Can You Survive on One Food? / Nutrition (2024)

It’s often said that healthy diets consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables and that you should only occasionally indulge in your favorite junk foods. But, even if you’re not gorging yourself on an endless supply of pizza and hot wings, is it possible to survive on just one food? Our bodies are complex in that they require healthy combinations of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to function at a high level, and ultimately thrive. So, is there such a food that exists, and would it be worth eating every day? The simple answer to that question may not surprise you.

Superfood

It’s possible that you’re somewhat familiar with the term “superfood,” defined as a nutrient-rich food that promotes health and overall well-being. Superfoods ― although healthy ― don’t contain a sufficient variety of nutrients for your body to survive on a long-term basis. It’s undoubtedly true that broccoli and brussel sprouts contain a higher level of vital nutrients than a juicy cheeseburger, but vegetables lack protein and fat. Even if you were to select one dynamite superfood to eat for the rest of your life, you would almost immediately become protein and fat deficit, causing your body to consume its own muscle mass, and eventually die. This is why vegetarians and vegans supplement their diets with alternative forms of protein and fat: It’s impossible to survive without protein.

Carb Overload

In a perfect world where you could consume your favorite food for all of eternity without consequence, you might very well select a food option loaded with carbohydrates. Carbs are the primary source of fuel for the human body, which makes them an important part of your daily diet in healthy quantities. But, bread by itself is not a sustainable food source. You would eventually contract scurvy and likely die a painful death. That being said, is it possible to survive on a food that contains a high level of carbohydrates like pizza? The cheesy, saucy goodness of a greasy slice is undeniably delicious to some, but does pizza contain enough nutrients for survival? Even the most health-conscious pizza ― one that includes zero saturated fat, organic vegetables as toppings, and wheat dough ― would not be sufficient for longevity.

Variety Promotes Longevity

In short, it’s biologically impossible to survive on one food. Regardless of whether you opted for a protein-heavy diet and choose steak as your food of choice, or aim to maximize your green veggie intake by consuming spinach for the rest of days, your body would eventually fail you. A healthy diet consists of a blend of carbs, protein, and fat. All three sources of energy are vital to your overall well-being and longevity. Even if you were to concoct some bizarro food combination that tasted tolerable and contained all vital nutrients, you would still be technically consuming more than one type of food.

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