The Mayo Clinic Diet Review

The Mayo Clinic Diet is a high fat and low carbohydrate weight loss program.

Is this a fad diet?

This weight loss program theory claims grapefruit has special properties that allow you to burn fat.

The weight loss program also claims eating large amounts of fat will cause weight loss.

The Mayo Clinic Diet Menu Plan

The menu plan is as follows:

Breakfast
   - One-half grapefruit or eight ounces of juice (unsweetened)
   - Two eggs cooked to your preference
   - Two bacon slices
   - coffee or tea (black)

Lunch
   - One-half grapefruit or eight ounces of juice (unsweetened)
   - Raw veggies or salad and your preference in salad dressing
   - Your choice of meat

Dinner
   - Your choice of meat
   - Red or green vegetables (cook veggies in butter) or raw vegetables or a salad
   - coffee or tea (black)

Bedtime Snack
Eight ounces of skim milk or tomato juice

Foods You Cannot Have

Potatoes, peas, celery, cereal, corn, carrots, starchy vegetables, rice, bread, noodles, pretzels, fruit and diet salad dressing.

The Mayo Clinic Plan Instructions

The plan supports the theory of combination foods burning fat. You eat until you are full and you aren't to eliminate any foods from the plan. The grapefruit is the stimulus that starts the fat burning process.

Cut back on your coffee, limit it to one cup per meal. Do not snack between meals.

They claim fat doesn't form fat, it helps burn fat. Using butter and frying foods in butter is allowed. Sugars and starches are eliminated.

You may double or triple the servings of meat and vegetables. Eat until you are completely satisfied. They claim the more you eat, the more weight you will lose.

You must drink one-half gallon of water per day. Soft drinks must be sugar and caffeine free.

You will be on the Mayo Clinic Diet for twelve days and off for two days.

The Cons

It isn't a healthy diet, it is too limited in carbohydrates. This would cause low energy, possibly fatigue. The idea that eating grapefruit burns fat is unfounded.

It is nutritionally unbalanced and encourages high fat foods which are associated with heart disease. Complex carbohydrates are the body's major source of energy and they are eliminated.

Even though it's called the Mayo Clinic diet, it is not endorsed by the "Mayo Clinic." According to the web site, they have produced the book, "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody" and this is the only diet program by them.

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