> Tom:
> >>Fruitarianism is a failure because it is far beyond the range of
> >>diets that we are adapted to by evolution (and the claims of certain
> >>fruitarian advocates that we evolved as fruitarians, are nothing more
> >>than bogus crank science).

Alan:
>On which basis do you hold this view? There are quite a number of
>pure fruitarians in Germany (often the "patients" of Helmut
>Wandmaker in our group, for one) who not only live but also thrive on this
>diet.

Tom:
I have discussed the long-term failure of fruitarianism, and how many
"success stories" turn out to be fake, here - both recently and in
the past. Spend some time in the archives:

http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/raw-food.html

I am aware that some fruitarian "experts" claim a scientific basis for
the diet. However, such claims inevitably fall apart under close scrutiny.
Indeed, some of those promoting fruitarian crank science, do so in a
vicious, hateful and dishonest manner (in my opinion). A number of
fruitarian cranks have been expelled from this list (and others)
for their inability to behave like human beings. I wonder if such
aberrant behavior is caused by their diet?  :-)

By the way, I don't know the folks you mention. I need a great deal of
info and time to evaluate such claims. To date, no claim has proved
genuine. My experience is that if you look at a "role model" long enough,
you will find a cheater, a binge eater, a crank, a fake,  someone with
a serious eating disorder (or other mental health problems), etc.

Alan:
Readers letters in our journal undermine this.

Tom:
Fruitarianism can work in the short run; the long-run is the problem. Due
to the extensive eating disorder behavior found in fruitarianism, and the
reality that many fruitarian "diet gurus" are known fakes, cranks, or of
dubious mental health, one must be cautious in assessing claims of success.
By the way, EVERY diet, EVERY supplement seller has reams of testimonials.
If you want me to blindly accept fruitarian testimonials, you will have to
accept the testimonials of ketgogenic diet, Aajonus, the Zone, Protein Power,
macrobiotics, ad nauseum...

Alan:
>Leaving aside
>vitamin B12 (a deficiency of which none of the fruitarians reports
>having) what do you feel is missing or low in this diet from the
>point of view of nutrients?

Tom:
Calcium, zinc may be deficient. Protein may be deficient on ~100%
fruit diets. (In my opinion, the anti-protein fanatics who claim protein
is harmful, are probably getting their protein via binge-eating.)
Calories may be inadequate (look at the emaciated fruitarians).
Some fruitarians may have PEM: protein-energy malnutrition. However,
due to the mental "buzz" of fruitarianism (zinc deficiency),
they don't mind until things get very serious...

Fruitarian diets may also have excessive levels of sugar, for a
person's genetic level of insulin resistance. This may explain
the diabetes-like symptoms displayed by many fruitarians: urinating
every 5-10 minutes, pains in joints, intermittent blurred vision,
fatigue, etc.

Alan:
>I am not a pure fruitarian

Tom:
It doesn't matter to me if you are or are not a fruitarian. Unlike
a certain fruitarian extremist group (who are so hateful they are considered
a hate group, in the opinion of many), I don't believe that we should hate
people who have different diets.

Tom Billings