[kaplods]

Originally Posted by fruitlady

I was just wondering if it was harmful if did this for life, cause I surely would!

I don't think there's an easy answer for this, because it depends on factors that are difficult or impossible to communicate in a forum like this (and many you wouldn't even know unless you had a comprehensive nutritional analysis done).

Ideally I'd suggest a consult with a registered dietitian. If that's not practical, at least you could use resources like the Daily Plate or other food journal websites (or program software available as online downloads or from your local software dealer such as Best Buy, Walmart....), which provide nutritional analysis. Such tools aren't always very precise, but give you a good ballpark estimate.


In essence this is the dilemma

Is eating too much fruit harmful to your health?

The answer is essentially YES, but it logically leads to the next question.

How much fruit is too much fruit?

Tricky question, and the one that can't be as easily answered, and depends on your health goals, your personal health issues, and is dependent upon the context of the rest of your diet.


For example, if fruits are your only or primary source of carbohydrates/sugar, the answer may be different than for a person who is also including many other high carbohydrate foods in their diet. The answer may be very different for a person who eats two pieces of bread at every meal, than for a person who isn't eating grains.

It's a lot like spending money.

It's a bit like asking "If I spend too much money on shoes, will I still be able to afford to go on vacation this summer?" Obviously a lot more questions have to be answered to give decent advice.

Just as you can't put everyone in country on the same budget, you can't put everyone on the same diet. It doesn't work, because everyone doesn't have the same income, expenses, needs, and desires. A lot depends on your goals (are you happy with feeling pretty good most of the time, or are you wanting to be in peak physical conditon. Do you want to live a reasonably long, healthy life or do you want to extend your life as long as possible).
.

[MomtoThree]

Here are my thoughts but that is it just my thoughts:

I was on a very high fruit diet in 07 (aka low fat raw diet). I lost over 80lbs. Everyday I tracked my nutrients and did not find a deficency in any areas except b-12 (which was the one supplement I used). My neurologist, ob/gyn and a friend who is a deitician followed my progress. For me it was not a long term diet but then my diets was 70% fruit, 5% veggies, and 25% fat coming from avocados and nuts.

I found that while I felt good on that diet it was not for me in the long run. So now I am own a more varied whole foods diet and finding what works for me. I feel that a lot of things in life especially diets boil down to will it work for you long term. Talk to a DR, dietician or nutritionsit and get feedback but ultimately it is your choice. IF you are worred about you blood sugars you can always have a an1c drawn.

[fruitlady]

MomtoThree, Thanks, your old diet sounds like my diet. But I do eat fish 3 times a week and chicken only once in a while, no avocados though. I feel great also, and I love the foods i eat, so I can stick with this for life. I just wasn't sure if I was doing this right. lol Since I eat alot of fruit, I get alot of potassium and I not sure about how good that is either.

[MomtoThree]

Originally Posted by fruitlady

MomtoThree, Thanks, your old diet sounds like my diet. But I do eat fish 3 times a week and chicken only once in a while, no avocados though. I feel great also, and I love the foods i eat, so I can stick with this for life. I just wasn't sure if I was doing this right. lol Since I eat alot of fruit, I get alot of potassium and I not sure about how good that is either.

I am glad that my advice helped. You diet with the small amounts of meat sounds just like what several friends of mine are using for maintanance.

[bonnnie]

It also depends on the types of fruit you are eating - for example, tons of tropical fruit which are high acidity?

If so, and if you have already lost the weight and are maintaining, I'd really only be worried about your teeth. It seems to work for you, so keep it. Unlike the advice offered to brush your teeth more - I might actually brush less. Better yet, don't take my advice, instead ask a dentist. Maybe he will recommend a rinse....

What fruit comes down to is - a lot of water and fiber. Yes there is sugar, but for the most part it is water and fiber. I'm sure your bowels are working splendidly.

You have posted your question on a forum that talks constantly about the harmful effects of carbs and sugar spikes.... in general, the majority tend to do the low carb- its the fashion around here and your diet is simply not low carb, so a lot of people will advise you to lower your carbs. At the current time, I don't have any negative or positive comments on carbs- I just want to draw attention to the fact that it is "the style" around here.

In the end, your diet seems to have worked perfectly for you. We would all be interested to see your labwork!

[fruitlady]

Bonnnie, I never had lab work done because we don't have medical insurance. I guess if I feel as good as I do, then everything is fine. And yes my bowels do work splendidly. lol

[tigger175]

I bet half of my calories each day are from fruit and veggies- and mostly fruit. I eat at least 6 or 7 different types of fruits each day. Whole wheat toast for breakfast with peanut butter, sliced banana and blackberries on top (instead of jelly). A salad for lunch with fresh carrots and broccolli and a plum. An apple, pinapple, raspberries, and nuts for a snack. And probably a stirfry or bean dish for dinner. I'm a vegetarian.

Fruit is full of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. I do try to eat my fruit with something else containing protein and fat (like peanut butter or hummus), which slows digestion and prevents spikes in blood sugar/insulin.

I think it really depends on the person and their body how they respond to so much fruit. For me it works well. And it reminds of stories where people who have cancer get it to go into remission by eating a lot of raw vegetables and fruit.