Youtube, diet Guru, Freelee the Banana girl has come out in a new youtube video to reveal how she manages to keep her lithe, slinky figure. It’s all bananas of course. Literally speaking.
In her ongoing youtube series, Australia’s Freelee the Banana girl explains how she advocates an extreme low processed, low-fat, high-carb raw vegan diet, one which recently came under fire when fellow Aussie, Loni Jane Anthony announced she had kept up the diet throughout her pregnancy, insisting that both her and her baby suffered no ill-effects.
Freelee the Banana girl swears by mono meals. Eats potatoes in one go.
The 80:10:10 diet. Loni Jane Anthony branded irresponsible for eating 20 bananas a day.
Eating between 2000 and 5000 calories a day, Freelee remains ‘raw until four,’ meaning she eats no cooked or heated food whatsoever until 4pm, usually eating meals consisting of a huge amount of a single fruit, such as two entire pineapples, five mangoes, two litres of orange juice, 1.4kg of apricots, or 20 bananas.
It’s after 4pm Freelee will often eat a cooked meal, again, usually a single ingredient (what she terms ‘mono meals’) in large qualities such as 3.5kgs of potato baked in the oven, or another meal of fruit.
Having suffered from both anorexia and bulimia in the past, Freelee claims that adopting her low fat, high carbohydrate, raw, vegan diet saw her shed 40lb or 2st 12lb as well as clearing up her acne, chronic fatigue syndrome, low thyroid function and terrible digestion.
Whilst some have cast aspersion as to her dieting methods, Freele the banana girl these days can boast a staggering 166 thousand subscribers on her YouTube channel where she preaches the benefits of her lifestyle.
Then again one wonders when they take a good long look at Freelee’s long limber limbs if most of her fans are males taking in the good views.
Yet it doesn’t stop there. Tapping into her youtube success the diet guru has now authored an Ebook on (of course) how to follow her diet.
Despite her wide social media following, nutritionists and dietitians have pointed out the dangers of cutting entire food groups out of one’s diet, and one aspect of Freelee’s lifestyle in particular- her excessive consumption of bananas, raises real concern.
Eating 30 bananas a day on a regular basis, Freelee has posted a video to prove to those who doubted her that she can eat up to 50 bananas in a single day, insisting that one doesn’t have to rein in the calories to be lean and mean.
Tells Freelee: ‘You don’t have to eat this many bananas- I’m just trying to show you that you have to eat big to be lean.
‘There are so many people out there saying restrict your calories or to lose weight, it’s not true.
‘You need to smash in the carb calories. And that’s why I do videos like this; to show people.
‘I’m a lean bean; skinny arms and stomach, everything is lean on me and I never restrict my calories.’
A single medium banana contains an average of 422mg of potassium, and while it would be nearly impossible to cause a cardiac arrest through consuming food, eating excessive levels can put a strain on the kidneys, which have to filter out the excess.
British Dietetic Association spokesperson, Aisling Pigott via the UK’s dailymail offers the following advice: ‘This interesting and alternative diet advocated by the Banana Girl appears to have helped the lady that promotes the diet, however conflicts with traditional healthy eating advice which recommends variety, portion control and moderation.
‘There are some benefits to the diet. For example well balanced vegan diet can be extremely healthy if managed correctly, however all vegans should pay particular attention to their iron and calcium intake in addition to a Vitamin B12 supplement.
However, the negative points of this diet are disconcerting. The diet contains no food sources of Vitamin B12, limited Calcium and little Iron.
Continues Pigott: ‘Poor intake of Vitamin B12 and Iron over an extended time can lead to Vitamin B12 and Iron deficiency anaemia characterised by tiredness, upset stomach, poor skin colour and easy bruising
‘Poor intake of Calcium over a long time leads to low bone mineral density and brittle bones.
‘There is no element of portion control incorporated into these recommendations and based on scientific evidence and research, this is unlikely to lead to any weight loss if foods are consumed in the quantities recommended.
‘A small amount of fat is required for optimal health due to fat soluble, this diet recommends < 10 per cent of calories coming from fat (<38g/fat/day) which may not be sufficient to meet the needs of all individuals.
