The grapefruit diet has outlasted many fad ways of eating, with people trying it as far back as the 1930s, but it comes with a warning. It was once thought the sour fruit had fat burning qualities, but multiple studies have shown this is not the case.
The diet involves eating or drinking grapefruit with every meal and ‘promises’ quick and rapid weight loss due to claims it has fat burning enzymes. In reality, it can lead to health issues if continued over long periods of time. On the 90 year old diet, MyHealthChecked‘s nutritionist, Isabela Ramos, has explained its pitfalls.
The expert says: “While grapefruit presents nutritional advantages, concerns shadow the ‘grapefruit diet’. Claims of fat-burning enzymes linked to grapefruit lack substantive evidence. Swift, short-term weight loss attributed to the diet likely stems from its low-calorie, low-carb nature rather than grapefruit-specific effects.”
She added that low-calorie diets, often consumed in tandem with the grapefruit diet: “Often falter in producing lasting outcomes and can lead to weakened bones, reduced metabolism, fatigue, muscle loss, and nutrient deficiencies.”
Ramos warned potential dieters that: “Adhering to the diet’s strict regimen for twelve days may be feasible, but its long-term sustainability is questionable. Furthermore, multiple versions of the diet add confusion among followers, with the inclusion of high-saturated-fat and cholesterol-rich foods contradicting health-conscious goal.”
Endorsed by many dieticians, the Mediterranean diet is the eating style proven to help shed weight and keep you healthy. This includes eating meals packed with vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, fish and fruit, all while avoiding red meat and sugary snacks.
In a recent study, academics from La Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the US examined data from 110,799 adults taking part in the UK Biobank study. They found that people who followed a Mediterranean lifestyle were 29 per cent less likely to die compared to their peers who did not. The lifestyle not only includes a way of eating, but also habits such as taking regular naps, exercising and spending time with friends.
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