Fruit is a healthy food, but should you live on fruit alone? A fruitarian diet is one that allows eating only parts of the plant that can be harvested without harm to the plant. Other versions of the diet aren't as restrictive but still focus only on fruit. Following this type of eating plan offers you many nutrients, but also poses the risk of nutritional deficiencies due to the elimination of many other foods from your diet.
What to Eat
Some versions of a fruitarian diet allow you to eat only seeds, nuts, fruit and other plant parts that can be picked without harm to the plant. For example, you can eat apples, oranges and pears because picking them does not harm the tree, but not potatoes, spinach or carrots because harvesting them destroys the plant. Other versions focus solely on eating fruits that are high in nutrients, such as berries, kiwis, pomegranate and pineapple.
When to Eat
When following a fruitarian diet, you will likely have three meals and a couple of snacks each day, spaced evenly to prevent hunger. Anne Osborne, a long-time fruitarian and author of "Fruitarianism: The Path to Paradise," claims eating a variety of fruits throughout the day can help you control weight as well as improve your health; for example, a diet high in fruit may contribute to a reduced risk of developing cancer. Fruit is also low in fat and calories, making it a good food to emphasize if you want to drop unwanted pounds.
Sample Meal Plan
Creating meals while you are following a fruitarian diet is not difficult since you are restricted to eating only fruit. However, variety is encouraged, so followers are advised to eat different fruits at each meal and snack. Breakfast might be watermelon, lunch could be grapes, and dinner could be bananas. Snacks on this day could be cantaloupe and mangoes. Dieters mix and match their favorite fruits to prevent boredom and increase nutrient intake.
Considerations
Despite the many benefits of eating fruit, subsisting on nothing but fruits may not be healthy. If you eat only fruit, you are at an increased risk for deficiencies in protein, iron, vitamin B-12, calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are important to many aspects of health, and you will likely need supplements. A fruitarian diet may be hard to stick with in winter when the fruit selection is diminished; this diet also makes it virtually impossible to eat in restaurants or at social gatherings. The natural sugars in fruit, when not balanced with protein, vitamins and minerals, may contribute to diabetic or hypoglycemic symptoms and may produce food cravings. Some fruitarians develop an eating disorder called orthorexia nervosa, which is characterized by a fixation on eating only "good" foods. You should talk with your doctor before adopting a fruitarian diet.
Member Comments