About The Mayo Clinic Diet

the mayo clinic diet

The Mayo Clinic Diet has been around for about 30 years and was originally shared through junk mail, word-of-mouth, and bulletin boards. Then came fax machines–offices everywhere were inundated with anonymous faxes touting this “miracle diet.”

The Mayo Clinic published a book, The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, in 2006 that provides healthy eating recommendations, but it in no way resembles the diet plan that’s been falsely using the clinic’s name all these years.

What is the Diet Like?

The Mayo Clinic Diet is three to seven day, high-protein and high-fat eating plan. There are several different versions of this plan floating around, each having different foods included in the plan.

Almost all versions of this diet suggest you eat unlimited amounts of meat, poultry, and fish. The main principle of each version is the consumption of high-fat and high-cholesterol foods. The plan also claims that eating grapefruit actually burns up fat.

How to Spot a Fad Diet

The Mayo Clinic Diet is most certainly a fad diet–one that promises quick results and isn’t healthy or nutritious. The following are more warning signs of a fad diet:

“Unlimited” consumption of anything high in fat, sugar, or cholesterol

Promotion of increased caffeine intake

Lack of variety or extremely stringent rules

Certain foods or food combinations said to “burn” fat

Promising that certain foods increase your metabolism

Empty Promises

Whichever version of The Mayo Clinic Diet you encounter, they all have one thing in common: They promise you will lose a lot of weight and very quickly.

Like other “quick weight loss” diet plans, most of that weight is actually going to be water.

Plesase check out my other reviews on Healthy Heart Diet and Weight Loss Hypnosis.