The grapefruit diet started gaining popularity in the 1930s and actually came to its peak in the 1980s. Although the use of the grapefruit in diets has gone through several adaptations through the years, there are however just about three different types of grapefruit-related diets in circulation which have been referred to as the grapefruit diet.
The first two versions of the diet have generally been regarded as "fad diets" and are mostly promoted either as very low-calorie diets (VLCD) or as high-protein diets where the consumption of grapefruit is made the mainstay of the diet. The third is the regular use of grapefruit or grapefruit derivatives as part of or a supplement to a holistic weight loss program.
However, the effectiveness of grapefruit in weight loss has been a very debatable issue since there had not been any concrete evidence showing that it actually aids weight loss. Luckily, a 2003 research publication by Dr. Ken Fujioka helped to shed light on the weight loss effectiveness of grapefruit.
Dr. Fujioka and his team of scientists from the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center of the Scripps Clinic in California carried out a research study on 91 overweight participants.
The participants were divided into four different groups and each group put on one of the following: placebo capsules, grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice, and fresh grapefruits along with their regular diets. The participants were instructed to make no other changes to their regular dietary regimen but were to engage in a 30-minute walk three times a week.
The researchers noticed that three of the groups that had been placed on some form of grapefruit lost more significant amount of weight than the group that used a placebo. It was equally noticed that the group that had been placed on the fresh grapefruit actually lost the most weight during the study.
According to the study, eating a half "fresh grapefruit" before every meal and engaging in regular daily exercise can help individuals lose about 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks. The study also asserts that drinking a glass of "grapefruit juice" before every meal combined with regular daily exercise can likewise help individuals lose approximately 3.3 pounds in the same 12 weeks period.
Although the study did not use grapefruit in the context of a "grapefruit diet", it has however been able to put to rest the criticisms of a lot of experts about the actual effectiveness of grapefruit in weight reduction. In fact, the study titled, "The Effects of Grapefruit on Weight and Insulin Resistance: Relationship to the Metabolic Syndrome" was designed to measure the effectiveness of grapefruit and grapefruit products such as juices and capsules in weight reduction and treating insulin resistance.
Insulin, as a hormone, is usually secreted into the bloodstream whenever there is an abnormal increase in blood sugar levels. The secretion of insulin signals body cells to absorb the excess glucose in the bloodstream, convert and store same as glycogen in muscle and liver cells, and as fat in fat cells (adipose tissues).
However, insulin sensitivity can be seriously hampered by overeating. Overeating generally causes an increased insulin secretion which eventually makes the insulin receptors normally found on cells to become "numbed" or "de-sensitized" to the effects of insulin. This condition causes the body to predominantly start converting most of the glucose in the bloodstream to fat for storage in adipose tissues since there is a naturally limited storage capacity available in both liver and muscle cells.
Therefore insulin resistance leads to people becoming overweight with the consequential risks of developing heart diseases or stroke. Insulin resistance is generally considered to be a precursor of Type II Diabetes, which has a 90% prevalence rate among people with diabetes.
Once insulin levels remain constant, the body becomes more effective in fat burning as there will be less glucose available to be converted into body fat. This is due to the fact that eating or drinking grapefruit while hungry and just before meals essentially reduces the body's insulin levels and stimulates the body's fat burning mechanism in such a way as to burn the subsequently ingested foods for energy instead of storing them as fat.
The study asserts that since grapefruit is effective in helping the body reduce and regulate blood sugar levels, and consequently reduce insulin secretion thereby increasing its sensitivity, weight loss should therefore become one its natural effects on the human body.
However, the process is a bit more complex and there are certain others issues to be contended with such as the particular ingredient or compound in grapefruit that has these effects. Also, the precise working mechanism of how grapefruit and its derivatives assist in restoring insulin sensitivity are not yet fully understood.
This study has however categorically proven that despite these shortcomings, grapefruit and its derivatives do actually help people lose weight. Therefore, the combination of the weight loss capability of grapefruit to an active lifestyle of regular exercise and eating of a healthy and balanced diet is a guaranteed way to achieve a sustainable and healthy body weight.
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