Will a grapefruit diet help you “peel” off pounds?
The original Grapefruit Diet dates back to the 1930s, but there’s a new and improved version of the diet that’s become popular again. Grapefruit may be the citrus fruit to whittle your middle, thanks to a new study that reported women who ate grapefruit where thinner and had smaller waistlines than those who didn’t eat the fruit.
In another study, Vanderbilt University researchers put obese men and women on a 12-week diet that included grapefruit or grapefruit juice before their meals. The participants lost, on average, 15 pounds during the study or 7% of their initial body weight.
Bottom line: Eating half of a grapefruit before meals helps fill you up so you eat fewer calories for that meal.
The Original Grapefruit Diet Meal Plan
In case you are too young to remember the hoopla over the Grapefruit Diet, here’s the gist of it:
- Eat half a grapefruit or 4 oz. 100% grapefruit juice before each meal.
- Eat two eggs and two slices of bacon for breakfast each day.
- Eat protein of your choice with salad and dressing for lunch.
- Dinner is meat, fish with vegetables.
- At bedtime, you have a glass of skim milk or tomato juice.
Sample “Original” Grapefruit Diet Meal Plan
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, black coffee, 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Lunch: Salad with salad dressing, unlimited meat, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Dinner: Red or green vegetables (except starchy ones such as peas, beans, corn, sweet potatoes) or salad, unlimited meat or fish, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Bedtime snack: 8 ounces skim milk or tomato juice
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The Grapefruit Diet Meal Plan: New and Improved
I developed a new and improved Grapefruit Diet that includes eating half a grapefruit with a high-protein breakfast each day. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day for hunger management, adding both fruit and protein is an optimal combination for feeling fuller on fewer calories.
For lunch and dinner, eat other fruit, soup or beverages that are also known to fill you up, not out.
The New Grapefruit Diet Rules:
- Eat half a grapefruit as part of a calorie-controlled (up to 400 calorie) high-protein breakfast every day. Use the suggestions below that all deliver at least 20 grams protein and are less than 400 calories. (If you can’t stomach grapefruit, have a medium orange, apple, 2 kiwifruit or ½ a medium banana instead)
- Eat a serving of fresh fruit or a cup of a broth-based soup or tomato/vegetable juice or 16 ounces water before both lunch and dinner
- Enjoy a mid-am and afternoon snack of fruit and/or veggies
- Eat a balanced lunch and dinner
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Seven New Grapefruit Diet High-Protein Breakfasts
Egg, Tomato & Arugula Sandwich
2 eggs + 2 whites scrambled served with 1 toasted Thomas’ whole-wheat Light English muffin with arugula, sliced tomato and 2 tsp. reduced fat mayonnaise
½ fresh grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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Protein Pancakes with
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt and
½ fresh grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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Skinny Bacon and Egg Sandwich
1 OroWeat Toasted Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins with
1 soft-boiled egg with 2 slices Canadian Bacon and 1 oz low-fat cheese and slice of tomato with
½ fresh grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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Cottage Cheese & Fruit
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with
1 Toasted Thomas’ Light Whole Wheat English Muffin with 2 tsp. light spread and
½ fresh Grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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Veggie Omelet
2 whole eggs and 2 whites whisked together with 1 Tbs. water
with 1 oz. shredded low-fat Feta cheese, salsa fresco and mushrooms and/or bell peppers
1 OroWeat Multi-Grain Sandwich thin
½ fresh Grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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High Protein Cereal
1 cup high-protein cold cereal (ie Kashi GoLean) with 1/2 cup skim or 1% low-fat milk and
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 hard-boiled egg
1/2 fresh grapefruit
Coffee or tea
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Breakfast Biscuits and Yogurt
1 Package Belvita Breakfast Biscuits with 8 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 fresh grapefruit
Coffee or tea
–Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD
