QuestionQUESTION: What is your opinion regarding the Fruitarian diet? Have you ever tried it? Do you think living/eating this way is possible?
Also, it's hard for me to give up the notion that the Fruitarian diet is the ultimate of all and the healthiest way to eat. What is your diet now and what do you feel is the best diet for the average person? Do you think a lacto-vegetarian diet is best? I am so confused. I have gone off and on the raw diet for almost 20 years -- and each time I try the Fruitarian diet I end up with eating disorder-like symptoms and "orthorexia (addiction to righteous eating). I can't make peace with my diet.
ANSWER: The fruitarian diet is very limited and may be inadequate in some nutrients, such as protein, iron, and B vitamins. A completely raw diet can also be very limiting and offer inadequate nutrients. Both are very difficult to follow for extended periods of time for the average American. Some people include meat, such as beef tartar and sushi, but eating raw meat can be very dangerous if the animal was sick or the meat is old or not prepared correctly. I always feel better (healthier and with more energy) when I include a lot of raw fruits and vegetables, so I definitely encourage eating a lot of them. Research has suggested a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is probably healthiest because it provides the widest range of nutrients while encouraging high fiber, low saturated fat intake. Studies have shown people who follow a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet have reduced risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many cancers. The flexitarian diet has become very popular due to the findings from research; it helps people eat like a vegetarian most days but not give up the meat most Americans love. I don't follow the flexitarian diet, but I would say that is probably the closest to how I eat. I do not eat much meat (except fish) and would eat much less if my husband wasn't such a meat and potatoes type of guy!
I am a little concerned that you recognize you "can't make peace" with your diet. You may very well have a mild form of an eating disorder. It is one thing to want to and attempt to eat as healthy as you can, but it is another to obsess about it, which it sounds like you have been doing off and on throughout the years. If you feel you need help with your diet on a more individualized basis or if you want to speak with someone about your concerns, I encourage you to speak to a doctor or dietitian in person. Until then, eating a diet with a variety of home prepared foods should be best, whether you choose raw or cooked.
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QUESTION: Thank you for replying. What is your opinion on Fasting? What about Fasting to lose weight? Have you ever encountered persons who have developed some type of an eating disorder as a result of fasting to lose weight?
AnswerThe general recommendation in the dietetic community is not to fast. However, studies have shown individuals who fast regularly (usually for religious reasons) tend to live longer. Of course, you should not fast if you have a health problem, such as diabetes, but generally healthy individuals may find it beneficial to fast occassionally (probably no more than once or twice a month) with a water or juice fast. As for weight loss, some individuals find a one or two day fast motivating to "kick-off" their healthier life-style. However, any weight lost from fasting is unlikely to stay off since most of that lost weight is from water and glycogen stores, both of which will come back once food is eaten again. I haven't personally met anyone who had an eating disorder as a result of fasting. However, a history of fasting in order to lose weight would be considered an eating disorder. I definitely wouldn't recommend fasting to anyone who has had symptoms of an eating disorder in the past since persons with eating disorders are very much like alcoholics...they go into remission but episodes may be triggered again.
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