Fruitarian / Fruitarianism

[EcoTribalVegan]

Does anyone know anything about this vegan diet? Is it possible to do without losing one´s health? It seems that you´re missing some key elements or there are some that are sketchy and experts can´t seem to agree. I´ve looked at a few sights and none of them answer the question about B12 (my main concern). Thanks for the help.

[harpy]

I have read a bit about it in the past, and have seen it criticised with regard to a possible lack of certain nutrients (e.g. those we get from green leafy vegetables) and also because it can be hard to get enough calories. Not sure B12 is an issue for fruitarians more than other vegans though?

[Pilaf]

I'd suggest you browse these forums a bit..you'll quickly learn just how nutritious a vegan diet is.

[EcoTribalVegan]

I'd suggest you browse these forums a bit..you'll quickly learn just how nutritious a vegan diet is.

This is a stricter version of a vegan diet. It doesn´t kill ANY species (even plants) by only eating the fruit, which also helps the plant spread it´s seed.

I have read a bit about it in the past, and have seen it criticised with regard to a possible lack of certain nutrients (e.g. those we get from green leafy vegetables) and also because it can be hard to get enough calories. Not sure B12 is an issue for fruitarians more than other vegans though?

Actually I don´t think calories would be the problem since fruits are high in sugar; which has the potential negative risk of running diabetes. The vitamin B12 in fruits is supposedly Hydroxyl Cobamalin (sp?) and the knd in bacteria is cyanocobamalin. Scientist question the ability of the body to actually be able to break down and use the kind in fruits (at least that was what I got out of the research I did).

[tasha]

I don't know a whole lot about the "health" side of this lifestyle, but I have seen a "cook" book (Don't know what to call it, you don't actually cook a whole lot) and it looked really interesting. They sure take time with presentation!

Have you looked for a forum on this subject? The best way to find info is from those who do it!

If you find one, you could let us know the verdict!

[harpy]

As you probably know, B12 is a controversial topic in this forum and if you search you will find a lot of threads about it. Personally I'm still not convinced that a contemporary, unsupplemented (non-fruitarian) vegan diet gives you any/enough vitamin B12, so I take a supplement anyway.

I think it's raw food diets where I have heard some people go short of calories, but then fruitarians tend to stick to raw fruit I gather (though that may not be a universal rule). Although fruit is sweet there is a limit to how much you can eat without dire consequences, isn't there? If one included nuts and seeds, as well as actual fruit, that might help. Edited to add they do seem to eat nuts and seeds, according to this http://www.fruitarian.com/

[Mystic]

I would personally never do this - I have heard that fruitarianism brings on diabetes, diarrhoa, rotting teeth and severe deficiencies. I would imagine it would lack protien, complex carbohydrates and excluding avocado, fat (unless you were the sort that ate nuts). At least in a raw diet you can have sprouted grains and legumes and less sugary vegatables

[EcoTribalVegan]

Have you looked for a forum on this subject?

I haven´t looked for a forum yet. But I will try doing that. I´ve just tried to find sites that talk about it in a scientific manner. Many sites use the spiritual side and that´s not why I´m doing it.

fruitarians tend to stick to raw fruit I gather (though that may not be a universal rule).

See that´s something that I have yet to determine from my research. But the verdict seems to be that cooked food breaks down enzymes that actually make digesting food easier and more beneficial. But I think it can go either way on that issue.

I have heard that fruitarianism brings on diabetes, diarrhoa, rotting teeth and severe deficiencies.

The diabetes i can understand. If anything I think eating fruit would be better for your teeth (things like oranges to prevent scurvy and things like apples to clean them). But I hadn´t read anything like that makes me believe it´s bad for your teeth. Diarrhea I can see just because of the switching of diets and I know fruit makes bowel movements easier. And the deficiencies is something that I am trying to figure out.

I would imagine it would lack protien, complex carbohydrates and excluding avocado, fat (unless you were the sort that ate nuts).

The one site I looked at said that fruits actually contain minute amounts of proteins. And if you eat enough fruit (the number on the site was like 2.5kg, which is a lot, but like it has been said fruit goes right through you). Can´t your body make complex carbohydrates? And the avacado is something you would have to eat a lot of to get essential fats. My two greatest concerns are B12 and perhaps proteins.

fructarianism That is the best site I´ve found, but it seems to include all aspects of fructarianism (which includes nuts, but no other site mentions that it is acceptable, same with grains). Most of the other negatives symptoms seems a product of lack of will-power, except for the vitamins/minerals which are debated.

[tasha]

Man, I just did a search myself and it is difficult to find out any info on fruitarianism!

From what I have been reading, it sounds like the high sugar content of this diet can cause health problems or overeating--makes sense, but I don't know enough about the lifestyle to make a judgement.

