- According to WebMD, all versions of the grapefruit diet require grapefruit to be eaten with every meal--usually half a grapefruit with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eight ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice can be used in place of half a grapefruit.
- According to WebMD, meat is usually allowed in unlimited quantities and in any form, including red meat, white meat, and fish. Vegetables are included, but starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes should be avoided. Fruit and carbohydrates are not included. The only beverage usually allowed is black coffee. Some versions of the grapefruit diet include calorie-free sodas and other calorie-free drinks. Eight ounces of skim milk are allowed as a snack after dinner.
- Almost all versions of the grapefruit diet let dieters prepare food any way they like. Butter and non-diet salad dressing can be used with no limits on quantities. Food can be baked, microwaved, marinated, or even fried.
- Water is an integral part of all versions of the grapefruit diet. WebMD recommends that people on the grapefruit diet drink eight ounces of water, eight times per day, for a total of 64 ounces daily.
- According to WebMD, most doctors and dieticians do not view the grapefruit diet as as the best diet for weight loss. The key benefit of grapefruit is not any special ingredient or fat-burning qualities, but merely the fact that grapefruits are low in calories. The grapefruit diet helps dieters lose weight by reducing calories. Most versions of the grapefruit diet have dieters consume between 800 to 1,000 calories daily, and help them feel full by eating large quantities of protein.
