Manchester Online, 8/98: Just Nuts for Fruit

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Just Nuts For Fruit

BY ROBERT MEAKIN

 

Just Nuts For Fruit

BY ROBERT MEAKIN

Phil won't eat anything else

 

SUPERFIT canoeist Philip Madeley goes bananas for a bowl of fruit.

 

The 22-Year -old Manchester Metropolitan University student has no

need for a cooker at home - because he lives entirely on a raw food

diet.

 

Philip of St Ann's Road Prestwich, is one of Britain's 350

registered who only eat raw fruit, berries and nuts.

 

Strict fruitarians will not eat anything that involves the death of

a plan, but Philip admits he does eat some raw vegetables.

 

" In the past I would have had cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for

lunch, meat and two veg for tea, " he said " Now I eat 75% fruit -

apples, orange, avocado's - and the rest is nuts seeds and raw

vegetables like carrots and spinach. "

 

Other sportsmen may think he is bananas, but Philip says he feels

like a new man since he stopped eating cooked vegetables 11 months

ago.

 

" I feel great. Before becoming a fruitarian I used to feel tired and

get headaches - but now that's all gone " he said. " I have no

problems at all. I don't miss any foods, my family are very

supportive and my sister looks on me as a role model. "

 

Karen Knowler , of the Fresh Network, believes more and more people

will eventually change to a raw diet.

 

But Barbara Dennison, a nutritionist at Manchester Metropolitan

University is skeptical about the benefits of an all fruit diet.

 

She said: " There is evidence that if you eat a diet high in fruit

and fibre, it is protective against cancer. But that is not an

exclusive fruitarian diet. The ideal thing is a balance of meat and

vegetables. "