[Updated May 10, 2018]
Does eating grapefruit help you lose weight?
Grapefruit as a weight loss wonder is a bit of an urban legend, and scientific evidence to support it is scarce. A recent systematic review on the topic included three moderate-quality clinical trials with a total of 250 obese men and women. Grapefruit was taken three times daily as 1/2 fresh fruit, 4.5 to 7 ounces juice or 500 milligrams powder (capsules) for 6 to 12 weeks. No significant difference in weight loss was found between those using grapefruit products versus control groups (using placebo pills, bottled water or nothing in lieu of grapefruit). Only two of the three studies restricted calories. “Grapefruit consumption is of no benefit as a weight loss supplement,” concluded Igho Onakpoya, MD, MSc, at the University of Oxford in the UK and the lead author of the review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
To Learn More: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, February 2017