Going bananas for mono-fruiting: does eating one fruit for long periods of time really help our health?

Wednesday, March 05, 2014 by: Raw Michelle
Tags: mono-fruiting, weight loss, extreme dieting

(NaturalNews) Mono-fruiting, or eating one type of fruit without introducing any other fruits or foods in the mix for long periods of time, is a common dietary lifestyle for many people. Just go online and it's clear that a lot of people are living life in mono-fruit land, preparing mono meals, taking trips to "Banana Island" (metaphorically speaking) and buying their fruit of choice in bulk.

Yes, mono-fruiting really works

A woman named Yulia Tarbath swears by the lifestyle, as does her husband. She prefers bananas in particular since they're easily available, healthy and affordable. For upwards of 12 days, she's been known to eat nothing but bananas and plenty of water, saying that she might occasionally add a green vegetable like celery. She says that in addition to experiencing zero side effects, her ability to focus and be more creative soared. Bonus: her skin became smoother in the process.

Then there's the popular Freelee the Banana Girl, who shares videos and blogs about her experiences in the mono-fruit world. She's perhaps best known for her "30 bananas a day" diet. Once struggling with eating disorders and taking an overall downward spiral in life, she eventually got on board with a raw vegan lifestyle to which mono-fruiting is no stranger. She's now mentally and physically healthy.

The successes of mono-fruiters, whether they're at it for the long haul or did it only for a brief period of time to overcome a condition, are plentiful. The stories can go on, including one man who cured his acne with an apple-only diet.

No, mono-fruiting really isn't the best idea

However, there are those who feel mono-fruiting is not good for us, sticking by the "everything in moderation" thought.

Among them is registered dietician Kristen White, who urges people to understand that consuming just one fruit for a long time can deplete our bodies of the entire range of nutrients it needs in order to function optimally. "As carbohydrate-rich foods," says White, "fruits lack the essential fatty acids and amino acids that other food groups, such as meats, nuts and legumes, provide."

Eating large amounts of fruit can also upset our digestive system and lead to unpleasant situations like gas, cramps and loose stools.

When it comes to weight loss, diet and fitness expert Dr. Melina Jampolis warns about viewing fruit as a "free food." She says that "fruit has almost three times the calories per serving as nonstarchy vegetables," which can easily pack on the pounds rather than shed them.

Clearly, every person opts to eat for a variety of reasons. In every instance, though, remember that it's best to choose organic.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://thebananagirl.com/about.php

https://www.naturalnews.com/043224_acne_apple_fast_skin_health.html

http://www.cnn.com

About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. >>> Click here to see more by Michelle