I did find this quote on one of the sites:

B12 for animal product consumers is cyanocobalamin. B12 for vegans and fruitarians is hydroxylcobalamin. Fruitarian B12 is more efficient. Fruitarians and vegans have more red blood cells per cubic centimeter than do animal product users. (The research of Dr. Mervyn Hardinge at Harvard).. Some Red Cross volunteers have commented on the richer reds and deeper purples of vegetarian, vegan, and fruitarian blood. In addition, it does not contain white ropes of killer cholesterol.

I did manage to find one forum that was up to date, but man they were all cursing at each other! It was a war between vegetarians, vegans and fruitarians!

Although, I don't plan on switching to fruitarianism, let me know if you find any valuable info!

[dreama]

I have a lot of respect for fruitarians but I could never be one myself. Being a vegan is hard enough. Particularly when I try to stick to organic food as far as possible but I don't like raw food very much so this would make a fruitarian diet really hard.

[jackxattack]

Are there any Fruitarians who post on here? Does anyone know about Fruitarianism? I'm writing a feature length documentary script on veganism for my final year of school (university) and need to interview at least one person who is fruitarian or at least get some info on it.

[Mr Flibble]

I've never met a true fruitarian, and to be honest, I'm starting to think it's a bit of an urban legend

[jackxattack]

I've never met a true fruitarian, and to be honest, I'm starting to think it's a bit of an urban legend

I think some Jain and Buddhist monks are fruitatians but I haven't looked into it enough, maybe there are more than we think?

[Mr Flibble]

Maybe, but as i say, i've yet to meet any

The subject comes up from time to time on forums such as this, but I've yet in the past 8 years to even hear of someone who knows a proper fruitarian who has been so for more than a few weeks.

I'd love to be proven wrong, if you find any then let me know

[ConsciousCuisine]

Well, not to be cheeky but I know a few who have been fruititarian for years. One has written a book (along with 2 other raw-food guys) and I have to say they can be pretty intense and flighty, not very grounded at all really.

Some fruititarians eat leafy greens in addition to fruits/nuts/seeds.

[Mr Flibble]

Well, not to be cheeky

That's OK, i'm not trying to be pedantic

Some fruititarians eat leafy greens in addition to fruits/nuts/seeds.

Surely that's a bit like saying some vegans eat eggs, or some vegetarians eat fish? How can a fruitarian eat leafy greens? Surely that'd make them a vegan with a mainly fruitarian diet, just as you can be a meat eater with a mainly vegan diet.

[ConsciousCuisine]

I know it sounds absurd, but they eat some things that don't "kill the plant" and have seeds/come from seeds...it's complicated as all things are...I'll see if I can scrounge up an explaination from one of the guys

[Maisiepaisie]

Here is a fruitarian forum http://animalsuffering.com/forum/index.php?f=31

[On the Coast]

I know a dozen or so fruitarians who live on the North Shore (Hawaii), and my eldest Sis was one for awhile (when she lived there). My understanding has always been, and according to my friends, that fruitarians definately eat leafy greens, nuts, fruits (which includes squash and cucurbits), as well as ecologically harvested or wild grains (including corn), and beans. They are also not raw foodists (by definition, though some may partake of this diet also), but instead live by a philosophy which excludes the killing of any plants. Thus, if you can pick, pull, cut, or twist it from the plant without killing the parent material, it's all good - .......

....Oh yeah, all my friends are big wave surfers, coffee drinkers, and not suffering from diabetes or wet poopies, (though maybe they just keep the latter from me - thank goodness - )......

[Maisiepaisie]

I could do fruitarianism if it was proved it was healthy. I do feel a little guilt about killing plants even though I know they don't feel pain, its still a shame to destroy living things. The major drawback for me would be no soya milk, or can you get soya without killing the plant?

[Tigerlily]

I don't think I could be a fruitarian. The thought of all that fruit and sugar....I think I would have headaches all the time from the sugar spikes.

[BxDani]

i personally would love to become a raw vegan but i'm terrified due to the amount of weight you lose

[PumpkinGuy]

i personally would love to become a raw vegan but i'm terrified due to the amount of weight you lose

Ditto here. I've been trying the idea but on a typical day I'm never more than 50% raw. As it is I do not want to lose anymore weight. I could definately try eating raw one or two days a week.

From what I've read, alot of fruitarianists get down to anorexic weight then stablize. Since I don't know any, I can't verify this. Perhaps some are of normal weight or even heavy.

I'm happy when my diet does not include animal products.

[eve]

jackxattack, I met a fellow some years ago, who called himself Mango. He moved to Spain then to other places. His url is http://fruitnut.net - he has been a fruitarian for yonks! A great guy.

