leaf spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce,
chili (no beans), mayonnaise, any cheese, hot dogs,
cole slaw, salad dressing, dried nuts, dill pickles.
Foods the dieter maynoteat: white onions, pota-
toes, celery, peas, cereal, corn, starchy vegetables,
potato chips, peanut butter, pasta, corn chips, jelly
or jam, sweet pickles, pretzels, fruit, low-fat or diet
salad dressings.
2004 grapefruit research diet
The 91 subjects in this 12-week study were ran-
domly assigned to four groups: one group received a
placebo capsule plus 7 ounces of apple juice before
each meal, the second group received grapefruit cap-
sules plus 7 ounces of apple juice, the third group
received 8 ounces of grapefruit juice plus a placebo
capsule, and the fourth group received 1/2 of a fresh
grapefruit plus a placebo capsule. At the end of the 12
weeks, the subjects in the three groups that had
received some form of grapefruit had lost significantly
greater amounts of weight than those in the group that
had received only the placebo, with those who received
the fresh grapefruit losing the most weight. The
patients were not asked to make any other changes in
their food intake, but they were required to take 30-
minute walks three times a week.
Grapefruit diet capsules
As of 2007 there are two types of grapefruit pills or
capsules sold over the Internet, both claiming to help
people lose weight. The ‘‘grapefruit pectin diet tablets’’
are said to ‘‘help release fat deposits‘‘ that the dieter
already carries on the stomach and hips. ‘‘They can
also prevent new fat from penetrating the cells by
redirecting it to the muscles where it is burned off,
thereby eliminating fat deposits.’’ The pills contain
200 mg of grapefruit pectin, plus cellulose and fiber.
Given the high fiber content of these pills, it is most
likely that they simply speed up the dieter’s digestion
and elimination.
The Grapefruit Solution Natural Diet, based on a
book published in 2004, makes use of capsules that
contain ‘‘pure, organic whole grapefruit.... Five
years of study and research has gone into developing
and perfecting the technique of taking whole grapefruit
and converting it into concentrated power while retain-
ing all the benefits of the entire grapefruit.’’ In addition
to the capsules, however, this diet does emphasize the
importance of exercise as well as a balanced diet of
complexcarbohydratesandproteinfoods.
Function
The fad versions of the grapefruit diet are intended
for rapid weight loss. They are usually recommended as
a good way to lose weight after holiday-related over-
eating or to fit into a special outfit for an important
occasion. Several of the versions available on the Inter-
net, however, claim that the grapefruit diet can be used
for weight maintenance or for long-term nutrition on a
twelve-days-on, two-days-off schedule.
The 2004 research version of the diet is intended to
assess the effectiveness of grapefruit in counteracting
metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors for heart
disease related to insulin resistance) as well as its use-
fulness in weight reduction diets. Preliminary results
indicate that regular inclusion of grapefruit in the diet
is effective in helping patients lose weight at a moder-
ate rate and in improving their response to insulin.Benefits
The fad versions of the grapefruit diet should be
avoided in spite of their promises of rapid weight loss.
The VLCD version does not allow enough calories to
supply the daily energy needs of even a moderately
active adult and is nutritionally unbalanced. The high-
protein version is highly unlikely to help anyone lose
weight, since its allowance of ‘‘meat any style and any
amount’’ and ‘‘double or triple helpings’’ of meat and
vegetables could easily encourage overeating.
Using grapefruit as an adjunct to a balanced weight-
reduction diet by eating half a grapefruit before meals,
however, appears to be helpful in reducing hunger
cravings. It also contributes fiber andvitaminsto the
dieter’s daily intake.Precautions
General precautions
A general precaution for anyone seeking to lose
weight is to consult a physician before trying any
specific diet. This precaution is particularly important
for adolescents, women who are pregnant or nursing,
people with kidney or liver disorders, people witheat-
ing disorders, anyone who has had recent surgery, and
anyone who needs to lose more than 30 pounds.Drug interactions
Grapefruit contains certain compounds that inter-
act with various types of medications in the digestive
tract (it does not, however, affect drugs taken by injec-
tion). Although apple juice and orange juice may also
interact with some prescription drugs, grapefruit con-
tainsthreecompoundsknownasnaringin,bergamottin,Grapefruit diet