Hello,

I'm almost 100% raw with the exception that I eat rice to get enough energy. I think that one way to replace the rice could be fruits, especially bananas which have about 20g carbohydrates per 100g (10g slow carbohydrates and 10g sugar). But I'm worried that a high fruit diet will cause nasty side-effects like premature aging, since sugar is bad for you. Can someone please tell me if it is safe to eat fruits to fullfill my needs or if I need to eat something else?

Love,
Robin

Congratulations on making it to a high raw lifestyle.

Maybe carrots, beets, onions? Nuts can also provide carbs and are low sugar.

How much carbs do you need? Are you an athlete or very active and have a carb quote you need to stay above, or is this for day to day living.

I had to laugh when I read the bit about fruit causing premature aging! Some how I don't think so, although I'd love to read any references about it.

Take care,
Ian.

I CAN give you my experience:

-I have eaten nothing but fruit for several years now. I am happier and healthier than I have ever been.

-I must say, however, that it was a transitional process for me....one that gradually evolved over several years.

-I know that myself or several of the other wonderful folks on this board would be more than happy to share their experiences with you!

-David Mason

Quote

How much carbs do you need? Are you an athlete or
very active and have a carb quote you need to stay
above, or is this for day to day living.

I had to laugh when I read the bit about fruit
causing premature aging! Some how I don't think
so, although I'd love to read any references about
it.

Carrots and beets sounds nice.

Approximately 160-200 grams a day. Yes, I'm very active. I run several times a week and lift weights.

I don't have any references to how fruit can cause premature aging. I've just read that sugar does it and I made the connection because fruit contains sugar. But it could just have concerned white sugar.

Thank you David Mason for your thoughts about this. Although your reference is your own experience, It seems logical and I trust you. To transition in your own pace is probably the way to go.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2006 07:28PM by Brand new heart.

The sugar that causes premature aging is refined sugar. This a not what is found in fruit, which is frutose combined with soluble fibers and a lot of water.

I eat mostly fruit and most people are amazed when I tell them my age.

Bananas are a wonderful source of carbohydrates. I don't eat them when they are starchy, that is the skin is pure yellow. I wait until the skins are soft, pliable, and thin, and they are covered with freckles. It is at this point the banana is ripe, and it contains no starch, only sugars.

Raw starch is really hard on the digestive system and causes people gas.

I will third that and say fruit is the best alternative to grains especially ripe bananas.

Remember fruit is natural not processed with all the fiber and other good things added.

I have been eating mostly fruit for the last 6 years and have more energy now and my endurance when running compared to 25 years ago amazed me.

When I replaced grains for fruit it made a big difference.

Love Peace and Happiness,

Cherimoya

Yeah. I tried a kilogram of watermelon today instead of grains and I feel full of energy, light and happy!

I think this could be the beginning of a very "sweet" life

some people use raw sprouted oat groats, they find them quite filling in a carb kind of a way.

I agree with all the pro-fruit posts on this thread.
Just a suggestion for transition: I found some nice recipes that try to replace cooked grains:
- raw sushi [www.fromsadtoraw.com]
-"rawvioli" [www.fromsadtoraw.com]
They are really delicious, but unfortunately they need some time to prepare.

An easier recipe is "curry rice" that I once read on Alissa's forum:
- the rice is some starchy veggie (parsnip, turnip, carrot or jicama) blended (or grated) just a bit to obtain the texture of rice. Or you can make the rice from the sushi recipe.
- the sauce is apple + banana + curry powder blended together
It is surprisingly satisfying for the little effort that it involves.

Good luck with your transition!

Hey,
I am havin the same problem too.
Try apples they have 13.81 g of Carbohydrates
Try soaked Quinoa Carbohydrates 64 g
Try Soaked Wild rice
Try Jicama google it its a root 11 grams Carbs( you can get those at mexican markets) I really recomment jicama room also called yam bean also Yam and Mexican Turnip here is a link to what it looks like
Lotus root also 13gs Of Carbs
[fruitseasons.com]
[www.defeatdiabetes.org]


FAST & FURIOUS WILD WILD RICE
serves 4 to 6

12 oz Wild Rice, dry
1 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 lemon’s juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

Start by soaking wild rice in filtered water for at least 1 full day. Rinse and change water 2-3 times per day. Finally, rinse well and place in mixing bowl.

Place remaining ingredients into bowl with soaked rice. Toss well and enjoy

Oh yeah and Wild rice has about 30-40g of Carbs i forgot to include haha Good Luck

I think if you want something for energy, you also don't want your body to have to take a long time to digest whatever you're supposed to be eating for energy. Fruit is the best for digestion, energy, and nutrients (along with greens).

I would have to think that live,living foods dont age you.Its dead processed food that does.
Wouldnt you think?

