Is Grapefruit a Fat Burner?

For decades, people have been eating grapefruits with their meals to lose weight. Some believe the fruit bears fat-burning properties. But is it true?

The Facts

The notion that eating grapefruits starts the body's fat-burning process stems largely from a longtime fad diet called the Grapefruit Diet. Some dieters reported short-term weight loss, but most people regain the weight in a matter of days. As well, no research exists to indicate that grapefruit has the ability to kick-start the metabolism and cause fat-burning.

In fact, many nutritionists and doctors dispute the notion that grapefruit possesses special properties, often referred to as enzymes. According to Connie Diekman, president of the American Dietetic Association, grapefruit does not have fat-burning properties and is not "a magic bullet for weight loss."

History

The grapefruit's use in weight loss traces more than 75 years. In the 1930s, the Grapefruit Diet gained popularity. Word of mouth has kept the diet in vogue.

Features

Eating grapefruits for weight loss generally involves the Grapefruit Diet, where dieters follow a meal plan that features a half grapefruit with each meal. The diet allows copious amounts of butter. Still, some dieters reported losing up to 10 pounds over the 12-day course of the Grapefruit Diet.

Considerations

According to nutritionist Kathleen M. Zelman, weight loss on the grapefruit diet stems not from any magical fat-burning characteristics of the fruit. Instead, said Zelman, the weight loss results from the number of calories consumed and fluid changes. Most of the grapefruit diets limit daily calorie consumption to between 800 and 1,000, which is less than the average person burns in a day even without exercise. Diekman said weight loss also results from fluid loss and not from fat-burning.

Misconceptions

The grapefruit is touted as a way to trigger the body to burn fat and, therefore, cause weight loss, but it is based on faulty logic. Some, though, fail to realize that grapefruits still serve as a healthy food. They are low on the glycemic scale, which means that they can aid in reducing insulin levels.

Theories

While no medical research validates the notion that enzymes in grapefruit burn fat, scientists did make a few notable discoveries.

A 2006 study supported by the Florida Department of Citrus found that eating half of a grapefruit with meals resulted in weight loss of three to 10 pounds over a 12-week period. Researchers said the addition of the grapefruit might have reduced insulin levels.

Then, in 2009, doctors published a study in the journal Diabetes. It reported that a flavenoid found in grapefruit helps to stabilize blood sugar, which does have weight-loss benefits. The study did not find that grapefruit actually burns fat stored on the body, but it did indicate that grapefruit's blood sugar benefits helps to keep the body from converting sugar to fat.

Warning

Because the Grapefruit Diet does not provide enough calories for many individuals, they can suffer from insufficient nutrition. People have reported dizzy spells and stomach aches with the diet.