A woman from Slovenia has claimed that her fruit only diet has cured her migraines, cleared up her acne, prevented her from developing colds, helped her lose weight and left her the picture of health.
Meet the “Fruitarians”
In 2014, 34 year old Saša Dedić swapped her vegan lifestyle for a strict fruit only diet and, she claims, she has never looked back. Plagued by migraines since the age of 11 and frequently afflicted by bouts of acne in adulthood, Saša believes all of her health complaints are behind her as a result of her purely fruit-based diet. In the past, this fussy, fruity eater frequently contracted colds and developed yeast infections, now she believes she is in the best and healthiest shape of her life, no longer affected by headaches or infections.
Saša’s diet is almost entirely fruit based, with some exceptions made for occasional vegetables and seeds. This fruit fan eats seasonally, sourcing most of her food from local growers in Slovenia, which means that her diet varies throughout the year. In winter Saša eats more salads, but throughout spring and summer, her diet is almost wholly comprised of fruit. Persimmons are Saša’s favourite food, which makes summer a great time for her.
Fruit failings
Although fruit is highly nutritious, this extreme diet is not recommended by nutritionists. Although Saša may be feeling healthy now, the experts warn that over the long term, her diet is not nutritionally adequate to fulfil all of her body’s needs.
Eating an exclusively fruit-based diet may increase many of the vitamins and minerals associated with good health present in your body, while cutting out nasties like trans fats and sodium, but such a rigorous diet will also result in nutritional deficiencies of calcium, vitamin D, B12 and iron. And that’s just for starters.
These dangerous deficiencies could result in a number of serious health issues, including weakened muscles and bones, vulnerability to infection, fatigue, neurological problems and anaemia – and that’s just for starters. The high levels of sugar in fruit also make fruit-only diets problematic when it comes to blood sugar, triggering sharp peaks and troughs which could result in concentration problems, mood issues and food cravings.
What’s the right amount of fruit?
Although Saša’s diet is extreme and potentially dangerous – we could all take a (small) leaf from her book. Consuming more fruits and vegetables and reducing fats, sugars, meat and carbs is something we should all aim for if we want to live more healthily.
Even businesses are now recognising the benefits of encouraging fruit consumption and making use of fruit delivery services like Fruitful Office, helping their employees reach their recommended five-a-day (which many experts now believe should be increased to ten-a-day).
Are you eating enough fruit? Would you consider a fruit only diet? How do you get more fruit and vegetables into your everyday diet? Share your tips and recipes with other readers below.