Fruitarianism by Students-In-Touch

Complementary health

Bjor Leistner is a mechanical engineer who started life exclusively Bjorn breastfed, ate meat for most of his young life before becoming brea ve vegetarian, then vegan and finally transitioning towards fruitarianism, which almost exclusively constitutes his current daily frui diet. di Bjorn has done a course in Reiki and holds a 2nd Dan black belt be in karate. His favourite other activities include gym, hiking and sky-diving. His desire is to use both his engineering knowledge sk an his fruitarian ideals to create a better world! and

Fruit for thought â&#x20AC;&#x153;I became fruitarian because I am strongly convinced that it is the most morally and spiritually correct way to eat, as well as being best for the environment. I stay fruitarian because of how awesome and healthy I feel!â&#x20AC;? says Bjorn Leistner. Grab a peach, sit back and assimilate a different way of thinking and eating. Fruitarians believe that theirs is the most ideal diet because it involves no killing of animals or plants for personal benefit, while in return enjoying the reward of abundant health â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a natural symbiosis. In addition, fruit-eating animals help reforest the earth by spreading the seeds of immobile plants. This of course is not a consideration for modern, urban humans! Fruitarianism is not a new-age concept, but rather an acknowledgement of the fundamentally unchanged nature of our digestive

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systems since prehistoric times. While modern eat and digest meat, we are certainly humans can e not perfectly adapted ad to do so in the quantity most Anthropologically, there is little evidence of it do. Anthropolo being a health healthy or dominant nutritional lifestyle. There substantial evidence of fruitarianism is however sub health and longevity (see the references at supporting hea more detail). the end for mo

The inside story Even though we humans are distinct from other animals in many respects, our bodies bear marked similarities to certain species. The human digestive tract is similar to that of other anthropoid primates such as chimpanzees, with whom we share 96% similar DNA. They are frugivores, meaning they preferably and almost exclusively eat fruits and leaves. Our digestive system is dissimilar to that of carnivores (almost exclusive meat eaters), omnivores (eat both meat and plant matter) and even herbivores (eating exclusively plant matter), but similar to that of frugivores. Strong indications that we are meant to be fruiteating creatures are our natural instinct and our senses. Would we, if we drove by a cow on the road (dead or alive) think about a meaty meal or snack in the first instance? However, a bright colourful fruit on a tree next to the road would tempt one to stop and sample its delicious taste. Meat, legumes, grains, seeds, grasses and flowers do not appeal to us as much and we do not digest them well in their natural states. This alone indicates that they are not ideal as primary sources of food.

Comparative digestion Digestive component

Carnivore

Herbivore

Human

Powerful No sideways motion when chewing, producing no grinding action

Far less powerful Horizontal movement to help grind food as part of digestion

Sharp, pointed front teeth to tear flesh No flat-surface molars to grind food for pre-digestion

Has canine teeth but not for flesh retrieval Has no sharp, pointed front teeth Has flat-surface molar teeth to grind food

Has only small ones in the mouth as not needed to predigest grains and fruits

Has well-developed salivary glands, necessary for predigestion of plant matter

Has acid saliva Does not contain enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Saliva is alkaline Contains significant ptyalin to pre-digest plant matter & grains

Saliva is alkaline Contains significant ptyalin after lactating period to pre-digest plant matter & grains

Lap up water with tongue

Sucking action to ingest water

Stomach acids

Potent hydrochloric acid to digest tough animal muscle and bone Helps protect against harmful organisms in meat

Hydrochloric acid about 20 times less potent than that of meat-eaters

Intestines

Intestinal tract about 3 times body length, so rapidly decaying meat can pass out of body quickly

Intestinal tract about 12 times body length as plant foods digest and are assimilated well and decay slowly

Jaw structure

Mouth

Teeth

Salivary glands

Saliva

Drinking action

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the menu? In general, the foods that fruitarians select from include â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traditionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fruits, vegetable fruits, grains, corn, legumes, nuts, seeds and salt. From an ethical perspective eating any of these, even cooked, is acceptable. However, there is much evidence to support the notion that we are naturally geared towards eating chiefly raw fruits and leaves. Fruitarians range from those who select 75% of their diet from raw or cooked off-shoots of plants which can be taken without killing the plant, to those who eat exclusively raw fruits.

Fruit can be defined as anything growing on a plant which contains its seed, or as anything that can be taken off a plant without killing any part of the plant. Botanically, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocados and pumpkins are all fruits, even though in culinary terms we often refer to them as vegetables.

