Grapefruit Detox Diet

The Grapefruit Detox Diet, commonly known as the Hollywood Diet, is a diet plan based on the consumption of specific foods along with half a grapefruit or eight ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice before mealtime. Proponents of the diet say they enjoy the benefit of weight loss without feeling starved, while opponents argue against the high intake of saturated fat combined with an inadequate intake of calories.

History

The Grapefruit Diet has been around since the 1930s when it became a popular trend in Hollywood among movie stars. Like many Hollywood trends, it moved into mainstream American culture, but didn't take a firm hold until the 1970s. The Grapefruit Diet was created by Kelly D. Brownell.

Diet Plan

The Grapefruit Diet does not allow you to eat complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, but does allow all types of meat, eggs, milk, fruit, vegetables, butter, salad dressing, coffee, tea and water. The diet lasts a maximum of 12 days and you must follow your meal plan to the mark. The calorie limit is 800 a day. The only other requirement of the diet is behavioral: no exercising. Due to low caloric intake, you might faint with intense physical activity.

Benefits

Grapefruit is highly nutritious. It contains high amounts of vitamins A and C as well as potassium, fiber and antioxidants. There are three varieties of grapefruit: red, pink and white. The general rule is the darker the fruit, the higher the vitamin content. Grapefruit is a low-calorie food containing 74 to 78 calories per fruit. These characteristics make grapefruit beneficial to cardiac health as well as effective for lowering cholesterol, decreasing your risk of developing diabetes and boosting metabolism.

Insulin Production

There appears to be a connection between the enzymes in grapefruit that increase metabolism and insulin production. It is speculated that when these enzymes are consumed they slow insulin production; this causes a portion of the weight loss experienced on the Grapefruit Diet. Reduced insulin levels leaves you feeling full earlier and longer.

Warnings

Due to the low caloric intake on the Grapefruit Diet, you should diet for no more then 12 days and take at least two days off if you choose to do the diet multiple times. There is not enough nutrition in the diet to allow exercise and this, in combination with the high intake of saturated fat, leads to an unhealthy lifestyle. The Grapefruit Diet does not cause loss of body fat, but rather loss of retained water, which generally causes most participants to regain the weight they lost on the diet after they stop.