The old Grapefruit Diet has been floating around for a long time.
Its popularity for so many years can be attributed to pseudo-science
and good marketing copy. This is one of those fad diets that you
can use to drop some quick pounds, but, like all fad diets, you
need to recognize that it's deficient nutritionally and that you'll
gain back what you lose as soon as you get off the diet IF you
return to your old eating habits.
In the 80s, nutrition experts dismissed it as another fad diet,
explaining that the 'fat-burning' properties of grapefruit were,
in fact, a myth and any weight loss that occurred was due to the
extremely low and potentially dangerous calorie intake.
But two decades on, it seems these nutritionists may need to
rethink their views on the popularity of grapefruit as a 'diet
food' if the results of a study published earlier this year are
to be believed.
The latest research, carried out by scientists at the Nutrition
and Medical Research Centre at Scripps Clinic in San Diego, America,
has found that the simple act of adding grapefruit and grapefruit
juice to your diet, really can aid weight loss. But unlike the
seriously restricted diet of the 80s, you get these results without
changing what else you eat!
Even study leader Dr Fujioka seemed surprised, saying, 'For years,
people have talked about the grapefruit diet. Now we have data
that grapefruit helps weight loss. 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.'
