Plant-based diets have become
increasingly popular in recent years for both health and ethical reasons.
Fruitarianism, a diet based primarily on the consumption of raw fruit, is one extreme form of a plant-based diet. This may appear healthy at first glance, but what effect will this type of restrictive diet have on the body? Is it also a healthy diet option?
Plant-based diets are beneficial to the body. Plant-based diets have lower the risk of heart disease and stroke by 40% and 29%, respectively. Plant-based diets have also been shown to be a beneficial strategy for weight loss.
Fruitarianism is one of the most
restrictive diet options available, despite plant-based diets' apparent health
and environmental benefits. There is almost no evidence that it has any health
benefits.
Although there is no definitive definition of what a fruitarian diet should consist of, one commonly cited "rule" is that raw fruit should account for between 55 and 75 percent of the diet. There is some variation beyond this; some fruitarians eat grains, nuts, and oils.
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, experimented with a fruitarian diet that he supplemented with nuts, seeds, and grains. Some fruitarians follow the 80-10-10 rule, which states that 80 percent of calories should come from fresh fruits and vegetables, 10% from protein, and 10% from fat.
This rule is based on the incorrect assumption that humans are 'frugivores,' or animals who prefer to eat raw fruit. The human digestive system is naturally intended to digest fruit and fresh vegetables, according to proponents of this idea. While this may have been true in the past, the human body has progressed.
Some fruitarians claim that "going raw" has provided significant health benefits, including cancer cures and the elimination of bloating and odour. These assertions are unsupported by evidence.
At first glance, a fruit-only (or fruit-heavy) diet appears to be a healthy option, but there are several drawbacks to this type of restrictive eating.
When the human body is fed a fruit-based diet primarily, there are obvious and significant physical health issues to consider. This eating pattern eliminates essential food groups and nutrients that the body requires to stay healthy.
While most fruits are healthy and nutritious, a diet almost entirely composed of them will be deficient in nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B (including vitamin B12), D, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. A lack of these nutrients can cause serious health problems, such as rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones), anaemia, and problems with the bones, muscles, and skin.
Simply put, fruit does not provide all of the nutrients that the body requires.
In addition to what a fruitarian diet lacks, high fructose levels must be considered. Fructose is a simple sugar similar to glucose, but it is processed very differently by the human body.
The liver can only break down fructose. Excess fructose consumption can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, leading to insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
While there is debate over whether fructose from fruits is as harmful as fructose syrup, which is used to sweeten foods, studies in rats fed a high fructose diet revealed similarities to human fatty liver disease.
Dangerous consequences
Aside from the potential physical effects of fruitarianism, restrictive diets are frequently linked to orthorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by an unhealthy obsession with eating "pure" food only. This means that a healthy shift toward eating more fruits and vegetables and less junk food can result in an eating disorder, depression, or anxiety.
Unattended death or significant disease cases have been reported when following a fruitarian style diet, which is concerning. One example is a nine-month-old girl who died after being fed only fruit. The girl was severely underweight and malnourished when she died. Furthermore, a 49-year-old man was recently reported to have developed reversible dementia after consuming only fruit.
Because there is little evidence of the benefits of such a restrictive diet, it is clear that those who adhere to it are putting their health at risk. Supplementing foods that provide the missing nutrients may help, but some orthodox fruitarian views may reject it.
It's always a good idea to consult your doctor before changing your diet, especially if the change will be drastic. More fruit and vegetables as part of a well-balanced diet is a far safer and healthier way to consume fruit.