At Verywell, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a healthy lifestyle. Successful eating plans need to be individualized and take the whole person into consideration. Prior to starting a new diet plan, consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian, especially if you have an underlying health condition.
Is the Fruitarian Diet Right for You?
The fruitarian diet is a subset of the vegan diet where participants eat mostly (or all) fruit. On a fruitarian diet, 50% to 75% of foods consumed are raw fruits, making this one of the most restrictive eating patterns where the risk of malnourishment is high despite the nutritional quality of most fruits.
The rationale for adopting a fruitarian diet differs among followers, but primary motivators are thought to be health and/or religious, moral, or ethical reasons. Since the fruitarian diet restricts other healthy food groups and can lead to nutrient deficiencies, health and nutrition experts do not recommend it.
What Experts Say
“Fruit is nature’s candy—a wholesome treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. But even Mother Nature would advise against such a large proportion of fruit in the diet. Experts agree that depriving yourself of fat and protein from other food groups can lead to nutrient imbalances.”
—Chrissy Carroll, RD, MPH
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What Can You Eat on the Fruitarian Diet?
To be a fruitarian, at least half of your calories must come from raw fruit, such as bananas, papayas, grapes, apples, and berries. Usually, the other 25% to 50% of calories come from nuts, seeds, vegetables, and whole grains. Strict fruitarians, however, may eat up to 90% fruit and just 10% nuts and seeds.
The fruitarian diet typically revolves around these seven fruit groups:
- Acid fruits: Citrus, cranberries, pineapples
- Subacid fruits: Sweet cherries, raspberries, figs
- Sweet fruits: Bananas, grapes, melons
- Oily fruits: Avocados, coconuts, olives
- Vegetable fruits: Peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash
- Nuts: Hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, walnuts
- Seeds: Sunflower, pumpkin, squash
What You Need to Know
Similar to the proponents of the paleo diet, many followers of the fruitarian diet tout the eating plan as the original diet of humankind. Some fruitarians are motivated by a desire to not kill any living organism, even plants—which is why they eat only the fruit of a plant.
There isn’t any specific meal timing on a fruitarian diet. The plan actually encourages you to eat intuitively—or only eat when you’re hungry. There aren’t any hard-and-fast rules about how much to eat on the fruitarian diet. A benefit of intuitive eating is that you're free to follow your hunger cues.
There are countless ways to modify the fruitarian diet, which may make the diet healthier. For instance, you could eat a fruit-based diet and still include other essential food groups such as whole grains and protein. A modified fruitarian diet might look like this:
- 50% fruit
- 20% plant-based protein (e.g., tempeh, soy, seitan)
- 20% vegetables
- 10% whole grains (e.g., oats, wheat, bulgur, quinoa, etc.)
Adding other foods to the fruitarian diet ensures a better nutritional composition and decreases the risk of nutrient deficiencies and health complications.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much reliable information on this niche, restrictive diet. Most studies on fruit focus on antioxidant properties and other unique health benefits rather than on the long-term effects of a fruit-based diet.
Health claims in support of a fruitarian diet come from anecdotal sources or people who follow the diet. Be wary of anecdotal evidence—a diet that works well for one person may not be right for you.
What Is the Baby Food Diet?
What to Eat
Fruits
Nuts and seeds
Some vegetables
What Not to Eat
Animal protein
Dairy products
Grains
Beans and legumes
Starches
Anything processed
What to Eat on the Fruitarian Diet
Fruit
A fruitarian diet encourages a variety of fruits, including exotic ones like rambutan, mangosteen, passionfruit, jackfruit, durian, longan, and snake fruit. Of course, more common fruits such as bananas, pears, apples, oranges, and berries are also encouraged. Fruit also includes foods we don’t usually think of as fruits: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocados, squashes, and olives. Botanically, these are all fruits.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are technically a part of the fruits of plants, so fruitarians fill the rest of their diets with foods like pepitas, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds. These can help provide protein and fat.
Some Vegetables
It isn’t recommended that anyone follow a 100% fruit diet. Many fruitarians consume some vegetables, mostly leafy greens.
Beverages
Fruitarians can drink coconut water, fresh fruit juices, and water. Coffee is permitted based on an individual's preference.
What Not to Eat on the Fruitarian Diet
Animal Protein
A fruitarian does not consume any animal protein. Eggs, poultry, pork, and beef aren’t options for fruitarians.
Dairy Products
Just like animal protein, dairy products aren't permitted for the fruitarian diet. Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other animal dairy products are not allowed. Some fruitarians drink almond, cashew, or coconut milk in place of cow's or goat's milk.
Grains
Grains and grain products are not permitted on the fruitarian diet, including sprouted grain products.
Starches
You might think potatoes are allowed on the fruitarian diet, but that isn’t the case. Fruitarians don’t eat any kind of tuber or potato.