Search for Cauliflower rice on this board or google for recipes. I have never made it myself but I think the trick is to foodprocess the cauli so it gets the consistency of rice.

You could also try raw buckwheat.

Here's an article about fructose and AGE's (Advanced Glycation Endproducts) which damage cells and tissues. It doesn't mention fruit at all though, it's talking about high fructose corn syrup. There is a difference between the fructose found in HFCS vs fruit though, I think it's got to do with an L- versus R- rotation to the molecule or something. Not to mention that fruit's fiber slows its absorption and metabolism.

[food-facts.suite101.com]

rawpreston Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's an article about fructose and AGE's
> (Advanced Glycation Endproducts) which damage
> cells and tissues. It doesn't mention fruit at
> all though, it's talking about high fructose corn
> syrup. There is a difference between the fructose
> found in HFCS vs fruit though, I think it's got to
> do with an L- versus R- rotation to the molecule
> or something. Not to mention that fruit's fiber
> slows its absorption and metabolism.
>
> [food-facts.suite101.com]
> accelerating_effects_of_fructose

From the other thread

The idea that vegetarians as a group are disproporianately consuming more HFCS than omnivores doesn't wash with me. neither do these two studies by themselvesl which are by the same author, but regarding weight of evidence (which we can't discuss here because that would be "debating" ) it can't be dismissed out of hand. More research needs to be done on AGEs. In the short term, low sugar fruits such as melons, berries and citrus fruits are both higher nutrient per calorie and lower fructose,sugar,a solid bet.

Paul

[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

1: Physiol Res. 2002;51(3):313-6

Advanced glycation end products and nutrition.Krajcovicová-Kudlácková M, Sebeková K, Schinzel R, Klvanová J.
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may play an important adverse role in process of atherosclerosis, diabetes, aging and chronic renal failure. Levels of N(epsilon)-carboxymethyllysine and fluorescent AGE values were estimated in two nutritional population groups--alternative group (vegetarians--plant food, milk products, eggs) and traditional group (omnivorous subjects). Vegetarians have a significantly higher carboxymethyllysine content in plasma and fluorescent AGE values. Intake of proteins, lysine and monosaccharides as well as culinary treatment, consumption of food AGEs (mainly from technologically processed products) and the routes of Maillard reaction in organism are the substantial sources of plasma AGEs. Vegetarians consume less proteins and saccharides. Lysine intake is significantly reduced (low content in plant proteins). Subjects on alternative nutrition do not use high temperature for culinary treatment and consume low amount of technologically processed food. Fructation induced AGE fluorescence is greater as compared with that induced by glucose. It is due to higher participation of a more reactive acyclic form of fructose. Intake of vegetables and fruit with predominance of fructose is significantly higher in vegetarians. Comparison of nutrition and plasma AGEs in vegetarian and omnivorous groups shows that the higher intake of fructose in alternative nutrition of healthy subjects may cause an increase of AGE levels.

[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Eur J Nutr. 2001 Dec;40(6):275-81. Links
Plasma levels of advanced glycation end products in healthy, long-term vegetarians and subjects on a western mixed diet.Sebeková K, Krajcoviová-Kudlácková M, Schinzel R, Faist V, Klvanová J, Heidland A.
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. sebekova@upkm.sk

BACKGROUND: Evidence indicates that food-derived Maillard's reaction products are absorbed and yet can be detected in the circulation. AIM OF THE STUDY: We postulated that consumption of the heat-treated food by omnivores could be reflected by higher plasma levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in comparison with vegetarians, who in cooking (by keeping away from meat) use lower temperatures and less time for heating. METHODS: Plasma fluorescent AGEs (350/450 nm) and N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML, competitive ELISA) levels were investigated in 3 groups of healthy vegetarians (9 vegans-V, 19 lactoovo-vegetarians--VLO and 14 semi-vegetarians--VS) and compared with those of age-matched omnivores (O, n=19). Mean duration of vegetarian diet was V: 7.2 +/- 1.0,VLO: 8.2 +/- 0.8 and VS: 7.9 +/- 1.1 years. RESULTS: Both fluorescent AGE (O: 9.9 +/- 0.5; V: 10.8 +/- 0.7, LO: 13.1 +/- 0.8* and SV: 11.6 +/- 1.2 x 10(3) AU), and CML levels (O: 427.1 +/- 15.0,V: 514.8 +/- 24.6*, LO: 525.7 +/- 29.5**, SV: 492.6 +/- 18.0* ng/ml) were significantly lower in omnivores than in vegetarians. Plasma glucose, parameters of renal function (plasma concentration of creatinine and cystatin C, calculated glomerular filtration rate--GFR) as well as C-reactive protein levels were within the normal range and did not differ significantly between the groups. Thus, neither decline of kidney function nor inflammatory processes contributed to the rise in plasma AGEs. CONCLUSION: Enhanced plasma AGE levels in vegetarians in comparison to omnivores are herein presented for the first time. Mechanisms of AGE elevation and potential pathophysiological relevance of this finding are to be elucidated in prospective studies.

