A person whose diet primarily consists of fruits or plants is called a fruitarian. Some people consider a person whose 75% of the diet consists of fruits a fruitarian. The definition of fruits is itself a topic of some discussion. For example the vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers are in fact fruit. Not only are those, but nuts and grains also comes in the fruit category. So a person who consumes nuts, grains, fruits might be considered as fruitarian.
A diet consisting of fruits is considered as highly beneficial in preventing a host of malignancies and cardiac complications. As a matter of fact most of the benefits of fruits are due to their vitamin and antioxidant contents. Basically as we eat, the food is oxidized in the body to give energy. The process has some similarities with combustion – in which the burning of fuel produces energy. But the same process results in free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive and cause the proteins to form cross-links. This cross linking is the main culprit behind the “degenerative diseases”. Be it macular degeneration or heart disease all share some of their complication due to the excessive oxidation. Scientists are debating the benefits of giving oxygen to the trauma patients.
Fruits are very high in antioxidants. Blue berries and cocoa have some of the highest antioxidant contents. Moreover eating a fruitarian diet has some spiritualistic benefits as claimed by Indian gurus.
A fruitarian diet has some negative aspects also. The person on fruitarian diet should consider supplementing his food with B12, Calcium and Zinc. Moreover a complete fruitarian diet would lack the protein contents. If a fruitarian diet is considered to be adopted as life-style then it should be supplemented with protein rich foods like milk.
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