Fruitarian Say Wut??

I came hungry to a vegan potluck. “Wait, wait, wait… this is a fruitarian potluck?” I dreadfully asked the host after making some observations.  Rubbing my tummy and scratching my head, I wondered how I would satisfy my appetite.

I walked into the kitchen to find prunes, oranges, and a dude juicing apples. Nom, nom, nom. I ate (and drank) all I could up until it seemed improper. I paced the party a little mad, actually. Maybe my hunger was making me argumentative or maybe, ya know, I expected actual FOOD.

All the hosts of the party were fruitarians. So, it appeared I was in a nifty place to usurp some knowledge on the diet. I asked Mr. Juicer how he got the protein his body needs to repair and build new cells. He actually scoffed at proteins and said we don’t need them. Then, he stated that what we need are amino acids and we can get all the ones we need from fruit.

So, my suspicions were correct, but my question was misdirected.

“We don’t actually need protein-we need amino acids.”

If our body doesn’t have all nine essential amino acids, then it can’t properly build and repair its cells. This means waiting for more food to fill in the blanks. This may have something to do with why we’ve been encouraged to eat so much animal-based protein (it contains all nine essential amino acids). However, the Standard American Diet (SAD) has pushed us to eat more meat than we actually need. Too much meat consumption can cause sleepiness, depression, and an off-balance gut ecosystem.

Without healthy gut bacteria, our bodies have a more difficult time absorbing nutrients from food, leaving toxins and acid from animal products to be filtered through our liver, kidneys, heart, and intestines. An imbalanced gut ecosystem may prevent amino acids from being absorbed properly as well. On top of all that, if one eats animal-based products with starchy veggies, the gut becomes neutralized and digestion just stops, inviting pathogens! Also, it’s best to eat animal-based products midday. The body has sufficient energy to digest it then. Oh, AND much of the animal-based products out there are tangled up with hormones and antibiotics.

So, I can get all my amino acids from animal products, but it takes a great deal of responsibility to continue to do right by my body. My fruitarian friends have chosen to bypass that route altogether and have chosen instead to get their amino acids from fruit.

In this blog, we’ve only considered our body’s need for protein (amino acids).

The all-fruit diet still has to answer for its high sugar intake and low intake of fats, iron, Vitamins B12 and D. According to my fruitarian friends, a fix exists for all these glitches. They say the all-fruit diet can truly work. But, they warn me it must be done correctly. They reminded me they’ve been studying this diet for years. They have grown such a close relationship with their food that the diet has almost taken over their lives. This diet is not to be taken lightly. I’ve only just begun to explore it and to share my exploration with you all.

The journey continues, I invite you to share your experiences and what you know about the diet with us here!  In the meantime, check out: The Mindful Diabetic. He has made the all-fruit diet work for him in the most unexpected way but with A LOT of dedication and research.