Fruitarians are nuts about fruit. The Western lowland gorilla consumes parts of at least 97 plant species. About 70% of its diet is fruit, 17% consists of leaves, seeds and stems and 3% is termites and caterpillars.

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Complementary health

Becoming fruitarian It takes time to adapt to a new lifestyle and a gradual transition of at least a few months is called for, giving the body a chance to accustom. Cravings for foods other than fruit usually do occur at first. Keep meals simple with just one type of fruit at a time for easiest digestion. • The most important adaptation of a fruitarian diet is to re-learn to love to eat in volumes and a bit more often. Many make the mistake of expecting satiation after 3 bananas, a small salad and a peach or two! A typical day may consist of four meals: - 8 to 15 large bananas - 20 to 30 large naartjies - 2 to 3 large papayas - Salad: 1 to 2 lettuce heads, 2 to 4 tomatoes, ½ to 1 avocado • Most do recommend the consumption of green leafy vegetables along with fruit.

It can’t be healthy! Quite to the contrary. It has been proven many a time that fruitarians can enjoy previously unknown peak levels of health, in some cases for decades already or even lifetimes. Animal-based foods have been linked to a myriad undesirable conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and many more. Cooking foods decreases their nutritional value. Raw foods are packed with usable enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and fruits are the most nutritious and delicious of the raw foods. So, when health is the primary concern, a fruitarian diet should consist mainly of raw fruit, with the addition of green leafy vegetables and minimal nuts and seeds. This seems to be the most common and successful fruitarian diet. Many reports are available of people who have completely recovered from diseases such as cancer on high-fruit diets. Essie Honiball, a renowned South African fruitarian, overcame tuberculosis on a fruitarian diet in 1958 and remained a fruitarian for the rest of her life. Virtually all long-term fruitarians report the following effects on their health: • Increased overall energy • No excess fat in the body • Improved athletic performance • Smooth and glowing skin • Reduced hair loss and reduced greying of hair • No excess mucus in the throat and sinuses • Virtually no body odours • Improved digestion • Reduced frequency and intensity of the common cold and influenza • An increased tendency for positive thoughts

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Yes but .... Surely diabetics and glucose intolerant individuals cannot embark on a fruitarian diet? Blood sugar problems are not primarily caused by the sugars, but by problems with metabolism and absorption of sugars. Many fruitarians report having overcome blood sugar problems with their diet. If one has blood sugar problems however, a fruitarian diet should probably be approached cautiously and with the help of a professional. The myth that fruit sugar destroys teeth is not true either. As long as one takes good care of oral hygiene, teeth will stay strong. Protein deficiency is almost unheard of no matter the diet, unless severely malnourished. It is often maintained that insufficient protein will be ingested on a diet of fruit but raw fruits and leaves can provide all essential amino acids. Mother’s milk which infants at their rapid rate of growth live on, provides an average of 6% calories from protein. The protein content of fruit ranges between 5 and 10% of calories – surely this perspective says something? Most long-term fruitarians have never taken supplements. The absorption of vitamins and minerals is as important as consuming enough of them. On a fruitarian diet, the body functions and absorbs these optimally. Ethical reasons for fruitarianism There are many indications that the environmental impact of fruitarianism is the least of all diets. • One acre of a banana plantation yields about 11,000 kg per year • One acre of land for beef production yields only 70 kg per year • It takes 60,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef • It takes 540 litres of water to produce 1kg potatoes • It takes 375 litres of water to produce 1kg of apples Yes, it is sometimes socially difficult to eat this way, but one gets used to it, as do one’s friends. If one shows how happy the diet makes one, and one completely tolerates others’ ways of eating, it becomes much easier. Fruitarianism is more than a diet; it is an attitude and a lifestyle. Recommended resources • “The China Study” by Dr T. Colin Campbell • “The 80/10/10 Diet” by Dr D. Graham • “Fruitarianism: The Path to Paradise” by Anne Osborne • www.30bananasaday.com • www.thefruitarian.com

References 1. Campbell, T. Colin. The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long Term Health. (Dallas, TX: Benbella Books, 2004) 2. Osborne, Anne. Fruitarianism: The Path to Paradise. (Australia, 2009) 3. Jim Slowman, A Global Vision, Vibrance Magazine Issue 1, Spring 2008, pg 58 4. National Geographic, 2010 (available at www.nationalgeographic.com) 5. Honiball, Essie. I Live on Fruit. 6. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. (available at www. nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data) 7. Graham, Douglas N. The 80/10/10 Diet: Balancing your health, your weight and your life one luscious bite at a time. (Decatur: FoodnSport Press, 2006)