We’ve all heard about the grapefruit diet, it’s been around for almost a hundred years now. Started in the 1930’s and the precursor to the modern day Atkins diet, the Grapefruit diet was one of the first fad diets to make it’s debut among women across the world. In the 1970’s it gained widespread popularity and seems to be making a comeback today.
The grapefruit diet is based on the claim that there are certain enzymes in grapefruits that rev up your metabolism and help burn fat. A typical meal plan on the diet consists of half a grapefruit about 3-4 times a day for 12 days, accompanied by unlimited amounts of proteins such as meat, eggs and dairy products.
Now, before I tell you what’s wrong with the grapefruit diet, I’d like to mention that grapefruits do have some very excellent health properties and deserve to be a regular part of your diet. For instance, grapefruits are not only high in vitamin C and potassium, but are also high in fiber and antioxidants. Because of the high fiber content found in grapefruits, they can be an effective weight loss tool, but need to be used correctly.
So, what is wrong with the grapefruit diet?
At about 800-1000 calories a day, it is not only dangerously low in calories but, completely unsustainable for any long term benefits. The grapefruit diet also encourages eating large amounts foods which are high in fat and cholesterol such as bacon, eggs and creamy salad dressings.
While in moderation, these foods are good for you and can be part of a healthy diet along with other fruits, vegetables and grains the grapefruit diet is unbalanced at best. Though, it is gaining in popularity again as a solution to quick weight loss, here is what no one is telling you about the grapefruit diet:
• Lacking in nutrients – Yes, grapefruits are healthy. Yes, they have lots of vitamin C and fiber along with tons of antioxidants. However, as the basis for a diet if you want long term results you’ll need something more balanced to sustain your efforts.
• Dangerous – The fact that the grapefruit diet does not give anyone enough daily calories to sustain a healthy lifestyle makes it a dangerous solution for long term weight loss. It is also the reason most people give up on the grapefruit diet with in days of starting.
• Not enough variety – The grapefruit diet calls for eating unlimited meat and cheese, which sounds great, but our bodies need and crave variety when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet.
• Dental Erosion – Did you know that eating high concentrations of citrus fruits can cause dental erosion? Citric acid comes from citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges and lemons and it’s what gives them their tart flavor. Citric acid can bleach things left out in the sun and is also used as in some cleaning products. Eating high amounts of foods with citric acid could harm your teeth.
• Not to be used with certain medications – While grapefruit does contain an enzyme that allows certain medications to be better absorbed into the digestive tract, it can also cause great harm if taken with certain medications.
So what is a better solution for anyone thinking about trying the grapefruit diet?
Before trying the grapefruit diet, we might suggest simply adding half a grapefruit to each meal of the day and drinking more water. Doing these two things will help you feel full and provide you with a healthy dose of fiber and hydration.
Studies have shown that people who did this tended to lose an average of 3.5 pounds per week. Although this may not seem like much compared with the 10 pounds per week that the grapefruit diet promises, it is certainly healthier and more sustainable. After all, slow and steady wins the race!
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