[Free_Tibet]

I know a dozen or so fruitarians who live on the North Shore (Hawaii), and my eldest Sis was one for awhile (when she lived there). My understanding has always been, and according to my friends, that fruitarians definately eat leafy greens, nuts, fruits (which includes squash and cucurbits), as well as ecologically harvested or wild grains (including corn), and beans. They are also not raw foodists (by definition, though some may partake of this diet also), but instead live by a philosophy which excludes the killing of any plants. Thus, if you can pick, pull, cut, or twist it from the plant without killing the parent material, it's all good - .......

Thank you for this information. I would love to be a fruitarian at some point, although i might have to wait till I go to live at a Buddhist Centre permanently which I am doing in the next few years. I think it might be easier then for some reason. My living situation is not that conducive to a fruitarian lifestyle presently.

[Free_Tibet]

jackxattack, I met a fellow some years ago, who called himself Mango. He moved to Spain then to other places. His url is http://fruitnut.net - he has been a fruitarian for yonks! A great guy.

Hi Eve,
I visited Mango's site. Nice site. Interesting. He seems like a very kind and gentle person. I felt that from the website. Thanks for sharing.

[coconut]

It is probably near impossible to be a true fruitarian in this day and age. If you are a fruitarian, I wonder if you actually have to pick your own food (to ensure it is ecologically sound)? Industrialisation and development has probably wiped out areas where food grows wild. Then again I know nothing about wild food. There was a wild food workshop near me that I was planning to go to a few weeks ago, but I had transport problems that day. It would have been interesting to see what things humans can live on simply by taking from the forest. If you can still buy your food then I suppose you can be a fruitarian, then you only have to worry about getting adequate nutrition. There are plenty of vegetables you can harvest without killing the plant.

[jackxattack]

jackxattack, I met a fellow some years ago, who called himself Mango. He moved to Spain then to other places. His url is http://fruitnut.net - he has been a fruitarian for yonks! A great guy.

awesome! thanks!

[BxDani]

pumpkin guy, I recently bought a book about raw veganism by the Boutenko family, some Russian family that eliminated all their severe and less severe health ailments by becoming raw. They provide good insight and have great skin but look rather ill. They are all extremely skinny...i personally don't think it's very healthy" to weigh less than 100 lbs if ur an adult. Its scaryy...these people, though healthy are actually almost frightening to look at.

[PumpkinGuy]

BxDani,

Exactly! I guess I'm still vain in that my appearance concerns me if I think I'm getting too thin. For an adult male I think 100 lbs is extremely thin, unless you are less than 5'2" which is a short man. But who am I to say what is "right." I believe that Russian family has cured many of the diseases we encounter from what we eat. Are we to be concerned about being too thin? Is there a different kind of illness to be concerned about?

[xwitchymagicx]

I would probably starve on a fruitarian diet.

[Atticus]

It indeed is a form of starvation.......
as a former anorexic i was basically a fruitarian during my darkest days.....and trust me i ate ALOT of fruit......

[hotpotato]

From what I understand fruitarians eat nuts and seeds as well as fruit, otherwise they would be hard pressed to get enough calories.

[Gliondrach]

A well known fruitarian in the UK, called Wilfred Crone, died recently in his 90s (I think). He was often mentioned in the old-style Vegan magazines and, more recently, in New Leaves, which is the magazine of the Movement For Compassionate Living. He was a tireless advocate for the diet.

[medus]

This one was quite interesting to me:
http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/...t-bio-1a.shtml

[eve]

I find his raw milk drinking rather off-putting to say the least.

[treehugga]

protein protein protein ??????????

[moochbabe]

well they get their protein from nuts and seeds, however, this is very sketchy to me because how on earth can they get all the amino acids they need for protein... also, in response to is thinness a disease, it is actually, it can cause anemia, and osteoperosis, along with a weak heart and many other serious conditions that can be corrected only through being at a healthy weight...it does not have to do with just vanity y a person should not want to get too thin...

[Zanahorias!]

Furthermore, for the person that is too thin, it can be just as upsetting as being overweight. I speak here from personal experience, as it has always been extremely hard for me to gain weight. I'm 5'10" and weight 113 lb., people assume that I have an eating disorder and call me stick boy behind my back.

Worse yet, our society compounds the idea of extreme thinness (think 92 lb. models draped in dead animals).

[treehugga]

well they get their protein from nuts and seeds, however, this is very sketchy to me because how on earth can they get all the amino acids they need for protein... also, in response to is thinness a disease, it is actually, it can cause anemia, and osteoperosis, along with a weak heart and many other serious conditions that can be corrected only through being at a healthy weight...it does not have to do with just vanity y a person should not want to get too thin...

