All You Need To Know About Fruit Diet

For people trying to shed some pounds, a fruit diet is an excellent way to shave off the excess calories. These diets will not only help you to lose weight but will also control your cholesterol intake. Fruit diets also boost the intake of vital nutrients as fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Fruit diet mostly consists of raw fruits and people following such diets usually call themselves “Fruitarians”. (Fancy name – great motivation to start off your weight loss journey).

Some Facts About Fruit Diet

People following fruit diets tend to consume 70% to 80% of their daily calories from fruits. While a fruit diet is an excellent strategy to lose weight, it is also important to keep in mind that the body also requires other nutrients. Fats and proteins are very important for muscle growth and development and also for other metabolic activities. It is recommended to follow a fruit diet for the short term to gain maximum health benefits. These diets can help you to overcome food addictions and make you feel full while your body burns the stored fats.

Potential Benefits Of Fruit Diet

When eaten in the right amounts, fruits can be a very healthy part of a nutritious diet. The fibers present in fruits are great for lowering cholesterol levels. Some fruits like strawberries, oranges, and red peppers are fairly high in vitamin C and are great for gums and teeth. Fruits that have a high potassium component help to maintain healthy blood pressure and regulate fluid balance in the body. Fruits also contain a very important compound called folate. Folate helps the body to produce red blood cells and also supports healthy fetal development.

Potential Risks Of Fruit Diet

Although fruits are filled with certain nutrients, there are also some other vital components that are not present in fruits. These include proteins, calcium, fats, omega 3 fatty acids, and B vitamins. Strictly following a fruit diet for long time periods can result in malnourishment. Long-term malnourishment may even cause your body to go into starvation mode which is a serious health risk. Your body will try to hold on to nutritional stores and conserve energy. In doing so, the metabolism rate will dramatically decrease. In such a situation, you may experience fatigue and anemia. If this continues, it can also lead to osteoporosis which is a serious bone disease.

Start Slow

If the fruit diet appeals to you, start slowly. Rather than making drastic changes, make small and simple progress and slowly transition into a fruit diet. You can start by giving up animal products, processed foods, grains, and caffeine. You should also slowly add raw fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables to your diet. Choose sweet or starchy fruits of your own choice and closely observe the changes in your body. If you have access to organic fruits, they are the best option. Make sure to store the organic fruits properly. While following a fruit diet, it is very important to consume an appropriate amount of water.

Fruit Diet Plan

Incorporating food into your diet might be difficult in the beginning. It is not recommended to go on a fruit diet for more than 2 weeks. During these two weeks, you must choose wisely. If you want your fruit diet to work best, some variations will be effective. Here are some breakfast, lunch, and dinner options that you can go for in order to achieve optimum results.

Breakfast

For breakfast, you can have a fruit smoothie with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and spinach along with one cup of coconut milk. You can also have any dried fruit of your choice like peach or pineapple.

Lunch

At lunchtime, you can have a big bowl of fruit salad containing grapes, mangoes, berries, and bananas. You can also go for dried figs or dates.

Dinner

Make sure your dinner is fulfilling. You can have a salad containing avocado, spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber. Add a little salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil.

You can make any changes to this breakfast, lunch, and dinner plan according to your choice of fruits. The motive is to stay full and burn calories in the most efficient way possible. Some fruits are considered best for weight loss. These include

Grapefruit

Low in calories, high in vitamins A and C.

Apples

Low in calories, high in fiber, and very filling.

Berries

Low in calories, high in many important vitamins.

Kiwifruit

Highly nutritious, provide a range of health benefits.

Melons

Having a high-water content will help you lose weight and keep you hydrated.