pborst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rawpreston Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Here's an article about fructose and AGE's
> > (Advanced Glycation Endproducts) which damage
> > cells and tissues. It doesn't mention fruit at
> > all though, it's talking about high fructose
> corn
> > syrup. There is a difference between the
> fructose
> > found in HFCS vs fruit though, I think it's got
> to
> > do with an L- versus R- rotation to the
> molecule
> > or something. Not to mention that fruit's
> fiber
> > slows its absorption and metabolism.
> >
> >
> [food-facts.suite101.com]
>
> > accelerating_effects_of_fructose
>
> From the other thread
>
> The idea that vegetarians as a group are
> disproporianately consuming more HFCS than
> omnivores doesn't wash with me. neither do these
> two studies by themselvesl which are by the same
> author, but regarding weight of evidence (which we
> can't discuss here because that would be
> "debating" ) it can't be dismissed out of hand.
> More research needs to be done on AGEs. In the
> short term, low sugar fruits such as melons,
> berries and citrus fruits are both higher nutrient
> per calorie and lower fructose,sugar,a solid bet.
>

I love berries, citrus fruits and melons. In fact they're my favourite foods, (even though my dentist keeps telling me to keep off grapefruit, I just can't do it).

I love those fruits. Your attitude and the attitude of so many others who say that we are always driven towards high sugar because we're inherently driven to it are all so wrong and frankly insulting. So can you see now pborst why you're getting hostility from people here? The fructose being bad experiments are clearly based on a different thing, you're not talking about raw foods anymore. I also regard "calorie restriction" as a perversion to natural eating that doesn't really make any sense... saying less food is better makes no more sense than saying more food is better. It just depends on where you're coming from.

Just because you may have had issues with refined sugar or eating too much (I'm sure we all have with the former anyway), don't assume others are like that. Now you made some good contributions and had a likeable attitude with some of your other posts, not these 'low fructose' and 'calorie restriction' questionable ideas and not to do with raw food support.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2009 11:21PM by SuperInfinity.

Yeah, I'm never going to endorse this starving your body crap (not saying I saw any on here, just I have read other places). I can only imagine what happens to those people's brains.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2009 11:35PM by Utopian Life.

I think it's important never to mix fats with fruit, and to keep fat intake in general below 10% of cals like Doug Graham and so many other lowfat studies suggest. Otherwise sugars stay in the bloodstream too long and do their damage.

I've been trying to adhere to 811, and when I string together a few days of a big green smoothie for breakfast, fruit meals during the day, and a huge vegetable salad at night with 1/2 avocado, I feel just amazing.

So I eat no fats at all during the day but find that a little fat at night is ok. If you must eat fruit cals anywhere close to fat, eat the fruit first at least an hour before the fat, it will metabolize rather quickly if you haven't had fat during the day, and then your body has all night to work out the dinner time fats.

Sorry this thread got a little derailed, but it's an important topic, this fruit+aging thing.

SuperInfinity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I love berries, citrus fruits and melons. In fact
> they're my favourite foods, (even though my
> dentist keeps telling me to keep off grapefruit, I
> just can't do it).
>
> I love those fruits. Your attitude and the
> attitude of so many others who say that we are
> always driven towards high sugar because we're
> inherently driven to it are all so wrong and
> frankly insulting.

hmm, I said that?? when.

>So can you see now pborst why
> you're getting hostility from people here? The
> fructose being bad experiments are clearly based
> on a different thing, you're not talking about raw
> foods anymore. ...

Actually most of reaction from people here has been pretty favorable. Bryan has asked me not to debate. And I do believe I have and will continue to respect his request. Best to you.

I thought your post on AGEs was spot on and I thank you for providing it.

Paul

We may be overcomplicating things here. I believe the (sad) truth is that all we (and science) really know is:

Refined substances are not healthy foods.

Raw, whole foods promote health.

The bulk of the "unfoods" currently being consumed is made of refined flour, refined sugar, and high fructose corn syrup. Therefore it is a correct statement that most of the nutritional damage to the average American's body comes from carbohydrates, particularly sugar. That's all we really (sort of) know. What we certainly can't infer is that all carbohydrates or all sugars are bad for our health.

If we kept stabbing each other with iron knives, for example, one could say that iron causes a lot of damage to our health. Does that mean we shouldn't eat fruit containing iron?

There's definitely people here who eat refined foods - powders, supplements, grains, legumes, dried fruit, etc. Hopefully the bulk of their diet is whole foods, at least.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2009 02:32AM by Utopian Life.