Heart Patient Grapefruit Diets

The grapefruit diet, sometimes called the Mayo diet despite the fact that it has never been endorsed by the Mayo Clinic, is a very low calorie diet that claims to produce a fat-burning combination when grapefruit (or grapefruit juice) is combined with animal fat. The diet often promises to help patients lose weight quickly and has even been touted as a way for heart patients to remove cholesterol and other blockages from their arteries. There is no known scientific evidence to support the use of the diet.

The Diet Claims

Proponents of the grapefruit diet claim that the special combination of enzymes from grapefruit and meat products creates a miracle fat burner that can help patients lose up to 12 pounds in two weeks. Some claim the fat burning combination specifically targets deposits in the arteries and can help heart patients to clear blockages without surgery. A study in 2006 in San Diego indicated that grapefruit may have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar and prevent overeating, triggering some weight loss, but that the special combination of foods was not necessary. The diet works, temporarily, because it is very low calorie.

Does It Work?

A 2006 study showed that patients lost an average of about 3.5 pounds on the grapefruit diet, but doctors suggested it was due to the restricted food intake and water loss. Doctors also caution that the dieters regained the weight as soon as they returned to more normal eating habits. Additionally, the Scripps study was funded in part by the Florida Department of Citrus, making the results questionable.

Grapefruit and Heart Health

While the grapefruit diet may not be the miracle cure for weight loss and creating a healthier heart, the diet does get something right. Stabilizing your blood sugar levels to prevent overeating can help with weight loss. Losing weight is good for your heart. The grapefruit diet is a fad diet that has survived for generations, as it was first seen in the 1930s, but the medical science does not back up the claims. A balanced, healthy diet that reduces calorie-intake and promotes exercise is the best real option for maintaining a healthy heart.