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Weight Management and Florida Grapefruit

Impact of Grapefruit and 100% Grapefruit Juice on Weight

Fresh Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice are nutrient-dense and can be a healthy addition to any diet, including a weight-loss diet. 100% grapefruit juice contains only naturally occurring sugars, along with vitamins and minerals making it a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.

Anecdotally, fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice have long been associated with weight loss. There is a history of grapefruit being included as a key component of a number of “trendy” or “fad” weight loss plans that are very limited in their food selection and typically very low in calories (under 1,000 calories per day). These types of diets are not recommended as they fall short in providing needed nutrients and/or are too low in calories for most people.

The good news is that observational1 and clinical2-4 research studies, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, do provide evidence for a positive role for grapefruit or grapefruit juice in weight loss or body composition measures such as waist circumference when included as part of the usual or a calorie-reduced diet.

Fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice can be key parts of a weight loss plan because:

  • They are nutrient-dense, providing a high number of nutrients per calorie.
  • Fresh grapefruit provides dietary fibre and ½ medium fresh grapefruit can contribute to daily fibre intake. Fibre may help you to feel fuller for longer and help promote weight loss by reducing calorie intake.5
  • 100% grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit have high water content which may help promote satiety (fullness).

Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy, but drinking Florida Grapefruit Juice or eating fresh grapefruit and doing a few simple things daily can help. Move, stay hydrated, eat lots of fruits and veggies, be active outdoors, and incorporate more nutrients into your daily diet to benefit your overall health and wellness.

DID YOU KNOW?

Grapefruit is low in energy and fat free, therefore is a delicious addition to the diet when losing weight.6

Detailed Nutritional Information

In a cross-sectional analysis of over 12,000 adults in the 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), women who consumed grapefruit (combined juice, fresh, canned and frozen) had lower body weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) compared to non-consumers; however, there was no significant association between grapefruit consumption and risk of being overweight or obese in either men or women.1

Clinical trials also support a positive role for fresh grapefruit or grapefruit juice in weight loss when included as part of the usual diet. In a randomized controlled trial with 91 obese adults, the consumption of ½ fresh grapefruit before each of 3 daily meals for 12 weeks resulted in significant body weight reduction with no difference in body fat percentage or waist circumference compared to pre-meal consumption of a placebo drink, 237ml grapefruit juice, or a grapefruit capsule (containing 500 mg whole freeze-dried grapefruit). In a subset of participants with metabolic syndrome, those who consumed ½ fresh grapefruit, 237ml grapefruit juice, or a grapefruit capsule daily lost more weight than participants in the placebo group.2

A randomized controlled study with 85 obese adults reported significant weight loss when consuming equal weights (127-128g) of grapefruit juice, fresh grapefruit, or water (control) as a preload to 3 meals/day for 12 weeks as part of a caloric-restricted diet. However, there was no significant difference in weight loss in those consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice before meals versus water alone.3 Consuming one half of a Rio Red grapefruit before each of 3 meals/day for 6 weeks resulted in modest (nonsignificant) weight loss but a significant reduction in waist circumference in a study of 74 overweight adults.4