Fruitarian Macros
Macronutrients is defined as the nutritional elements that we need in larger quantities. Macronutrients “macros” are fat, protein and carbohydrates. But do we really need these three in large amounts?
Propaganda Versus Reality
Let’s explore these three macros to see how much we really need of each and how the fruitarian lifestyle fulfills our requirements.
Fruitarian Protein
It is fitting to start with protein, because that is almost always the first question I get when I talk about fruitarianism. BUT WHAT ABOUT PROTEIN?? The answer to this has many parts. Firstly, fruit has all the essential amino acids that we need. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Essential amino acids are the ones that our body cannot make and thus needs to ingest. The amino acids in fruit are very easy for our body to absorb, however the dense protein structures in animal meat, eggs and dairy are very difficult for our body to break down into amino acids that our body can use. Our bodies will exhaust their hydrochloric acid supply in order to try to break it down. Our bodies don’t use proteins, our bodies use amino acids to make its own proteins.
Apart from slowing down our digestive system and creating stagnation and purification in the gut, the exorbitant amount of proteins in animal flesh as it rots in our intestines creates even more acids as the amino acids methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, and taurine, which contain sulfur, start to release that sulfur into our bodies. On top of that, as bacteria begin feasting on this animal protein, the toxin ammonia is produced as a waste product, and burdens our system further.
Dr. Brooke Goldner helps to set the record straight, as she addresses protein levels on a raw vegan diet with these two short videos: How Much Protein Do We Need? & Protein Doesn’t Matter As well, be aware that most vegan sources of protein will either come in a high fat or high starch food, such as nuts, seeds and soy as high fat, and beans and legumes as high starch. Animal proteins mostly come as high fat (and not the good kind) food, such as animal flesh, eggs and milk. Both high fats and high starches are problematic, as discussed below.
If you are still worried about getting enough protein, play around with the Cronometer app by entering in different fruit to see what amino acids they provide. Additionally, you can incorporate more leafy herbs like cilantro and parsley, as greens have a lot of protein. There is also Barley Grass Juice Powder that has a whopping 3 grams of protein in 1 teaspoon. Whatever you do, stay away from protein powders, as those will clog things up very fast. It is not a lack of protein that prevents people from gaining muscle. It’s a lack of working out and weight training. On that note, be sure not to eat too soon after a workout. The stomach is a muscle too and requires adequate blood supply to function properly. Post workout, your blood is busy feeding the other muscles that you just exercised.
Fruitarian Fat
As with protein, every fruit has fats in it. And good fats at that! I will start by mentioning a book that most raw vegans have come across. It is called The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham. This is a raw vegan diet with 80% of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 10% from proteins and 10% from fats. Following this diet has guided countless people back health.
In light of the success of the 80/10/10 diet, it is clear that we don’t need much fat. But do we need ANY overt fats (foods very high in fats)? Many fruitarians thrive without consuming any overt fats, while others like to include avocados, durian and coconut. It is best to listen to your body and see how you feel when you do or do not eat these fatty fruits. Note that it is best to eat fatty fruits away from sweet fruits for better digestion.
Either way, fatty fruits are best kept in moderation. When it comes to essential fatty acids, our bodies behave in a particular way. We utilize omega 6 fatty acids first and then convert alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to omega 3 fatty acid for use. Omega 6 can have inflammatory effects, while omega 3 has anti-inflammatory effects. That is partly why it is important to keep fats low, so that our bodies can effectively convert ALA to omega 3 and maintain a good omega 6 to 3 ratio. An avocado, for example, is higher in omega 6 than omega 3, so if you have too many, your body may not get around to using the omega 3. It is worth noting that ALA in itself (before it is converted) has a range of benefits too. Many people are told that eating fish is best for getting our omega 3s. Why fish is not ideal is that cooking denatures and oxidizes the delicate omega 3 fatty acids. If raw fish is your thing, then parasites are also probably your thing. Furthermore, whether cooked or raw or even in a quality controlled supplement, one is going to get heavy metals with their fish.
