Fruitarians: what their fruit-based diet consists of
A "diet based on the exclusive consumption of fruit. This is the principle on which one of the most extreme and discussed diets of recent years is based, or fruitarism. Fruitarians, those who decide to follow this diet diligently, renounce everything. which is artificial and they feed only on what is offered to them by mother nature. In some cases it is an ethical choice, in others religious, in others environmental. But what does this diet actually consist of? of a healthy point of view? Let's find out everything you need to know about this food practice!
What does the fruitarian diet consist of?
The fruitarian diet is a diet based solely and exclusively - or in some cases mainly - on the consumption of fruits. For many it is a form of archaeodiet because it simulates what, in principle, was the diet of hominids, who ate only fruit. Those who support this position, believe that fruitarism is the food habit not only more respectful for the environment but also healthier for men since, originally, their digestive system and their dental morphology were structured to accommodate only these. foods. Therefore, the belief that drives many people to undertake this type of diet is that man is fundamentally frugivorous, that is, designed to follow a natural-based diet, eating only the fruits offered by mother nature. In fact, science has repeatedly refuted this thesis, proving, on the contrary, that humans are omnivores.
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There are several currents of thought that are hidden behind fruitarism. The original form of this diet involves the consumption of fruit, fruiting vegetables and seeds such as dried fruit. However, there are also other approaches to this diet: some fruitarians, in fact, eat only the fruits which, once ripe, fall to the ground; others, on the other hand, enrich their diet, even eating the seeds, a practice disdained by some fervent followers of fruitarianism because they are convinced that, in this way, the birth of new plants is prevented a priori, thus compromising the natural balance. A further distinction is that between fruitarians who eat only and exclusively raw fruits and fruitarians who also contemplate the cooking process of their own foods. Another variant is that of melarismo, a form of fruitarianism that involves, in fact, the consumption of apples only. Those who adhere to melarismo will inevitably face serious nutrient deficiencies such as selenium, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12, so it is clear why it is totally discouraged by the scientific and medical community around the world.
What do fruitarians eat?
Depending on the foods allowed by the different variants, it is good to distinguish four forms of fruitarianism:
- False fruitarism: in this case, people are allowed to feed on the seeds and tubers of plants they help reproduce
- Transitional Fructarism: this variant involves the consumption of both fruit and vegetables
- Vitarian fruitarianism: fruitarians who decide to follow this orientation can eat those parts that plants are able to regenerate
- Symbiotic fruitfulness: only the consumption of ripe fruit that has fallen from the tree is authorized.
As previously mentioned, this diet is based on the consumption of fruits, including false fruits. To be more precise, however, it is good to highlight the distinctions made over time by fruitarians between:
- sweet fruits (apple, pear, peach etc.)
- bitter fruits (grapefruit, chinotto, etc.)
- spicy fruits (chilli, pepper, etc.)
- fruit vegetables (eggplant, pumpkin, courgette, tomato, cucumber, etc.)
- fatty fruits (oil, avocado, etc.)
- sour fruits (lemon, cedar, etc.)
- starchy fruits (plantains)
- fruit pods (carob, peas, broad beans, etc.)
- nut fruits (walnuts, almonds, etc.)
- ear fruits (corn, wheat, etc.)
- exotic fruits
- ancient fruits (jujube, strawberry tree, etc.)
- aquatic fruits (trigolo, posidonia etc.)
Religious reasons
Among the reasons that push some people to accept this lifestyle there are undoubtedly those of a religious nature. Some, in fact, basing themselves on the book of Genesis, decide to emulate the example of Adam and Eve, whose sustenance consisted exclusively of fruit, to live the experience of an earthly Eden. Others, however, adopt the precept of Ahimsa. , present in religions such as Janism, Hinduism and Buddhism, for which man must free himself from the desire to kill or harm any living being, including plants.
Environmental reasons
Being an even more radical form of veganism, fructanism has its raison d'etre in environmentalism. In addition to wanting to protect the right to life of plants and animals, fruitarians believe that this diet is the best choice for the environment. They support this thesis by the fact that the fields in which the fruits are grown are never left bare and, therefore, favor continuous photosynthesis, helping to decrease the rate of carbon dioxide dispersed in the atmosphere.
Fruitarian raw food
Since most fruits do not require cooking, it can be said that a fruitarian diet has many points in common with raw food, a food practice that prohibits the intake of cooked foods since any type of physical or chemical treatment is considered guilty of altering their nutritional values. It is no coincidence, in fact, that a large number of fruitarians follow the precepts of raw food and, therefore, exclusively prefer seasonal fruits, consumed naturally, untreated and coming from zero-kilometer crops. We are then faced with a further form of fruitarianism, precisely called fruitarian rawism. Those who decide to follow this lifestyle in the kitchen will have to do without jams, juices, ciders, wine, oil, vinegar, salt and baking soda.
Contradictions
Over the years, fruitarianism has been at the center of various controversies based mainly on the groundlessness of many of the principles on which this regime has supported its foundations. Already in 1979, the theory that homo erectus was completely fruitarian was dismantled by professor Alan Walker, who highlighted that he was, on the other hand, omnivorous and based his diet also on the consumption of meat.
Furthermore, this system also presents fallacies from an environmental point of view. One of these is the need to transport certain fruits from one part of the world to another. These movements, in fact, require the use of means of transport whose carbon dioxide emissions cancel any environmental claims made by fruitarians in support of their food choice.
Another accusation made by the detractors of this diet concerns the exploitation of plants for non-food purposes. These, in fact, argue that, if fruitarians really cared about the ecosystem, they would have to do without materials such as paper, wood, linen and cotton.
Is the fruitarian diet bad for you?
A fruitarian diet, especially if followed without medical supervision, can seriously harm your health. As evidenced by Columbia University's Health Promotion Program, a diet based entirely on the consumption of fruit only, has significant deficiencies in calcium, protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, B vitamins and essential fatty acids , which can lead to discomfort and discomfort.
