Fruitarianism
From ArticleWorld
Fruitarians eat only the fruit of plants. This subgroup of vegans eats not only traditional fruit, but also the seed-containing parts of many flowering plants. This includes berries, nuts, seeds, squash, beans, etc.
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Variations of fruitarians
Some fruitarians will eat only what falls — or would fall — naturally from plants. Some will eat all biological fruits, arguing that by eating only what would fall from a plant can lead to the justification of eating foods that are not traditionally accepted in fruitarianism. Typically fruitarians are also raw foodists and grains are most commonly disallowed (since they are often conventionally harvested by killing the plant).
Why become a fruitarian?
Some people become fruitarians because they don’t believe that a plant should be killed, thus, they only eat the fruit. (In root vegetables like carrots and radishes, the whole plant dies.) They argue that in nature, eating the fruit often will do the parent plant a favor in that fleshy fruit has clearly revolutionized for the purpose of seed dispersal
Fruitarians in history
- Mahatma Gandhi, toward the end of his life.
- Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer.
- Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
- Essenes, evidence suggests the Essenes were fruitarians. Some scholars believe Jesus was an Essene and practiced a fruitarian diet.
- The K-PAXian in Gene Brewer's K-PAX series.
- The Eloi in HG Wells's The Time Machine.
Downfalls
Many critics say that a fruitarian diet is hard to follow. Long-term fruitarians suffer health problems related to a deficiency in nutrients. Some people believe that B12 isn’t found in any fruit matter. Others believe this diet is too rich in sugar, which leads to hyperglycemia or diabetes. The diet lacks minerals, fat-soluble vitamins and protein. Some fruitarians suffer orthorexia, an eating disorder.