Detox Grape Diet

It is believed the grape detox diet can help relieve ailments and reduce weight by cleansing the body and flushing out toxic waste. The grape detox is an eating plan typically used by those who wish to lose weight, become healthier and sometimes as an attempt to eliminate serious illness such as cancer and lung disease.

Bunches of freshly picked green grapes in a vineyard. (Image: Comstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

History

A South African named Johanna Brandt brought the grape cure diet to the U.S. in 1926. She had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and claimed the fruit completely eradicated the disease. Another African named Basil Shackleton had been ill for more than 40 years, since catching bilharzias as a boy. He had just one remaining malfunctioning kidney, which was unresponsive to drugs. He claimed he was cured by a diet of grapes and went on to write a book entitled "Grape Cure: A Personal Testament."

Directions

The grape detox diet consists of consuming only grapes and water. Practitioners recommend beginning with small amounts, and increasing a little every day, as the grape pips and high-fiber content may cause digestive problems such as constipation, if too many are consumed when first starting out.

Benefits

A study by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center shows that grapes may be even more helpful in the prevention of heart disease than other fruits and vegetables that are known to lower blood pressure. This may be due to the phytochemicals found in grapes, which are natural antioxidants. Grape seeds contain procyanidolic oligomers or PCOs. These are flavonoids that are not only powerful antioxidants, but are also thought to aid in the strengthening of blood vessels and improve blood circulation. These PCOs are up to 20 times more potent than those of vitamin C and 50 times stronger than those found in vitamin E.

Considerations

When undergoing a grape detox, you are likely to experience sickness, dizziness and headaches. If you are following the grape detox to treat a serious illness, consider that, according to the Cancer.org website, grapes may have some components that hold promise in treating cancer, but there is little scientific evidence to back up claims that eating grapes, drinking red wine or following the grape diet can prevent or treat cancer successfully in people.

Weight Loss

Many people are drawn to detox diets as a means of losing weight. According to the National Institutes of Health website, many detox diets are not nutritious enough, and they do not support permanent weight loss. The National Institutes of Health says the key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you are eating, so therefore portion control is important, regardless of which food you eat.