‘The sugar and carbohydrate content of this diet is extremely high. A high sugar and carbohydrate diet is linked with poor dental health and poor blood sugar control in those with diabetes or at risk of diabetes
‘Eating large amounts of one food e.g. banana’s can displace essential nutrients available from other foods
‘In summary, I would always encourage my clients to include more raw fruit and vegetables in their diet, aiming for a variety of raw and cooked fruit and vegetables alongside a healthy balanced diet of portion controlled (about the size of your fist at each meal) starchy carbohydrates (i.e. bread, rice, potato, pasta) and protein (meat, eggs, beans or pulses) with 2-3 portions of Calcium enriched foods/day (dairy or dairy alternatives) and limited fat, sugar and processed foods.’
And then there was this comment on the web that had me wondering too:
no where on this article does it say how much time she spends in the gym burning off the banana’s! what a boring way too live
And Freelee’s recent response to the onslaught of online criticism after her latest media exposure.
Sounds like the British Dietetic Association has a acidemic, sophmoric understanding of nutrition.
– CarboRaider
Agenda much? You asked a question then have a backhanded answer in the same breath. If you were paying attention in the other posts, everyone different and a dietician would be best.
If you weren’t so crazy with other views , like your menstral cycle, maybe people would take you seriously. Taking you seriously is like asking a drug addict for heroine advice.
You’re ridiculous freely. You and your chronies. Go start your own freelytown in south america. I hear those kinds of things turn out well. Dont forget the kool aid
Shut it Freely
Shut up Freely
Vegetarians live the longest, then meat eaters that eat healthy, then vegans. There are published studies to this effect. Show me a very old vegan that has been following that lifestyle for most of their life, much less a raw vegan, and much less a fruitarian.. All of the raw vegan gurus from the 60’s are dead. FACT.
No problem with the raw fat diet, if followed correctly and your body thrives on it, but for some people, and particularly people with eating disorders they need more fat in their diet as part of recovery, they need to take the advice of their treatment team. This diet can attract people with eating disorders for the wrong reasons. To be thin rather than to be healthy. They may not ingest enough calories due to their fear of weight gain, and they need close supervision to ensure their recovery is their priority.
What kind of “diet” do you advice? Are you a specialist of eating disorders? Questions: Is bread (grains/gluten) healthy or does it damage our intestins? Dairy? and does that kind of calcium gets to our bones at all? Meat for protein or broccoli?… I think the raw food diet is good because you can stay “lean” and still eat a lot…and isn’t that the problem/fear of most girls? So that way, they CAN eat more than just 1 apple or cracker a day…Thanks for any advice!
It is not just about calories, a balanced diet does not restrict food whole food groups.
As I said before Emily eating disorders are not one size fits all Emily and they have many different manifestations and some are a lot more life threatening than others and many people confuse disordered eating with eating disorders. I would not judge all eating disorders by your own. Also I have known many sick patients whose blood levels test within the normal range. In fact most lab work is normal, except in those with significant and prolonged illness. In those who are purging, some lab may more likely be somewhat abnormal, but not necessarily so. This is not necessarily an indication that they are not unwell as there can be a delay in the levels dropping. This is why eating disorders are often missed by doctors who do not specialize in eating disorders. Sometimes an ECG (electrocardiogram may be needed to check how well your heart is working. My son was taken to accident and emergency with severe anorexia as his heart was failing yet the bloods his general practitioner had taken appeared fine. An eating disorder specialist is necessary for people with eating disorders if they are to get early treatment. You only have to look at the number of people in the media who die suddenly from their eating disorders, yet to outsiders looked fine.
Eating disorders are not one size fits all Emily and they have many different manifestations and some are a lot more life threatening than others and many people confuse disordered eating with eating disorders. I would not judge all eating disorders by your own. Also I have known many sick patients whose blood levels test within the normal range. In fact most lab work is normal, except in those with significant and prolonged illness. In those who are purging, some lab may more likely be somewhat abnormal, but not necessarily so. This is not necessarily an indication that they are not unwell as there can be a delay in the levels dropping. This is why eating disorders are often missed by doctors who do not specialize in eating disorders. Sometimes an ECG (electrocardiogram may be needed to check how well your heart is working. My son was taken to accident and emergency with severe anorexia as his heart was failing yet the bloods his general practitioner had taken appeared fine. An eating disorder specialist is necessary for people with eating disorders if they are to get early treatment. You only have to look at the number of people in the media who die suddenly from their eating disorders, yet to outsiders looked fine.