Exactly

[moochbabe]

too true. i was often called aweful things when i was severely underweight. the worst thing is that ppl feel it's ok to come up to u and tell u what they think of ur body when ur thin, something they would never dare do even to the most severely obese person. ppl have no idea that it is just as hurtful to tell someone they r too thin as it is to tell them they r too heavy

[Panda]

before 3pm i only eat fruit. it's all i take to work so i have it for brekky, lunch and snacks. I have been doing this for about a year. its great i love fruit. I have developed a bit of a belly though which kind of sucks because the rest of me is really skinny i wonder if its to many bananas.

[Atticus]

I have the disteneded belly too....bloat belly. I am use to it....as long as i am not it pain.

[Korn]

This one was quite interesting to me:
http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/...t-bio-1a.shtml

It's interesting, but in a weird way... Tom Billings seem to have been forcing himself to live on a special vegan diet that obviously wasn't good for him, and instead of adjusting his diet to a vegan diet that was good for him, he went back to using dairy products. He writes that he 'had to overcome the mental poisons of my own vegan self-indoctrination (i.e., vegan anti-dairy propaganda).' He makes it look like arguments against using dairy products are 'mental poison', while agreeing in those old, worn out arguments pro using dairy products is being 'open' to new ideas:

When you are open to new ideas, a whole new world awaits you.

Using dairy products is not a new idea... not using dairy products is a new idea (at least in most parts of the world)!

The main thing that he seems to have missed is that a vegan diet can be a lot of things, including not eating a varied enough diet, eating only vegan junk food etc. Just avoiding animal products in itself doesn't guarantee that you'll be healthy. I may be wrong, but his case definitely looks like someone who has gone from being almost obsessed with certain theories (without knowing enough about nutrition), to not being 'open to new ideas'....

[kriz]

It looks like this guy have tried many different diets...Why? Maybe he's addicted to dieting and needs to treat this particular problem instead of trying to pursue perfection and happines through food. From what I read, he's no different than people who are trying improve their life and waistline with the Atkins, Zone, The South Beach diet etc...They're addicted to diets and excited about anything new on the market.

Some people thinks it's just plain cool to go against veganism - the "been there done that" kind of thing.

[hotpotato]

not using dairy products is a new idea (at least in most parts of the world)!

I'm not sure this is entirely true - the Chinese, who make up between a quarter and a third of humanity, don't consume diary products, nor do the Japanese, and in many countries in South East Asia dairy products are not widely consumed. Significantly people who live in these countries often enjoy better health, probably as a result. The China Study showed, for example, that althought the mainland Chinese who took part in it had a daily calcium intake which was roughly half that of their American counterparts, osteoporisis was unknown, which proves there are other factors involved in the development of osteoporsis apart from calcium intake, contrary to what the diary industry repeatedly asserts.

[englishvegoboi]

, I may be wrong, but his case definitely looks like someone who has gone from being almost obsessed with certain theories (without knowing enough about nutrition), to not being 'open to new ideas'....

I couldn't agree with you more Korn. Even some mainstream magazines are now beginning to highlight the fact that there is absolutely no need for dairy in our diets and how its inclusion can possibly be hazardous to our health in the long term. Some of the world’s cultures with the lowest rates of osteoporosis are practically dairy free.

I am a little cynical when it comes to beyondveg.com as it seems to be geared up to putting veganism down by highlighting failed vegans who so obviously did not have a balanced diet

[Korn]

not using dairy products is a new idea (at least in most parts of the world)!

I'm not sure this is entirely true - the Chinese, who make up between a quarter and a third of humanity, don't consume diary products, nor do the Japanese, and in many countries in South East Asia dairy products are not widely consumed. Significantly people who live in these countries often enjoy better health, probably as a result. The China Study showed, for example, that althought the mainland Chinese who took part in it had a daily calcium intake which was roughly half that of their American counterparts, osteoporisis was unknown, which proves there are other factors involved in the development of osteoporsis apart from calcium intake, contrary to what the diary industry repeatedly asserts.

Well, there are lots of eg. Asian, African and other people that don't use dairy, I was but they're not vegetarian. The person I was refering to (at beyondveg) seemed to suggest that living on a vegetarian diet that includes dairy products is more 'new' than on a diet without animal products, which of course is wrong; there are millions of lactovegetarians! At beyondveg they are working very hard to create an impression that going back to animal products is something more new, or something more 'modern' than being vegan. IMO the 'beyond' in beyondveg is totally misplaced. I a person wuits smoking and then starts smoking again, he isn't 'beyond' smoking. He just didn't manage to quit!

[Korn]

I am a little cynical when it comes to beyondveg.com as it seems to be geared up to putting veganism down by highlighting failed vegans who so obviously did not have a balanced diet

Excactly.

[Honey Parsnip]

Tragic case from the UK a few years ago:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1542293.stm

(I remembered it as I used to work in Child Protection).