The allure of a quick dietary reset often leads individuals to explore options like the two-week fruit diet plan. This article delves into the specifics of such a plan, examining its potential benefits, inherent risks, and more sustainable approaches to healthy eating.
What is a Fruit Diet?
A fruit diet is characterized by primarily eating fruits, which can be supplemented with vegetables, whey protein, and lean protein. The fruitarian, or fruit, diet is a highly restrictive vegan diet. It excludes all animal products, including dairy. People following this program eat a diet consisting primarily of raw fruits. Vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds can also be eaten in moderation. Other types of food, such as grains, legumes, and tubers, are severely limited or eliminated completely. Cooked food of any kind, including cooked fruit, is avoided.
There isn’t one specific way to do the fruit diet. Some fruitarians only eat fruit that has fallen onto the ground, rather than fruits that have been picked. Others won’t eat any seeds, because these have the capacity to become living plants.
Components of a 14-Day Fruit Diet
The 14-day fruit diet is basically a short-term version of a fruitarian diet. There are various versions of a fruit diet, such as a 14-day vegetable and fruit diet and a 14-day eggs, fruit, and vegetable diet. There are no other rules to the 14-day fruit diet and there’s no strict meal plan.
Fruitarians typically eat freely from multiple fruit groups. You may wish to stick to a three-meal-a-day plan, or build in four to five smaller meals throughout the day. The fruit groups to choose from include:
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- Acidic fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, berries, plums, and cranberries
- Sub-acidic fruits, such as apples, apricots, raspberries, and cherries
- Oily fruits, such as avocados, olives, and coconuts
- Sweet fruits, such as bananas, dates, figs, and grapes
- Starchy fruits, such as squash
- Melons of all kinds
- Vegetable-fruits, such as cucumbers and bell peppers
You should also drink water, coconut water, or 100 percent fruit juice throughout the day.
Potential Benefits of Eating Fruit
When eaten in moderation, fruit can be a very healthy part of a nutritious diet. Some benefits from eating fruit include:
- Fiber Content: Fruits contain fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol and encourage regular bowel movements. Apples, pears, blackberries, and raspberries are examples of fruits high in dietary fiber.
- Vitamin C: Oranges, red peppers, and strawberries are examples of fruits that contain lots of vitamin C. This helps keep teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C also supports the immune system.
- Potassium: Bananas, guavas, cantaloupe, and mangos are examples of fruits higher in potassium. Potassium can help maintain a healthy blood pressure and regulate fluid balance in the body.
- Folate: Oranges and tropical fruits such as mangos are high in folate. This can help the body produce red blood cells. Folate also supports healthy fetal development.
- Antioxidants: Black plums, prunes, and all berries are examples of fruits rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants limit the production of free radicals. They can protect your skin and fight off illness.
Concerns and Risks
Following the fruit diet carries many risks, such as malnourishment. Due to the diet’s highly restrictive nature, malnourishment is a significant concern. Your body might even go into starvation mode. This means that your metabolism will slow as it attempts to hold onto your nutritional stores and conserve energy.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Several nutrients that are vital for overall health are lacking in a fruit-based diet. This includes:
- Protein
- Fat
- Calcium
- B vitamins
- Omega-3 fatty acids
You may also experience anemia, fatigue, and a reduced immune system. Over time, the lack of calcium can lead to osteoporosis.
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High Sugar Content
A fruit-based diet is also very heavy on sugar, even though it’s a natural source. This may make it a poor choice for people with diabetes, prediabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or insulin resistance.
Misconceptions about Detoxing
There’s no proof that eating only plant foods will help you "detox" or burn fat. Detoxification of our organs happens naturally in the body. We have built-in mechanisms that help rid our body of waste. Fruit is high in water, so it can help you stay hydrated and flush some of the waste of the body out through the kidneys, but this is not some kind of miracle detox that happens when you eat fruit for three days.
Other Risks
- Insufficient Caloric Intake: In the long-term, a lack of calories can lead to malnutrition, excessive weight loss, and muscle mass loss.
