Not too long ago, I heard about a diet known as the ‘all fruit diet.’
It’s actually called a ‘fruitarian’ diet, and is technically a highly restrictive vegan diet.
Now, this is an intriguing diet, because it seems to do two things really well.
- It sounds super healthy, because it’s basically a vegetarian diet for fruit-lovers
- It consists of fruit, which is delicious
Therefore, is it possible that the fruitarian diet is actually the diet to end all diets?
Is it the perfect way to lose weight, level up your health, and solve your dieting woes for good?
Well, it does have some upsides. But you’ll actually find that the downsides may be bigger than expected.
Let’s dive in and talk about whether or not the fruitarian diet is actually a legitimate option, and why it may not be as good as it sounds.
The Basics: The Pros And Cons Of The Fruitarian Diet
Just to be clear, to truly be a fruitarian, you need to:
- Exclude all animal products from your diet, including dairy
- Eat primary raw fruits
- Consume dried fruits, nuts, vegetables, and seeds, but only in moderation
- Avoid any kind of cooked food, even fruit
First off, it’s very important to understand that this particular diet carries one pretty extreme risk.
Surprisingly, following this diet leads you to an increased risk for malnourishment.
That may seem strange to consider, seeing as how the diet is all about eating fresh fruits.
But stick with us. We’re about to explain it.
See, fruits do pack in a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
And due to that, there are some benefits. Some of these benefits include:
- Lower cholesterol
- Healthier bowel movements
- Healthier teeth and gums
- Better immune system health
- Healthier blood pressure
- Better body-fluid balance
- Healthier skin
- An increased ability (at first) to fight off illnesses
But, there are also some risks.
Eating a fruit-only diet actually threatens to leave your diet extremely deficient in a few essential nutrients that your body absolutely needs in order to stay healthy.
Some of these include:
- Protein
- Fat
- Calcium
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- B Vitamins
The fruitarian diet actually puts you at a pretty severe risk for malnourishment due to these deficiencies.
Your body can even go into starvation mode, leading to problems like fatigue, anemia, a reduced immune system over time, and even osteoporosis.
Plus, fruits contain surprisingly high levels of natural sugar. In moderation, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But if you’re diabetic or prediabetic, it can actually be severely damaging to your body.
Should You Switch To A Fruitarian Diet?
Here’s the thing.
Some people manage to make this diet work for them by supplementing and adding-in the things the diet doesn’t normally provide.
But since it’s so crucial that you receive a complete range of nutrients in your diet, the best recommended course of action, if you truly want to pursue a more ‘extreme’ type of diet like the fruitarian diet, is to speak to your doctor and a licensed dietitian about your particular risks pertaining to the diet, and how you could supplement appropriately to make it work for you without putting yourself at risk.
Staying healthy is obviously the most important thing. And while this diet is better than some, it’s important to understand the risks and to make a safe plan for eliminating them before cutting too many important food staples out of your existing diet.