Beans and Legumes
A true fruitarian does not eat beans or legumes, including chickpeas, lentils, peas, soybeans, and peanuts.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are not permitted on the fruitarian diet. This means shopping at your local farmer's markets or only around the perimeter of your grocery store.
Just like other diets—such as paleo, Mediterranean, and flexitarian—there is room for modification on the fruitarian diet. If you decide to follow a mostly fruit-based diet, you can fill in the nutrition gaps with other healthy food groups.
Pros and Cons of the Fruitarian Diet
Pros
Promotes whole, nutritious foods
Helps with hydration
Good for satiety
Cons
Risk of nutrient deficiencies
Risk of health complications
Restrictive
May promote tooth decay
While the fruitarian diet does offer some nutritional benefits, there are serious drawbacks as well.
Because fruits are typically low-fat and full of water, you can eat a lot of fruit for relatively few calories. On a fruit-based diet, you would need to eat large volumes of food to meet your calorie requirements, effectively promoting fullness.
Even though fruits contain many nutrients, they don’t contain all the nutrients you need for a healthy, balanced diet. The fruitarian diet is extremely restrictive. Eating only or mostly fruit may also become boring and lead to cravings for other foods.
While fruit is a healthy choice for a balanced diet, eating only fruit increases your intake of sugar. The high sugar content found in fruit puts you at risk for tooth decay. Some acidic fruits, such as oranges and pineapple, can erode tooth enamel if eaten too often.
Is the Fruitarian Diet a Healthy Choice for You?
The fruitarian diet is unique compared with most other diets. While some eating plans may include pre-packaged foods or focus on specific food groups, the fruitarian diet emphasizes just one food group.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and protein each day for a healthy, balanced diet. The key recommendations in the federal guidelines include:
- A variety of vegetables including dark, leafy greens, red and orange varieties, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and others
- Fruits, especially whole fruits
- Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
- Dairy products including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
- A variety of protein sources, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products
- Healthy oils
- Limited saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium
The fruitarian diet does not meet most of these dietary recommendations. While filling half your plate with fruits and veggies, and limiting saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium is considered healthy, the fruitarian diet lacks vegetables, grains, dairy, protein, and oils.
Whether your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight, you should understand how many calories to consume daily. Most people need around 1,500 calories a day for weight loss, 2,000 calories per day for weight management, and an additional 500 calories a day for weight gain. Of course, this number varies based on age, gender, body type, level of physical activity, and other factors.
The fruitarian diet doesn’t make any recommendations about caloric intake and eliminates important healthy food groups. Eating only fruit does not adhere to USDA guidelines for a balanced diet and is not a healthy eating plan.
Health Benefits
Fruits are well-known for their healthful properties, including high antioxidant content and an elevated concentration of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, phytonutrients, and fiber. The high fiber in fruit also promotes satiety, which could lead to weight loss. Eating fruit can also aid in hydration.
Health Risks
Despite the nutritious qualities of whole fruits, eating them at the expense of other food groups can be dangerous.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Our bodies need protein and fat, two main macronutrients you may not consume enough of on a fruitarian diet. Additionally, cutting out grains puts you at risk for vitamin B deficiencies, restricting dairy and vegetables can put you at risk for a calcium deficiency, and leaving out animal products can lead to vitamin B-12 deficiency. Deficiencies in micronutrients can lead to complications such as anemia, fatigue, immune disorders, and osteoporosis.
Risk of Health Complications
The risk for health complications is high with the fruitarian diet, especially for people with diabetes or prediabetes. Eating large quantities of fruit can raise blood sugar levels and affect insulin sensitivity.
A fruit-based diet can also be dangerous for people with pancreatic and kidney disorders. In some cases, strict fruitarians may even accidentally starve themselves into severe ketoacidosis.
The fruitarian diet puts you at risk for bingeing and disordered eating—and any weight lost will likely return once you resume normal eating habits. The diet could lead to nutrient deficiencies and health complications, especially for those with kidney or pancreas disorders.
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A Word From Verywell
While the fruitarian diet does provide nutrients from fruits, you likely won't get all the nutrition your body needs. A fruitarian diet lacks protein and healthy fats, along with vegetables, which are critical to maintaining overall health and optimal bodily function.
Following a fruit-based diet can also lead to serious cravings for other foods, which may cause bingeing or other forms of disordered eating. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting a fruitarian diet. A health professional can help you design an eating plan that will work best for you.
Remember, following a long- or short-term diet may not be necessary for you, and many diets out there simply don’t work, especially long-term. While we do not endorse fad diet trends or unsustainable weight-loss methods, we present the facts so you can make an informed decision that works best for your nutritional needs, genetic blueprint, budget, and goals.
If your goal is weight loss, remember that losing weight isn’t necessarily the same as being your healthiest self, and there are many other ways to pursue health. Exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors play a major role in your overall health. The best diet is always the one that is balanced and fits your lifestyle.
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