What Is the Grape Detox Diet?

This eating plan is considered a fad diet. Fad diets often promote quick weight loss that is unsustainable and may severely restrict what you eat. They may be harmful and generally do not have long-lasting health benefits. Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major changes to how you eat.

The grape detox diet was first popularized by author Johanna Brandt in the 1920s. Brandt claimed that grapes helped cure her stomach cancer.

The grape detox diet is considered a monotrophic, or “mono,” diet. That means you only consume one type of food for a set period. Some people believe mono diets can promote quick weight loss while also detoxifying your body. But there’s no solid research to back this up.

“When I talk with clients or students about a ‘detox diet,’ I find that there are a wide variety of interpretations of this term,” says Caroline Passerrello, EdD, RDN, a spokesperson for the AND and an instructor in the graduate dietitian nutritionist program at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Some people focus on abstinence from certain foods and beverages, and some people focus on elimination, ridding their bodies of what they believe to be ‘toxins,’ and then there are some that do a little, or a lot, of both,” Dr. Passerrello says.

The grape detox diet promotes the idea that you only consume grapes for a set period. Although there are no specific guidelines, it’s often followed for one to five days, but some people extend it longer.

Brandt’s original plan called for water fasting for two or three days, followed by a diet of only grapes and water for one to two weeks. During the day, you consume 1 to 3 ounces of grapes every two hours.

Foods to Include

You typically only eat grapes and drink water on the grape detox diet. Some versions also allow for:

• Herbal teas
• Lemon water
• Unsweetened grape juice
• Unsulfured raisins

Foods to Avoid

Other than raisins, grape juice, and some varieties of water, all foods are avoided on the grape detox diet.

However, these results may be short-lived, as it’s difficult to maintain an eating plan with such limited food options.

Such a restrictive diet is unlikely to lead to long-term weight loss. It can even have a counterproductive effect by slowing your metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body burns, according to Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the AND and an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University in St. Louis.

While eating only grapes is not a proven way to lose weight or detoxify your body, the fruit does have health benefits when included as part of a balanced diet.

The grape detox diet can pose several potential risks, including:

• Nutrient Deficiencies By only consuming grapes, you would miss out on important nutrients, such as proteins and fats. If you don’t get enough protein, you may experience muscle loss, research says.

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  Not getting enough fats can lead to not getting enough of the fat-soluble vitamins D, E, K, and A.
• Unsustainable Weight Loss This type of diet is hard to maintain. What’s more, weight loss from detox diets is typically due to a loss of water and muscle, not fat, according to Nemours.

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• Negative Impact on Metabolism Severe calorie restriction can slow your metabolism.
• Potential for Disordered Eating Fad diets, like the grape detox diet, can contribute to an unhealthy relationship with food.
• Lack of Scientific Evidence There’s no research to show that detox diets, like the grape detox, are an effective weight loss or detox solution, according to the AND.

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• Health Risks Grapes are high in natural sugars, which may cause blood sugar spikes. This may be risky for people with insulin resistance or diabetes.
• Social Isolation A diet consisting of only grapes can be difficult to follow if you eat in a social setting, causing you to avoid eating around others.

The grape detox diet is a fad diet. It promotes unsustainable weight loss, severely restricts what you eat, and doesn’t have any long-lasting health benefits.

• Are pregnant
• Have a medical condition, such as heart disease or diabetes
• Are a child or a teenager
• Have an eating disorder

Always talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new diet plan.

• The grape detox diet is a fad diet that focuses on consuming only or mostly grapes for a short period.
• Some claim this diet can help detoxify the body, but these claims lack scientific backing.
• Engaging in such a restricted diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies and unsustainable weight loss, and may lead to metabolic slowdown and disordered eating patterns.
• Before considering any drastic dietary measures like a grape detox diet, it's crucial to talk with a healthcare provider, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or dietary needs.