Dialogues and Answers

All about fruitarianism with a long-term fruitarian, Lena

Fruitarian dialogues, answers to questions related to fruitarianism.

"Lean meat" is a misleading term. I noticed many times in conversations that people who think that they eat "proteins" tend to think about this food group as an almost pure protein, a perfect set of essential amino acids. Especially if they consume so called "lean meats."

In beef (presented as "90% lean meat") - half of the calories are from fat (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/6193/2). Even in the leanest bird meat approximately the fifth of the energy is from fat, ~18% in the leanest I could find (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/704/2).

Digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of protein in beef is only 0.92, chicken - 0.91(?), and egg whites and soy - 1 or 100% (not that it matters much). Note, that 62% of calories in a whole egg are from fat, and 40% in soybeans.

: © Lena Nechet; Parent Category: Responses; Category: Dialogues and Answers; Published: 11 October 2016; Created: 11 October 2016; Last Updated: 14 July 2017

Maya, a journalist from Guardian, has asked me today about my opinion on distribution of fallen tomatoes:

Hi Lena

Thanks for getting back to me. I heard today that Waitrose are going to start selling tomatoes that have fallen off the vine ie ones that would have normally been wasted and rejected by supermarkets. Wondered what the fruitarian take would be? Is this a breakthrough in terms of fruit that has naturally fallen being sold nationwide.

Any thoughts?

Maya

____

Maya Wolfe-Robinson

The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU

My response was:

Read my response letter

: © Lena Nechet; Parent Category: Responses; Category: Dialogues and Answers; Published: 10 October 2016; Created: 14 May 2014; Last Updated: 14 July 2017

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Leonardo da Vinci

I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.

Environmental Impact of Animal Food in Diet

Based on a review of the most recent available scientific evidence, the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (USDA DG) provide information and advice for choosing a healthy diet. To compare the environmental impacts of, respectively, omnivorous (OMN), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV) and vegan (VEG) dietary patterns as suggested in the USDA DG, we analyzed the three patterns by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology.

The presence of animal food in the diet was the main determinant of environmental impact. The major impact always stemmed from land and water use. The second largest impact came from energy use. Emission of toxic inorganic compounds into the atmosphere was the third cause of impact. Climate change and acidification/eutrophication represented other substantial impacts.

Choline Recommended Intake from Seeds and Fruits

Choline is an essential vitamin-like (vitamin B4) nutrient, synthesized in human body, but not sufficiently.

The recommended adequate intake (AI) of choline is set at 425 milligrams (mg)/day for women and 550 mg/day for men.

Choline deficiency causes muscle damage and abnormal deposition of fat in the liver, which results in a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Genetic predispositions and gender can influence individual variation in choline requirements.

Example Plant Fruitarian Sources of Choline

Seeds (including legumes and nuts), high in choline, milligrams per 100 g portion:

Soybeans - 124 mg
Lima beans - 97 mg
Lentils - 96 mg
Peas (mature) - 96 mg
Flaxseeds - 79 mg
Pistachio nuts - 71 mg
Quinoa - 70 mg
Pumpkin and squash seed kernels (pepitas) - 63 mg
Cashew nuts - 61 mg
Pine nuts - 56 mg
Sunflower seed kernels - 55 mg
Buckwheat - 54 mg
Almonds - 52 mg