The Grapefruit Diet

By: Hannah RahimPlanning 10

BASIC INFO• Eat ½ a grapefruit before meals high in protein and fat• Produces a metabolic reaction where thermo genic

powers stem from fat-burning enzyme in grapefruit• Restrict caloric intake to 800 per day and eliminate all

carbs • Early studies suggests that this is beneficial to aid in

weight loss– Mostly because of the reduced caloric intake – rather than the

grapefruit

GRAPEFRUIT CHEMICALS• Plant chemicals are beneficial in stopping heart disease • Grapefruit contains narigin and hesperidin which act as

antioxidants in fighting free radicals • When tested on rats, these chemicals helped in fat

breakdown, however this may be different on humans• Also, the amount in ½ grapefruit isn’t as much as the

amount fed to the rats

WHAT TO EAT

• Lasts for 12 days• You can eat high fat/fried foods and high amounts of

butter• Can only eat very limited amounts of carbs • Whole wheat, fruits and vegetables which still contain

carbs are not allowed

EXAMPLE MEAL PLAN

• Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices of bacon and ½ grapefruit

• Lunch: salad with any dressing, any amount of meat, ½ grapefruit

• Dinner: any meat, salad, coffee or tea, ½ grapefruit

• Snack: 8 oz of skim milk

PROS AND CONS

Pros: • Results are evident in a

short time• Beneficial to kick-start

another program• Vitamin C is beneficial

for immune system• Grapefruit is beneficial

for heart disease

Cons: • Water and muscle can also be lost

during this time• Grapefruit can interfere with the

actions of certain drugs• Little evidence to suggest health

benefits• Weight will return after diet is

over • Can cause increased risk of breast

cancer – as an increase in estrogen • Foods are still high in saturated

fats which is bad for cholesterol

BALANCED DIET?

• The grapefruit diet has overly high amounts of meat which can lead to high cholesterol due to saturated fats

• It is unhealthy to not consume carbs, since complex carbohydrates contain important nutrients

• 800-1000 calories is not enough to sustain people• Grapefruit has high amounts of acid – especially

when eaten on an empty stomach• Can cause stomach ulcers• Carbs such as rice/bread aid in absorbing acid, thus

the combination of grapefruit and no carbs can be quite harmful

CONCLUSION

• Grapefruit diet is only useful if done for a short period of time to lose weight for a certain event, and do not mind if the weight is regained

• Has many negative effects on health due to the lack of nutrients in all four food groups

• Acid and other aspects of grapefruits can have detrimental effects on health

• Amount of calories consumed isn’t enough• High amounts of fat are consumed through meat - can

increase cholesterol and long term weight gain• Not healthy – especially for teenagers who are still growing• Most effective ways to lose weight is through exercising and

eating healthy foods with low amounts of simple carbohydrates

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• "Bitter Truth about the grapefruit diet." The Telegraph. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

• Koslo, Jennifer. "Precision Nutrition Research Review: The grapefruit diet." Precision Nutrition . N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

• "The Grapefruit Diet Plan Review - WebMD." WebMD - Better information. Better health. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

• "The Grapefruit Diet Review | Pros and Cons ." Medical Information & Trusted Health Advice: Healthline. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.