Most weight loss diets focus on cutting calories from carbohydrates, fats or both. Your body needs carbs for energy and fats for a variety of metabolic functions, so trying to completely eliminate either from your diet probably isn’t an feasible long-term approach. The trick is selecting the right types, and a study published in the journal PLOS ONE has a suggestion for carbohydrate energy.
Using lab rats as subjects, University of California – Berkeley researchers put some on a high-fat diet supplemented with clarified no pulp grapefruit juice. Other rats got a low-fat diet supplemented with grapefruit juice, and a control group drank water with meals. Compared to water-drinking rodents, the high-fat group that got grapefruit juice gained about 18% less weight. They also had improved levels of glucose and insulin.
True Strength Moment: Although rats on the low-fat diet didn’t lose any weight they did realize a significant decrease in insulin levels. In any event, enjoying a glass of grapefruit juice with a balanced breakfast can help provide carbohydrate energy for taking your workout to the next level, whether or not there’s any support for your weight loss or weight management goals.