The grapefruit diet (mayo clinic diet)

One thing we should make clear up front is that the Mayo Clinic had nothing to do with the grapefruit diet, although this is what it is often called.

People keep on looking for a magic diet that will help them lose weight fast. In this case, the magic is supposed to be in the grapefruit. Unfortunately, recent studies have indicated a possible link between eating grapefruit every day and breast cancer. More research needs to be done on this issue.

Keep reading below, because you'll see that the true 'magic' in this diet really isn't the grapefruit, anyway.

A 2004 study led by Dr. Ken Fujioka at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found in a 12-week pilot study that, on average, participants on a grapefruit diet, who ate half a grapefruit with each meal , lost 3.6 pounds. Those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. Additionally, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.

Dr. Fujioka found that the grapefruit diet reduced insulin levels which improved the blood sugar regulation. However, if the study followed the diet exactly as it is listed below, it was probably the lack of sugar and other processed foods that reduced the insulin response. The grapefruit probably had little to do with these results.

Many metabolic studies have shown that high levels of insulin in the blood cause fat to be stored on the body, and insulin spikes and eventual insulin resistance are caused by sugar and other refined carbohydrates.

In this diet, there is no sugar and no bread, so there should be no insulin spikes. And that would mean that fat would be liberated from the fat cells, so it could be burned as fuel. The sugar in grapefruit is fruit sugar, or fructose, which does not cause an insulin spike, and there are no other carbohydrates at all in the diet.

The grapefruit diet could be considered a low-calorie fad version of the low-carbohydrate diets that were first popularized back in the late 1800s by a man named William Banting, and were given greater prominence by the highly-respected Dr. Blake Donaldson after World War I.

When you read through the list of items that are allowed on this diet, one thing stands out - there is no sugar, no white flour, and no starchy vegetables. In fact, except for the small amount of carbohydrates in the grapefruit and salad, this really is a low-carb, high-protein and high-fat diet.

Here's a list of things "allowed" on the grapefruit diet:

BREAKFAST:
1/2 grapefruit or 8oz unsweetened juice.
2 Eggs any style
2 Slices of bacon
Black coffee or tea, no sugar

LUNCH:
1/2 grapefruit or 8oz unsweetened juice.
Salad and or raw veggies (any dressing, not low fat or fat free)
Meat (Cooked any way)

DINNER:
1/2 grapefruit or 8oz unsweetened juice.
Meat (cooked any way) Vegetables (any green or red, may be cooked in butter or Seasoning or a salad as above) Black coffee or tea, no sugar

BEDTIME:
(opt) 8oz Tomato juice or skim milk

Is the grapefruit "mayo clinic" diet safe?

Now, I approve highly of removing sugar and white flour from your diet. In fact, the World Health Organization believes that these foods are largely responsible for the world's obesity epidemic.

But no-sugar does not have to mean very-low-calorie. Even with the additional fat in the bacon, butter, and salad dressing, the dieter will not receive enough calories to avoid getting hungery. People can't stay on diets for very long if they're always hungry - it's a matter of physiology, not a lack of will-power. Low-calorie diets simply don't work.

However, if a low-carbohydrate diet is followed using naturally-raised meat and eggs from free-range hens, there is no reason to restrict the calories. The fat-fighting elements found in these foods (but not in grain-fed animals) will do the work for you. These are the real magic weight loss foods - not grapefruit.

The best way to lose weight safely is to eat good, wholesome food, reduce or eliminate the sugar and other refined products from your diet, and eat the kinds of foods that actually help you lose weight and control your appetite. You can learn how by signing up for the Real Food Diet Revolution study course.

And yes, you can eat grapefruit on the Real Food diet if you want to...

 

 

Please also visit my other sites:

All About Gastric Bypass - An honest look at the benefits, costs and complications of weight loss surgery.

The Craving Control Diet: The only diet that helps you lose weight, controls your appetite, eliminates food obsessions and cravings, and improves your moods - all with the fat-fighting power of whole, natural foods. It isn't just safer than fad diets - it actually works for permanent weight loss.

 

 

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