Why the Fruitarian Diet is Unhealthy and unsustainable

A fruitarian diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables, as the name implies. While it may seem healthy at first glance due to the abundance of fruit that’s consumed, this diet fails to provide the necessary proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that your body needs to function properly. This article discusses why the fruitarian diet is unhealthy and unsustainable over time, so if you’re considering embarking on this regimen or know someone who’s already doing it, read on to learn about some of the pitfalls of this diet.

How the Fruitarian diet differs from vegetarianism

While meatless diets often reduce your intake of unhealthy saturated fats, fruits have even more fat than animal products. What’s more, they also have a lot of fructose which in large quantities can be very unhealthy. Fruits also contain a lot of natural sugar which can lead to other health problems like diabetes (if you’re not careful). If you want to lose weight on a fruit diet make sure to eat around 3-4 servings per day or else your calorie intake will be very high.

How much produce does a fruitarian consume?

Imagine you’re a fruitarian, a raw foodist. A fruitarian diet is comprised mainly of fruits, which makes it seem very healthy at first glance. But let’s say that you want to make sure that each of your meals gets you at least 100 grams of protein (the amount needed for long-term health). You start calculating: 4 cups blueberries = 4 servings; each serving provides about 20 grams of protein.

What can’t you eat on a fruitarian diet?

As you might expect, fruitarians have a limited selection of foods from which to choose. While some fruits have health benefits, there are many that are low in nutrients—and those are all you can eat on a fruitarian diet. And forget about protein: There’s no meat or even legumes or whole grains.

How many calories are in fruits?

In order to lose weight while following a fruit-only diet, you’d have to focus on low-calorie fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries and grapefruit. For example, according to Yahoo Health Canada, one cup of fresh raspberries contains about 52 calories. That’s much lower than an average cheeseburger at 536 calories! However, not all fruits are so low in calories.

The human body needs meat protein

A fruitarian diet consists of over 90% fruits, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. While that might sound healthy at first glance—fruit has vitamins!—meat protein is what our bodies actually need to function. Sooner or later, your body will break down from malnourishment (especially if you’re a vegetarian). This lack of nutrients also leads to anemic conditions in people who eat a fruit-based diet.

How do you get iron without eating meat?

The biggest problem with a fruit-based diet in terms of health is that it can be totally inadequate in terms of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, calcium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 and other nutrients. Most plant-eaters get their protein from beans but even if you consume generous amounts of lentils or tofu each day you’re still not getting enough iron.

What are some side effects of a fruit based diet?

Fruits contain water, fructose (sugar), fiber, and some vitamins and minerals. Their high sugar content makes fruit a poor food choice for people who want to lose weight or who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. When consumed in excess, fruits can also contribute to dental cavities, due to their natural sugar content.

How do you prevent calcium deficiency without dairy products?

The anti-inflammatory diet focuses on plant-based proteins, healthy fats, seasonal produce and no refined sugar. Unfortunately for fruitarians (who eat almost exclusively fruits), many of these delicious yet detoxifying fruits are low in calcium. And, unfortunately for fruitarians (and everyone else), calcium deficiency can lead to some serious health problems. As such, here are some tips for how to prevent calcium deficiency without dairy products

Do you lose weight on this type of diet?

The problem with eating only fruits (and usually nuts or seeds) is that you’re not getting any nutrients from vegetables. Since most fruits are high in sugar, it’s easy to see how a fruitarian diet could lead to weight loss. However, long-term weight loss success relies on a varied diet containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts and healthy fats—and that doesn’t include juice cleanses or liquid-only diets.

Is there evidence that this type of vegan/fruitarian lifestyle works?

A fruitarian diet is comprised mainly of fruits, which makes it seem very healthy at first glance. It’s easy to buy into that line of thinking; after all, fruits are natural products—they’re pure and beneficial, right? What more could a health-conscious person want? But when it comes to being fit and healthy, just because something seems pure doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

Final words.

What I Ate Today on a Raw Food Diet: Manila Edition

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