Another reason to keep our fats low is to decrease our chance of getting type 2 diabetes. Many people think that sugar is what causes diabetes, when in fact it is the fatty foods that clog up cells and prevent vital sugars from entering and providing energy. This leaves the sugars to remain in the blood and the body longer than they should. The book Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes Without Drugs explains this diet-diabetes connection.
Whether you keep fats low for diabetic reasons or for inflammation reasons, it is necessary to manage your fats when on any healthy lifestyle journey. The Medical Medium, Anthony William, further points out that fats prevent the body from detoxifying properly, place a burden on the liver, thicken the blood, stifle blood oxygen and cause acidity in the body. You might be thinking, “BUT OUR BRAINS NEED LOTS OF FAT!”. Check out this facts sheet on that topic.
Fruitarian Carbohydrates
With the other two macros we were talking about the fear of not getting enough. When it comes to carbohydrates however, there is a lot of fear around consuming too much. But, quite simply, sugars give us energy. Sugar is the preferred fuel source for our cells, our brains, and our bodies.
Sugars are carbohydrates. So are starches (AKA complex carbs – AKA poly or disaccharides). So is fiber. According to the American Diabetes Association, foods high in starch include: starchy vegetables like peas, corn, lima beans and potatoes; dried beans, lentils and peas such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas and split peas; and grains like oats, barley, wheat and rice. Fiber comes from fruits and vegetables, and is not absorbed by us. It helps move food along the digestive tract while it feeds our good gut bacteria and sweeps out the bad stuff. Fiber also helps us feel full and satiated after we eat. Fruit has lots of fiber.
Starches can be problematic though, as yeasts, molds and fungi in our bodies feed off of these slow to break down – easy to ferment carbohydrates. Additionally, humans do not secrete enough salivary amylase (ptyalin) to fully break down starchy foods into sugars that we can use. So it is a good thing that there isn’t much complex carbs on a fruitarian diet – save for some unripe bananas. When jumping into a fruitarian diet, these yeasts, molds and fungi can create intense starch cravings as they start to become desperate for food. Knowing where this craving comes from can help you push through it and find ease once these pathogens have died back.
That all sounds great, BUT SUGAR IS BAD FOR YOU!!
Incorrect. Complex sugars that are taxing on our adrenal glands as they release lots of cortisol to help us break down these complex sugars are bad for you. Simple sugars (AKA monosaccharides – a single sugar molecule) – glucose and fructose, on the other hand, are fantastic. Luckily fruit are loaded with simple sugars! Our bodies take in these simple sugars and our cells (fructose doesn’t even require insulin to get into cells) combine them with oxygen to make cellular energy known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate), without which our cells become weak. Glucose and fructose both are made up of 6 carbon, 12 hydrogen and 6 oxygen. Hence the name “carbohydrates” – they are hydrates of carbon. Eating fruit… just another day as a carbon-based lifeform.
With that said, refined sugars ARE bad for us. They are often added to processed foods and baked goods. They are devoid of nutrients, spike our blood sugar faster, and often contain other chemicals with them. Avoid food products with ingredients containing table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, beet sugar, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, powdered sugar, raw sugar, turbinado, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, sugar cane syrup, sucrose, lactose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, levulose, maltose. Instead, sweetening food with honey, maple syrup, date syrup, coconut nectar or dates is preferable.
So don’t worry about indulging in fruit! Fruit are delicious and life-giving. They are full of energy and energy boosting sugars. They slowly release their sugars that are bound to fibers and nutrients we also need. Don’t even think about counting carbs or trying to get in enough calories. Your body will tell you when it is hungry for more. It will balance itself. And soon you will feel that it is more so hydration and less so nutrition that your body is craving when it gives you hunger signals. So follow the fruit to fulfillment. Juicy fruits are wonderful as is, but you can add herbal leafy greens and some fatty fruit to your diet too if you feel the need. EITHER WAY, LET THE SWEET JUICY MORSELS FILL YOUR TANK EVERY DAY!
Fruit is Power!
