Grapefruit Diet:
Grapefruit and Weight Loss Facts

Studies confirm that by adding grapefruit or grapefruit juice to your daily diet, you can shed those unwanted pounds.

A 12-week pilot study, led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored weight and metabolic factors of the 100 men and women who participated in the Scripps Clinic “Grapefruit Diet” study. On average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. However, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.

“For years people have talked about the grapefruit diet, and some even swear by it, but now, we have data that grapefruit helps weight loss,” said Dr. Fujioka, principal researcher at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic. “Our study participants maintained their daily eating habits and slightly enhanced their exercise routine; the only dietary change was the intake of Florida grapefruit and grapefruit juice.”

The most important active ingredient in grapefruit that helps us to lose weight is naringin, a flavonoid compound that gives grapefruit its characteristic bitter flavor and blocks the uptake of fatty acids into cells to prevent our bodies from effectively using carbohydrates.

So, next time you’re out grocery shopping remember to bag lots of grapefruits!