- Gas and Bloating: This significant increase in volume and fiber may cause digestive woes like excessive bloating, gas, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps when you start your fruits and veggies-only diet.
- Iron Deficiency: Long-term iron inadequacy can lead to anemia, fatigue, hair loss, decreased stamina, and impaired cognition.
- Lack of Omega-3s: Low EPA and DHA over time is linked to problems such as higher inflammation, mood disorders, and increased cardiovascular risk.
Is the Fruit Diet Effective for Weight Loss?
You will lose weight on this 900-1,000-calorie diet because of the extremely low number of calories -- not because the toxins are flushed out by fruit. Most of the weight you lose would be from water, and you're likely to gain it back when you go off the diet. This plan isn't a long-term solution or lifestyle. Whether you will lose 9-10 pounds in 3 days is questionable. The plan is not based on credible research or scientific evidence.
Weight loss is about burning more calories than you consume, and as 1 pound of fat equals 3,500 calories, to lose 25 pounds, you would need to burn 87,500 calories. Losing 25 pounds in 2 weeks is incredibly dangerous and even impossible in the majority of cases. Such a weight loss pace is not healthy as it requires drastic energy intake restriction.
The "Fruit Flush" Diet
Jay Robb, a Registered Dietitian, developed the fruit diet. He stipulates that you should adhere to this diet for 3 days, believing that these days can give the digestive system a break from consuming processed foods. However, there are no scientific studies available that prove the benefits of the fruit diet for health or weight loss.
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Robb's plan includes a "Fruit Flush," which is a 3-day detox. This involves specific food choices and eating times. After the first 3 days of specific, regimented food choice, there’s a lot of freedom for variety within the rules. Dinner is either salad or half an avocado, plus one protein shake. If you’ve got a caffeine habit or enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, you’re out of luck. Seasonings, sweeteners, and salt are off this plan.
Limitations of the Fruit Flush
The list of allowed foods and specific times to eat them might mean a hassle to go to restaurants. You’ll also need to arrange your activities around when you're scheduled to eat. Keep in mind that fruit juice, dried fruit, and canned fruit don’t count, nor does anything cooked or otherwise prepared.
This plan discourages exercise that's more intense than a leisurely walk. Your energy level might also be down because you're getting fewer calories.
Cost and Support
In addition to investing in the produce, you’ll need to buy enough protein shake mix for 12 servings (Robb's brand of egg white, whey and pea protein mixes starts at $42.95). Fruit Flush doesn’t offer much community or online support. The web site does offer downloads of the book.
A More Balanced Approach
If the diet appeals to you, proceed slowly. Rather than start all at once, make a gradual transition away from your current eating patterns. This may mean giving up alcohol, animal products, grains, and processed foods. You should also begin adding raw fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Limiting your fruit intake to 50 percent and adding protein sources, such as nuts or vegetarian-approved supplements, may help balance out the nutritional deficits inherent in the fruit diet.
A diet filled with a variety of whole fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources, and healthy fats can help with weight loss in 14 days. This is because whole foods are satiating; they keep you full for longer while providing necessary nutrients.
Recommendations
- Consult Professionals: Talk with your doctor about your intentions. They can guide you on how to meet your nutritional needs without putting your health at risk. Meeting with a registered dietitian is also a good idea.
- Prioritize a Balanced Diet: Fruits and vegetables are key parts of a healthy diet, and most people don't eat enough of them. Lean protein is also important, but so are many foods and nutrients not included in the plan.
- Consider Supplementation: Supplement with essential fats, calcium, and vitamins D, B12, and riboflavin during the very-low-calorie diet.
- Exercise Regularly: Exercise regularly by weight training, cycling, dancing or fighting. Adhere to a low carb diet, which is characterized by a reduced intake of high carb and high fat food.
- Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods: Avoid ultra-processed foods, such as soda, ice cream, and fast food, as many of these foods are high in sugar and fat.
- Prioritize Sleep: To lose weight in a healthy way, it is also important to sleep 7 to 9 hours a night.