My issue is not with the low fat vegan diet but that it is not suitable for people who suffer from or have a genetic predisposition with eating disorders and as such should come with a warning along those lines. For those people is can be extremely harmful and they need to work with a dietitian (they have qualifications whereas the title of nutritionist is not regulated and anyone can call themselves a nutritionist) and their specialist treatment team.
Recovery from an eating disorder is not just about calories, it is about variety and food groups. Restriction of calories is dangerous but so is restriction of food groups. .
Like I said, Vegans die young. Texans’ only problem is our TexMex and BBQ are simply too good.
Truth ^^^^
I’ve had an eating disorder and this lifestyle has changed my life for the better. So your statement is innaccurate. I’ve actually heard doctors say that a person can’t get enough protein without meat. So just because a “British Dietetic Association” person says something doesn’t mean it’s right. Everything in my health right now is in tune – Thanks to this lifestyle.
Freelee is vocally against calorie restriction and often consumes in excess of 5000 calories per day.
Try researching before you criticize.
Nah.
The longest-lived human cultures on this planet are those which consume the lowest amounts of foods made from animals.
On the other hand, Texas consumes more animal products than anywhere on Earth….its people are hardly the picture of health.
Freelee is vocally against calorie restriction and often consumes in excess of 5000 calories per day.
Try researching before you criticize.
This lifestyle has changed my life, and how about you look at other low fat vegans and ones you can learn from and hear their stories before you knock this lifestyle. There’s as much natural protein from vegetables than there is meat so do some research first. Oh and also this lifestyle allows me to get all my nutrients unlike the SAD diet.
Seriously? Obviously shes not eating just bananas. I’ve had an eating disorder, and this lifestyle changed my life. I’ve been low fat vegan for almost a year, and my doctor says I’m one of his healthiest patience, and my blood tests have came out perfect every single time. So don’t tell me that this isn’t health and this isn’t balanced.
You Tube marketing needs regulation, too many self proclaimed experts with a background in sales and marketing promise their alternative diet eating disorder cures, throw in a couple of dubious personal testimonials as evidence and are answerable to no-one.
Freelee doesn’t seem to understand that her diet is not suitable for people who suffer from eating disorders. An eating disorder is a genetic brain disorder, a mental illness, something that a person is at risk of relapse their whole life. Nutritional requirements are different for the person with an eating disorder due to the damage they have suffered to their internal organs. They are often left with a host of medical complications, and as such need a higher levels of protein and fats for repair than someone who has not had an eating disorder, and whilst the body is regaining weight and for up to 2 years after, they need at least twice the calorie intake compared to someone without an eating disorder Eating disorders are deadly, and have the highest mortality of all psychiatric disorders. Restriction of food groups is very dangerous as it is part and parcel of
the disease itself and once in place more and more foods are eliminated. Therefore any diet that is restrictive in any way can be harmful to them, potentially provoking eating disorders rather than, as she claims, curing them. Many of her followers may in fact use this lifestyle to allow them to hang on to their eating disorder under the guise of this “lifestyle.” A recovery where you are “fat shamed” and think about food 24/7 is not much of a recovery!
Vegans die young.
Living off bananas? Seriously- how is this health? How is this balance? How is this useful? This is an eating disorder talking and is not a good thing to publicize.
Freelee advocates a diet that is dangerous to many, especially those suffering from eating disorders. She claims that her diet can “nip an eating disorder in the bud” and all the sugar/glucose will allow sufferers brains to sort out the eating disorder. Science does not support these claims. As the quotes from the British Dietetic Association spokesperson state, Freelee’s diet can harm otherwise healthy people for a variety of reasons: bone density, diabetes, dental health. Recommending this diet to a person who has already suffered the negative effects of starvation from Anorexia is unconscionable. Categorically restrictive eating of this sort will hinder recovery from an eating disorder.