Eating half a grapefruit with each meal helped weight loss in obese patients finds a study conducted by the Scripps
Clinic in California, USA
Eating half a grapefruit with each meal helped weight loss in obese patients finds a study conducted by the Scripps
Clinic in California, USA. The findings also suggest for the first time that
grapefruit may lower insulin levels, claim the researchers.
The 12-week pilot study led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored weight and metabolic
factors, such as insulin secretion, in 100 obese men and women who weighed an
average 218 pounds. They were divided into 3 groups, one group ate half a
grapefruit before each meal, the second group drank a glass of grapefruit juice
before each meal and the third ate no grapefruit. Apart from the addition of
grapefruit or its juice, the participants ate their usual diet. On average,
participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while
those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds.
The control group lost only 0.5 pounds. In addition the researchers noticed
lower insulin and glucose levels in the grapefruit consumers after meals.
"For years people have talked about the grapefruit diet, and some even
swear by it, but now, we have data that grapefruit helps weight loss," said
Dr. Fujioka, principal researcher at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center
at Scripps Clinic. "Our study participants maintained their daily eating
habits and slightly enhanced their exercise routine; the only dietary change was
the intake of Florida grapefruit and grapefruit juice."
Additionally, the research indicates a physiological link between grapefruit and
insulin, as it relates to weight management. The researchers speculate that the
chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels and encourage weight
loss. The importance of this link lies with the hormone’s weight management
function. While not its primary function, insulin assists with the regulation of
fat metabolism. Therefore, the smaller the insulin spike after a meal, the more
efficiently the body processes food for use as energy and the less it’s stored
as fat in the body. Grapefruit may possess unique chemical properties that
reduce insulin levels which promotes weight loss.
The researchers will do a larger study to confirm their findings. The study
is reported in the magazine Chemistry &
Industry.
Obesity continues to plague the American public and the health system. According
to the National Center for Health Statistics, 64 percent of U.S. adults are
considered overweight or obese. Overweight or obese people stand a greater
likelihood of developing life-altering and/or life-threatening illnesses such as
heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep
apnea, arthritis, liver problems, and many others.
Contact: Dr Ken Fujioka, Scripps Clinic - Del Mar, 12395 El Camino Real, San
Diego, CA 92130, USA
Tel: +1 858 794 0160
Fax: +1 858 794 1237