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| Steve Jobs |
Joe Raedle /By Melissa Dahl
No matter your opinion on
the legacy of Steve Jobs, we can likely all agree on this: Steve Jobs, had some
unconventional diet health habits. The new biography by Walter Isaacson details some
of the weirder ones, from extremely restrictive diets to questionable personal
hygiene.
(A personal favorite: One
of his go-to stress relievers during Apple's early days was soaking his bare
feet in the company toilets.)
We asked some nutrition
experts to weigh in on some of the stranger, stricter eating habits of the
legendary tech tycoon.
The book details his
occasional tendency to eat only one or two foods, like carrots or apples, for
weeks at a time. Besides developing a sunset-like hue -- which those who worked
with him are quoted as remembering -- there are other health issues that can
come from adhering to such a limited diet, says Elisa Zied, registered
dietitian and msnbc.com contributor.
"Although apples and
carrots are healthful and provide carbohydrates, they have very little protein
-- unlike fat and carbohydrates, protein can’t be stored in the body, so it’s
important to consume enough protein rich foods each day," explains Zied,
who's the author of the book, "Nutrition at Your Fingertips."
Protein provides the body
with energy and structural support -- it also helps preserve lean muscle tissue
that keeps your metabolism raring to go, and it supports muscle function. But
if you don't take in enough protein, your body will miss out on essential amino
acids, Zied says. "These essential amino acids are used to make body
proteins ... that support growth and maintenance of body tissues."
"Without enough
dietary fat, your body’s fat stores can become depleted," Zied explains.
"Your skin may
suffer, you may feel more cold more often, and your organs and body tissues may
be more vulnerable against injury -- especially risky for those with chronic
illness."
Flirting with Fruitarianism
Jobs also spent some time
as a fruitarian, a subset of veganism that means eating only fruits, nuts,
seeds, vegetables and grains -- absolutely no animal products. This kind of
diet does contain some very healthy foods, and many vegans manage to keep
extremely healthful diets. But Zied cautions that without a careful eating
plan, essential nutrients may be missing.
"This type of diet is
extremely restrictive as it eliminates dairy foods ... and probably doesn’t contain enough dietary
fat unless you’re eating lots of nuts and seeds," she explains. "And
because the foods you can eat (or beverages you can drink) are so limited, you
only get the nutrients provided in the specific foods."
Veganism and the Tyranny of the Daily Shower
Jobs
also believed that his commitment to vegan diets meant his body was flushed of
mucus -- and that it meant he was free from body odor, so he didn't need to
wear deodorant or shower regularly. Unsurprisingly, the book quotes former coworkers
saying that he was very, very wrong.
Actually, the lack of
complete proteins in vegan-style diets might impede the body's detoxification
process, which "could make him smell even more," says JJ Virgin,
nutrition expert and co-star of TLC's "Freaky Eaters." As for mucus
-- Jobs may have had a point there. Dietary changes can help reduce the goo,
especially for those who produce excessive mucus because of illness.
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Fasting
Jobs would sometimes turn
to fasting to create feelings of euphoria and ecstasy. What he was most likely
experiencing was something called ketosis, which develops after a period of
fasting and can lead to mild euphoria.
When you're eating
normally, glucose is the body's primary energy source, Zied explains. But when
you're fasting, your body creates small chemicals called ketones that act as a
substitute for glucose, and can be used for energy by most body cells.
"If your body makes
more ketones than it needs to create energy, a dangerous condition called
ketosis develops," Zied says. "This increases the loss of sodium and
water from the body and can contribute to nausea, weakness, fatigue."
Related:
Tan, schman. For a better glow, eat your
veggies
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