Keen to try the Mayo diet, but not sure what to expect? The Mayo diet is a weight loss plan which is based on a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate eating strategy.

It is in no way officially affiliated with the clinic that it's named for. The cornerstone of the Mayo diet is the consumption of grapefruit in large quantities, as advocates believe that the grapefruit jumpstarts the body into burning fat. The Mayo diet eliminates refined sugars and starches from your eating plan because the lipids in these foods are responsible for storing fat. Instead, you are allowed to eat an unlimited amount of meat and vegetables in particular combinations.

But how healthy is the Mayo diet? And is it safe?

The key thing to remember about this eating plan is that it's a fad slimming strategy - and doesn't have the endorsement of doctors and professional nutritionists. Nutritionists assert that a meal plan that's high in fat can cause long lasting damage to organs such as the heart. There is also no substantial evidence that eating a lot of grapefruit speeds the body's metabolism.

Nutritionists also have concerns over how nutritionally sound the eating plan is - particularly when followed for a prolonged period of time. The standard version of this eating plan recommends that you spend 12 days on the plan, and then take two days off and then repeat until the goal weight is reached.

Unfortunately, because the eating plan is prescriptive, it doesn't allow the slimmer to learn how to plan healthy meals and create adequate portions - meaning that once the goal weight is reached and the plan abandoned, it's quite likely that the weight will creep back on.

Lastly, the biggest concern about the plan is it's claims slimmers can lose up to 50 pounds in just 10 weeks - weight loss at that speed is both extremely unnatural and very dangerous to your general health and wellbeing.

If you are considering trying this slimming plan, it would be wise for you to consult your doctor.