A practice where a person eats only one type of food for a period of time, usually for at most 7 days.

In a monofast only one kind of fruit or vegetable is eaten. This both cleanses the body and allows the stomach to rest (because no proteins and fats are eaten, there is no requirement for hydrochloric acid and bile, which digest and emulsify these foods in the stomach). The body utilizes all that we eat in the form of glucose, and all fructose is changed to glucose by a relatively easy digestive process.

Benefits:

• Detoxification: The body redirects energy normally used for digestion to cleanse the system.
• Mental clarity: Can help with mental clarity.
• Mindful eating: Focusing on a single food can help people become more aware of their hunger and eating habits.
• Reduced food cravings: The diet can help reduce food cravings.
• Improved skin: The diet can help improve skin problems like acne and eczema.
• Weight loss: The diet's calorie and food restrictions can lead to rapid weight loss, primarily due to water loss.
• Improved digestion: Eating a single food or a limited variety of foods allows the body to produce the right enzymes and hormones for digestion. This can lead to better absorption and fewer mineral or vitamin deficiencies.