High in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, vegetables and fruit might reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer, weight problems and Type 2 diabetes. Some detox diets promote eating only vegetables and fruit for an amount of time to clean the system of toxic substances and enhance food digestion.
5-Day Fruit and Vegetable Diet
Although there is no proof to support that these diets work, there’s no harm in eating just vegetables and fruits for 5 days. Simply make sure to resume your regular diet including all the food groups at the end of the 5 days. Talk to your doctor if you have any health conditions that might make it unsafe for you to follow a vegetables and fruit diet.
Prepare for Your Diet
Instead of suddenly altering your diet for 5 days, you can make sure changes in the period preceeding your diet that will make it much easier and gentler on your body. Limit your consumption of numerous types of foods and drinks for a minimum of a few days and as much as a week in advance. These include: caffeine, salt, sugar, other types of sweeteners and all animal foods, such as meat, eggs, fish, dairy, shellfish and poultry.
KEEP IN MIND that because these foods are more stressful for your digestive system to process, cutting them from your diet unexpectedly can create uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Foods to Focus On
You can select any fruit or vegetable to include in your 5-day diet. Range is very important, as is not eating too many starchy fruits and vegetables like potatoes, corn and bananas. These can surge your blood sugar and possibly leave you feeling drained of energy. Fruit and veggie diet: all types of greens ready options, in addition to avocados, tomatoes, beets, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, all types of squash, asparagus, cabbage, mangoes, melons, grapes, onions, bell peppers, citrus fruits and berries.
Raw or Cooked?
A lot of cleanse diets suggest that eating vegetables and fruits raw is better for your health. However this isn’t scientifically shown. In fact, there is some advantage to cooking your produce– at least a few of your veggies. While high-heat approaches like frying can destroy some nutrients and increase your fat consumption, particular nutrients in fact end up being more bioavailable when prepared, such as the antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes.
If you prepare to cook your veggies during your 5-day diet, pick a cooking method least most likely to diminish nutrients. Of all the techniques evaluated in a research study released in 2009, steaming broccoli maintained one of the most vitamin C, chlorophyll and antioxidants called glucosinolates.
Test Meals
Whip up a shake for breakfast with berries, mango, banana and leafy greens, and add some avocado for healthy fats and a creamy texture. Keep in mind that the fatty acids in avocado can help you stay full until your next meal. For lunch, delight in a large salad with all your preferred veggies, and even some fruits for sweet taste. Use lemon juice and dash of additional virgin olive oil for a salad dressing, if wanted.
For supper, you can have any variety of raw or steamed veggies and fruits that you like, but have at least equal quantities of fruits and veggies. For snacks, Kim recommends raw veggies dipped in tomato sauce . Drink on sparkling or plain water and unsweetened green or herbal tea.
What Will Happen if I Only Eat Fruits and Vegetables for 2 Weeks?
Vegetables and fruits are generally low in calories and filled with important nutrients, making them a vital part of any healthy diet. Getting more of these nutritious foods might help reduce your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive problems, vision problems and cancer. They do not provide all the important nutrients, nevertheless, so it isn’t really a smart idea to eat just vegetables and fruits for any substantial amount of time.
Contact your doctor before attempting such a diet to make sure it would be safe for you. Although a two-week all fruit and vegetable diet may not lead to long-term repercussions, the longer you follow this type of diet, the most likely you’ll be to experience nutrient deficiencies.
Calorie Considerations for a Two-Week Fruit and Veggie Diet
A diet consisting of just fruits and vegetables is probably going to be low in calories in general. Diets that are too low in calories, consisting of those under 1,200 calories each day for women and those under 1,800 calories each day for men, can slow your metabolism and if followed long-term, can increase your risk for heart problems, osteoporosis and other health conditions. If you’re interested in trying this type of diet to lose weight, bear in mind that a slower metabolic process also makes weight loss harder. Not getting adequate calories can also cause headaches, dizziness, tiredness, psychological concerns and fainting.
Increased Fiber From Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are among the best sources of fiber, so if you only eat these foods, you’re probably going to be considerably increasing your dietary fiber. If you make an unexpected switch from your routine diet to one including simply vegetables and fruits, the abrupt increase in fiber will be difficult for your body to handle and may leave you experiencing diarrhea and gas.
It’s better to slowly increase your fiber intake. Make sure to drink a lot of water on this type of diet, as this will help lessen the gas and constipation caused by the greater amounts of fiber it includes. Really high amounts of fiber can also hinder the absorption of some nutrients and connect with particular medications, so contact your doctor before unexpectedly adding a lot more fiber to your diet.
Potential Long-Term Consequences
Do not follow a fruit-and-vegetable-only diet for a long period of time. While a two-week diet of this type isn’t really most likely to cause serious deficiency symptoms, fruits and vegetables do not include considerable amounts of protein, important omega-3 and omega-6 fats, vitamin D, B-vitamins, zinc, iron, calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus or selenium. You have to get enough of the necessary fats to keep proper brain, eye and skin health and keep your hormones at the appropriate levels.
Not getting sufficient protein, even for a brief time, can have serious effects. A protein shortage might cause muscle loss, make it harder for wounds to recover and make you most likely to obtain ill. It may likewise activate psychological confusion, digestive concerns and skin and hair problems. Other nutrient shortages from an all-vegetable diet can impact you skin, hair, bones, hormone levels and blood.
A Well-Balanced Diet
A diet of vegetables and fruits alone is too restrictive to provide all the nutrients you need, however if you’re wishing to avoid animal proteins, it’s possible to get these nutrients from a well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet. Depending on the specific content of your diet, you may need vitamin B12 supplements and possibly vitamin D supplements also, depending on where you live and how much time you spend in the sun. Eating eggs and dairy products, as some vegetarians do, would add complete protein and seafood would offer protein in addition to omega-3 fats.
No matter what diet you follow, vegetables and fruits are an essential source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and plant phytochemicals. The USDA recommends adults consume 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit each day and 2 to 3 cups of veggies every day for good health.
