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Fruitarianism

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A fruit stall in Barcelona, Spain.

Fruitarians (frugivores or fructarians) eat mostly or only the fruit of plants.

There are different variations of fruitarianism. Many fruitarians hold the definition to one that eats 100% fruit, others have diets that are 75% or more fruit, with the rest consisting of ingredients from a raw vegan diet other than fruit [1].

Others consider themselves to be aspiring fruitarians when fruit is the main part of their diet.

Contents

[edit] Fruitarian definition of fruit

Fruitarians use differing definitions of what is considered a "fruit."

When discussing fruit as food, the term usually refers to just those plant fruits that are sweet and fleshy (including plums, apples, and oranges). Botanically, though, many common vegetables (including the bell pepper, tomato, and cucumber), as well as nuts and grains, are technically fruits.

[edit] Definition of fruitarian

Some fruitarians will eat only what falls (or would fall) naturally from a plant, namely, culinary fruits, nuts, and seeds (excluding grains). Many do not eat grains,[2] which are usually not palatable unless cooked, (most fruitarians are raw foodists).[3] Some feel that it is improper for fruitarians to eat seeds.[citation needed] Others eat seeds and cooked foods.[4]

Another may eat a similar diet, but including other botanical definitions of fruits and consume pulses.[5]Other fruitarians argue that the slippery slope of what 'would' fall from the plant leads to including foods that would otherwise be taboo.[citation needed]

A minority of fruitarians only eat fruit in the culinary sense.[citation needed] Others include green leafy vegetables[6] and/or root vegetables.[7] Some occasionally include some dairy products in their diet as well.[8]

[edit] Motivation

Some believe fruitarianism was the original diet of mankind in the form of Adam and Eve as quoted at Genesis 1:29.[9] They believe that a return to an Eden-like paradise will require simple living, surrender of anything "modern" (electricity, medication, housing, clothing, etc.) and a holistic approach to health and diet.[citation needed]

Other fruitarians wish to avoid killing in all its forms, including plants.[10] They point out that eating some types of fruit does the parent plant a favor. Fleshy fruit has evolved to be eaten by animals, to achieve seed dispersal. Fruit seeds passed in feces may sprout in a pile of ready-made fertilizer, encouraging proliferation of the plant, but only if one defecates outside, which most Westerners do not. Fruit cores or pits, however, will be tossed aside to sprout too near the parent plant to gain any benefit.

Others still become fruitarians after a casual study of human physiology.[citation needed] Many of these fruitarians make physiological claims to support their diet, and believe that by following such a diet, enhanced health can be achieved. (See Health below)

However, the most important factor underlying the choice of fruitarianism is the fact that people who transition to fruitarianism find fruit the most appealing type of foods. This phenomenon is perceived by many as the evidence of the frugivorous nature of humans. Internet pages containing the links to mulptile transitional stories and references are, for example, [11], [12], amongst many others.

[edit] Noteworthy Fruitarians

[edit] Ancient Fruitarians

In the story of Rama (a Hindu avatar) he lives in exile in the forest for 14 years on a partially fruitarian diet, supplemented with root vegetables.

Some believe that Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were fruitarians (Behold I have given you herb yielding seed. To you it shall be for meat; Genesis l:29). Others interpret this to mean they were raw vegans.

The Essene Gospel of Peace, claims that the Essenes were raw foodists and fruitarians[13]. The only person claiming to have seen the original manuscript, Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, continues to publish new portions of this text, well after his death in 1979. Most scholars doubt the gospel existed.<ref>http://text.farmsresearch.com/display.php?print=1&id=15&table=transcripts</ref>

Some fruitarians contend that Jesus was an Essene who practiced a mainly fruitarian diet, although this contradicts the mainline Bible (Matthew 15:34-37) and virtually all scholarship on the Essenes.[14]

[edit] Modern

  • Mahatma Gandhi briefly followed a diet similar to fruitarianism. He and his followers repeatedly discontinued these diets as in the long term they proved unsustainable.[15]
  • Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Computer, Inc.) for a period in the 1970s.[16]
  • Hall of Fame basketball player Pete Maravich, for a short period.[citation needed]
  • Walter Siegmeister a noted Hollow Earth theorist, under the pen name "Dr. Raymond Bernard", promoted fruitarianism as part of his plan for a "super race".[17]
  • Morris Krok, South African author, wrote Fruit: The Food And Medicine For Man, later recommended against fruitarianism.[18]
  • Johnny Lovewisdom, author of The Buddhist Essene Gospel of Jesus, suffered from numerous health problems attributed to fruitarianism.
  • Johanna Brandt of South Africa advanced a grape diet in 1925, saying it had cured her cancer. Her Harmony Healing Center was the target of regulatory and legal action by the FDA and U.S. Post Office, citing fraud and practicing medicine without a license.[19]

[edit] Fictional

[edit] Criticisms

In addition to health risks particular to fruitarianism, all risks associated with veganism apply as well.

  • Serious nutritional deficiencies: Some long-time strict fruitarians will develop nutritional deficiencies as a result of the diet.[20] Many will develop health problems and switch to a broader diet. (Specific health risks are discussed below.)
  • Lack of Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 can only be synthesized by bacteria and archaea. Unless they regularly use supplements, fruitarians will not get sufficient amounts of this nutrient. Years of deficiency in vitamin B12 may lead to megaloblastic anemia, macrocytic anemia, serious neurological and mental damage, increased homocysteine (associated with heart disease and arterial deterioration), degeneration of the peripheral nervous system and spinal cord, paranoia, hyperactive reflexes, impotence and infertility. As with all vegans, fruitarians are at risk of serious, permanent bodily damage or death if they do not add B12 supplements or fortified foods to their diets.[21][22]. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health "natural food sources of vitamin B12 are limited to foods that come from animals."[23]
  • Lack of evidence of successful, long-term fruitarians: Many notable advocates of fruitarianism in the past, including Morris Krok[24], Johnny Lovewisdom, Walter Siegmeister/Raymond Bernard, and Viktoras Kulvinskas ate considerable quantities of vegetables and occasional cooked foods and vegetables. Others switched to other unorthodox lifestyles (including breatharianism and liquitarianism (juices only), or recommended against the diet once they stopped (Morris Krok[25]).
  • Dental problems: The high organic acid content in many fruits can strip minerals from teeth. A number of fruitarians have given up the diet due to tooth loss, receding gums and similar problems.[26]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

he:פרוקטרייניזם nl:Fruitarisme pl:Frutarianizm pt:Frugivorismo sr:Frutarijanci sv:Frukterianism

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