Grapefruit & Weight Loss

A 2004 study at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic verified that consuming grapefruit can result in weight loss. The people who conducted the study think that grapefruit helps melt pounds because it diminishes the insulin in the body. Insulin aids in controlling how fat is metabolized.

Grapefruit Diet

Once considered a fad, the "grapefruit diet" was where people essentially stuck to grapefruit, black coffee, dry toast and boiled eggs for 12 days to drop weight.

Daily Intake

The Scripps study showed that even when people stuck to their regular diet and added a small amount of exercise and consumed grapefruit or its juice three times per day, they lost 3.3 to 3.6 lbs per week.

Insulin

Because insulin is related to feeling hungry, the grapefruit's ability to reduce the amount of the hormone in your body can lead you to feel less hungry and therefore eat less.

Nutrition

One cup of grapefruit has only 74 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, 2.5 grams of dietary fiber and no cholesterol or sodium. These factors make it an ideal food for dieters since it has few calories but plenty of fiber to make you feel fuller longer.

Water

Grapefruit contains a good deal of water, which also assists in weight loss because it flushes impurities from the system.

Medicine

People who take medication should consult their doctor before eating grapefruit because the fruit blocks an intestinal enzyme that metabolizes medicine.