Grapefruit - The Fad Returns?

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Jul 20th 2009 4:00PM

Photo: xaverie, sxc.hu

It's one of the most infamous (not to mention lip-puckering) fad diets out there, but recent studies are showing that maybe there was something to the grapefruit diet after all. And no, maybe it didn't work for your mom in the 70s, but adding large amounts of this citrus fruit to your diet could help you take the leap from fat to fab.

Recent research from the University of Western Ontario in Canada shows that an extract in grapefruit called naringenin can change the way a mouse's liver burns and stores fat. Essentially, this particular flavonoid alters genes so that the liver burned more fat that it normally would.

Don't get too excited just yet. The study only involved mice -- and human trials are still very far away. But the results are promising -- not only did taking flavonoid reduce fat build-up in mice, it also reduced their cholesterol, making them less susceptible to cardiovascular issues and Type 2 diabetes.

All the mice were fed a Western, high-fat diet. The mice that received flavonoid put on less weight, normalized glucose metabolism and prevented insulin resistance.

Ready to try this at home? Be careful -- in order to get the amount of flavonoid these mice were given, you'd have to drink eight glasses of grapefruit juice a day. And grapefruit is actually a big no-no for people on many medications, including statins.

Comments (5)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jonathan Aluzas 7-20-2009 @ 4:45PM

Oh, boy. Here we go again....

When the dust settles from this one I'm guessing this is what we discover: Grapefruit, like all fruits and vegetables are good for us! But I doubt we're going to find any miraculous fat-loss connection. If we do, however, I'll be one happy guy, because I have the largest, most productive grapefruit tree in California turning out fruit in my back yard! People will be lined up....

Arana 7-20-2009 @ 5:26PM

Awesome, let's stuff ourselves with grapefruit. I probably still won't be enough to cause any noticeable weight loss. Just make sure to take care with medication since grapefruit has been known to amplify the affects of certain drugs.

Sonia 7-20-2009 @ 7:38PM

I also have a grapefruit tree and try to eat at least one a day and it's a great feel good fruit. I do feel that it suppresses my appetite and gives me a little energy boost. I'm not claiming it works "miracles" but there are definitely benefits to snacking on this particular fruit.

Fatblastzone.com 7-21-2009 @ 7:49AM

"...you'd have to drink 8 glasses of grapefruit a day." Wow, that's a lot of juice-drinking for the day. I don't think you'll have any room left for water. One thing I know for sure about grapefruit is that it has loads of antioxidant power. So, it's not a bad idea to include it in your diet. I really question its fat burning capabilities though.

TheArtOfWeightLifting.com 7-24-2009 @ 7:29PM

Dang that's a lot of grapefruit juice you have to drink... I love grapefruit not only because of the fat burning potential but also high in vitamin C and its great with a little honey on top broiled in the oven for just a few minutes.