with gradual, steady weight loss (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more likely to keep the weight off than people who lose weight quickly.(3)
In addition to including grapefruit in your diet, you must lower your calorie intake to 1,000 calories or less per day and drastically minimize your carbohydrate intake.
It is also possible that eating grapefruit before a meal makes you feel fuller, allowing you to consume fewer calories.
Grapefruit is high in water content, likely contributing to your feeling of satiety after eating it.
However, no further data implies that grapefruit is a necessary component of this diet’s weight-loss strategy other than personal experience.
What Can You Eat On a Grapefruit Diet Plan?
Grapefruit Diet Plan – What Can You Eat On A Grapefruit Diet?
Because there is no single grapefruit diet, instructions differ from one plan to the next.
Whatever variant you prefer, one thing is certain: you will eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice with every meal.
Most diet variations recommend eating half a grapefruit per meal throughout the day. Grapefruit is high in vitamin C and fiber and has a low-calorie count (66-84 calories per serving).
If you are looking for something different or do not want to contend with eating grapefruit, you may often substitute grapefruit for its juice.
Some variants of the diet regimen recommend restricting your daily caloric intake to as few as 800 calories, which is less than half of the amount recommended for a healthy, balanced diet.
Among the other characteristics of the classic grapefruit diet is consuming foods high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol.
Sugars, carbs, and highly processed foods are not advisable to include in the diet.
A typical meal on the grapefruit diet can consist of the following ingredients:
- Half a grapefruit or 8 ounces of 100% grapefruit juice (no sugar added)
- Salad or a red or green vegetable sautéed in butter or spices
- Meat or fish (Cooked)
- Coffee or tea with no added cream or sugar (one cup)
What Are The Potential Health Benefits of The Grapefruit Diet Plan?
When you incorporate grapefruit into your diet, you may get all your nutrients while consuming the least calories.
It contains sufficient fiber and other essential nutrients that are good for your health. Among the many nutrients included in half of a medium-sized grapefruit are:
Antioxidants
Calories: 52
Carbs 13g
Dietary fiber 2g
Vitamin C 64% RDI
Vitamin A 28% RDI
Potassium 5% RDI
Thiamine 4% RDI
Folate 4% RDI
Magnesium 3% RDI
The low-calorie grapefruit diet has the following potential health benefits.
1. Weight Loss
Grapefruit contains a significant amount of fiber, which helps in digestion by slowing down the rate at which the stomach empties.
The fiber content helps make you feel full for longer by suppressing your hunger, preventing you from binge eating, thus leading to weight loss.
It is also an excellent weight-loss choice because of its low calorie and high water content.
2. Boosts the Immune System
Each serving of grapefruit provides you with vitamins A and C, which are excellent for boosting the immune system.
When you have a cold and take grapefruit, the vitamins help reduce the discomforts and the duration of the illness.
3. Improved Insulin Resistance
Improved Insulin Resistance
According to research, grapefruit is beneficial in the prevention of insulin resistance.
Because it has a low glycemic index (GI) of roughly 25, it does not spike blood sugar levels in the same way or to the same extent as high-GI foods.
4. Lowers Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol Levels
Grapefruit contains sufficient potassium and high fiber content, lowering the risk of developing high blood pressure.
It also has the additional benefit of reducing bad cholesterol levels while improving overall cholesterol levels.
5. Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Grapefruit contains fiber, antioxidants, and several essential nutrients, including potassium, that help maintain the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system.
6. Speeds Wound Healing
Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C, which aids in the formation of good scar tissue and the construction of new blood vessels, resulting in the restoration of your body’s health.
A grapefruit contains around 72 milligrams of vitamin C, equivalent to 120 percent of the daily recommended intake.
Disadvantages of the Grapefruit Diet
- It is harmful to follow this diet because it is low in calories and requires
- Because the diet is deficient in critical vitamins and minerals, one may experience dizziness or low energy levels during the diet.
- It is overly restrictive since it relies too heavily on a single food source.
- The diet does not significantly alter your normal eating behavior, which is necessary for long-term weight loss; the weight you lose today will most likely reappear later.
Factors to Consider When Following the Grapefruit Diet
1. You can dress your salads with olive oil while on the grapefruit diet.
2. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily and exercise regularly while following the grapefruit diet plan.
3. People who suffer from stomach disorders such as gastritis or ulcers may face stomach troubles while following the grapefruit diet.
4. Grapefruit can cause severe damage to your organs when taken with certain medications because it contains furanocoumarins chemicals that interfere with the potency of the drugs. Some of the medicines that you should not take with grapefruit include
- Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs
- Blood pressure-lowering drugs
- Organ-transplant rejection drugs
- Anti-anxiety drugs
- Abnormal heart-rhythm treatment drugs
- Certain antihistamines
5. Avoid adding sugar or salt to grapefruits and enjoy them as they are.
6. The diet highly recommends cooking all the meals besides the fruit.
7 Day Grapefruit Diet Plan
Day 1
Breakfast
2 eggs with 2 slices of bacon,
Unsweetened coffee
Half of a grapefruit,
1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Lunch
Unlimited grilled meat with veggie salad,
Half of a grapefruit,
1 cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Dinner
Red cabbage, with red vegetables such as beets, non-starchy green leafy vegetables,
Unlimited grilled meat or fish,
Half of a grapefruit,
1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Day 2
Breakfast
Half of a grapefruit with unsweetened coffee/tea
Lunch
Half of a grapefruit, with 2 boiled eggs, tomato, cucumber, and greens salad, lemon juice and vinegar,
1 slice of toast,
Unsweetened tea/coffee
Dinner
Half of the grapefruit, with tomato, cucumber, and greens salad with lemon juice and vinegar,
100 grams of grilled chicken/meat/fish
Day 3
Breakfast
2 boiled eggs,
Unsweetened tea/coffee,
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Lunch
1 bowl of vegetable salad with 100 grams of meat or chicken,
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Dinner
1 bowl of vegetable salad,
100 grams of beef or chicken,
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Day 4
Breakfast
2 boiled eggs 2 thin slices of bacon,
Black coffee,
Half grapefruit
Lunch
A salad of tomato, cucumber, and onion, unlimited boiled or grilled meat,
1 cup of grapefruit juice
Dinner
Red cabbage, red vegetables such as beets, and non-starchy green leafy vegetables with unlimited grilled meat or fish,
Half of a grapefruit,
1 cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Day 5
Grapefruit with Red Vegetables
Breakfast
2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon,
Unsweetened coffee,
Half of a grapefruit,
1 cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Lunch
Unlimited grilled meat, salad, half of a grapefruit,
1 cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Dinner
Red cabbage, red vegetables such as beets, and non-starchy green leafy vegetables, unlimited grilled meat or fish, half of a grapefruit, and 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Day 6
Breakfast
2 boiled eggs,
Unsweetened tea/coffee,
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Lunch
1 bowl of vegetable salad,
100 grams of meat or chicken,
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Dinner
1 bowl of vegetable salad,
100 grams of beef or chicken
1 cup of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
Day 7
Breakfast
Half of a grapefruit,
Unsweetened coffee/tea
Lunch
Half the grapefruit, 2 boiled eggs, tomato, cucumber, and greens salad, with lemon juice and vinegar, 1 slice of toast,
Unsweetened tea/coffee
Dinner
Half the grapefruit, with tomato, cucumber, and greens salad, lemon juice, and vinegar,
100 grams of grilled chicken/meat/fish
Printable (PDF) Grapefruit Diet Plan
| Meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 eggs 2 slices of bacon Unsweetened coffee Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | Half of a grapefruit Unsweetened coffee / tea | 2 boiled eggs Unsweetened tea / coffee 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | 2 boiled eggs 2 thin slices of bacon Black coffee Half grapefruit | 2 eggs 2 slices of bacon Unsweetened coffee Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | 2 boiled eggs Unsweetened tea / coffee 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | Half of a grapefruit Unsweetened coffee / tea |
| Lunch | Unlimited grilled meat Salad Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | Half of a grapefruit 2 boiled eggs Salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers and greens with lemon juice and vinegar 1 slice of toast Unsweetened tea / coffee | 2 boiled eggs Unsweetened tea / coffee 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | A salad of tomato, cucumber and onion Unlimited boiled or grilled meat 1 glass of grapefruit juice | Unlimited grilled meat Salad Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | 1 bowl of vegetable salad 100 grams of meat or chicken 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | Half of a grapefruit 2 boiled eggs Salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers and greens with lemon juice and vinegar 1 slice of toast Unsweetened tea / coffee |
| Dinner | A meal of red cabbage, Red vegetables such as beets, Green leafy vegetables that do not contain starch, Unlimited grilled meat or fish, Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | Half of grapefruit, Salad made of tomato, cucumber and greens with lemon juice and vinegar, 100 grams of grilled chicken / meat / fish | 1 bowl of vegetable salad, 100 grams of meat or chicken, 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | A meal of red cabbage, Red vegetables such as beets, and green leafy vegetables that do not contain starch, Unlimited grilled meat or fish Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | A meal of red cabbage, Red vegetables such as beets, and green leafy vegetables that do not contain starch, Unlimited grilled meat or fish, Half of a grapefruit 1 glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice | 1 bowl of vegetable salad, 100 grams of meat or chicken, 1 glass of grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit | Half of grapefruit, Salad made of tomato, cucumber and greens with lemon juice and vinegar, 100 grams of grilled chicken / meat / fish |
Final Thoughts
Grapefruit is a powerhouse for nutritional content and the power of healing and preventing certain illnesses. It is also high in fiber and proteins, which help you stay satiated for longer.
Moreover, if you are trying to lose weight, half a grapefruit or a glass of juice before meals may help fill you up and prevent you from craving anything else between meals.
Additionally, you will eat fewer calories at meals and potentially lose weight. A physician’s consent is always advisable before starting a grapefruit or low-calorie diet.
People taking any form of medication are especially advised to tread with care when following the diet because it interferes with the potency of certain drugs.
See Also:
- https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/grapefruit-juice-and-some-drugs-dont-mix
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-many-calories-a-day-should-i-eat/
- https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Grapefruit_Solution_Lower_Your_Chole.html?id=zaMIAAAACAAJ
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html