The fruitarian diet is not at all well-known. It is one of the vegetarian diets and just as the name implies, the limitations extend towards eating solely fruit. The diet has been around for so many years, with Leonardo Da Vinci being reported as being a fruitarian. However, what many do not know is that those that were reported as being fruitarians eventually switched their diet, with Mahatma Gandhi getting back to vegetarianism.
Overview
The fruitarians will be allowed to choose from basic fruit groups:
- Subacid fruits – this includes sweet cherries, sweet apples, peaches, mangos, apricots, papayas, blueberries, figs and raspberries.
- Acid fruits – this includes strawberries, cranberries, kiwi, sour apples, pomegranates, citrus and pineapples.
- Nuts – cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, hickory, beechnuts and macadamias.
- Sweet fruits – grapes, persimmons, melons and bananas.
- Dried fruits – figs, dates, raisins, apples, prunes, cherries, cranberries and bananas.
- Oily fruits – coconuts, olives and avocados.
- Seeds – sesame, pumpkin, squash and sunflower.
The Supermarket Problem
Most of the fruitarians will tell you that fruit quality of what is purchased in the supermarket is really low. That is due to chemical fertilization, harvesting before ripeness, chemical pesticides and hybridization. With this in mind, the fruitarian diet is basically focused on buying only certified organic fruit. You can find that at health food stores and farmers’ markets.
The Diet
The common practice is to eat one fruit type at one time. Then, only after 45 minutes you should consume another type. If you take into account the indications of the Fruitarian Foundation, 90 minutes need to be waited. In the event that hunger still exists, a higher quantity of the initial fruit category has to be consumed. If you are on the diet, you need to eat just when you are hungry. Because of consuming just fruits, water is not necessary, in theory. However, it needs to be understood that water intake has to appear if dehydration is present.
Benefits:
If we are to consider what the Fruitarian Foundation mentions, the following are the benefits associated with the fruitarian diet:
- Reducing the quantity of water you have to take in on a daily basis.
- Fruit tastes great so the experience can be pleasant.
- Weight loss is promoted.
- The fruit that is grown in good conditions is always environmentally friendly.
- The body is cleansed from toxins.
- Sharpening senses.
- Respiratory system functioning can be improved.
Necessary Precautions
The body needs enough quantities of specific nutrients and if you choose the fruitarian diet, you have to eat quite large quantities of all fruit classes mentioned above. You will not get a lot of protein through such a diet. In order to get what is necessary, you will need to supplement or eat more of the fruits with higher protein quantities like dates, nuts and avocados, on a daily basis.
In the event that you are pregnant, you should never be on such a diet. At the same time, you have to be aware of risks associated with the condition. Health issues can appear and serious risks are a reality when dealing with a diabetic because of the higher sugar content found in fruits. It is important to go to the doctor or to stop the fruitarian diet as soon as problems are noticed. As you can easily imagine, there is no scientific proof to highlight what fruitarians believe.