People who use any technological devices that start with the letter ‘i’ might think of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as a visionary genius – the likes of whom the world will never see again. He co-founded Apple in 1976, got fired from Apple in 1985, and founded Pixar in 1986. He masterminded the iPhone for its release in January 2007. Here are some of the most interesting aspects of the Jobs diet.
Carrots
Jobs got the basic idea from a book. While studying at Reed College, a small liberal arts school, Jobs came across a book called Diet for a Small Planet.
Frances Moore Lappé wrote the piece. Published in 1971, the book offered advice for a socially conscious, environmentally friendly, meatless diet.
At times, he would only eat one food, often carrots. At some points, his skin even turned slightly orange.He sometimes a single box of cereal for a whole week.
And More Carrots
When preparing to play Jobs in 2013 biopic Jobs, Kutcher decided to try out the man’s diet. Consequently, he drank lots of carrot juice.
During this experiment, Kutcher was hospitalized for pancreatitis. In effect, his entire pancreas was inflamed. Jobs developed cancer in that exact same organ.
Doctors don’t believe eating a lot of carrots necessarily affects the pancreas in a negative way. However, Kutcher said he wouldn’t the Steve Jobs diet again.
Almonds
Almonds were also on Jobs’s very short grocery list during those super restrictive college days. And he certainly preferred a certain quality.
Lisa Brennan-Jobs notes in her memoir, Small Fry, that almonds were one of Job’s favorites. Brennan-Jobs lived with her mother, Chrisann Brennan. And Brennan met Jobs in high school.
The couple had their daughter at 23 after they’d broken up for a second time. The mother started studying for a Bachelor’s degree at the California College.
And Made His Kids Eat Almonds
And when the mom had to go to Wednesday night classes, Brennan-Jobs stayed with her dad. He had her packed lunches with loose almonds in paper bags.
Brennan-Jobs remembered that during, her junior year of high school, Jobs belittled her while he stood in the kitchen eating almonds.
Brennan-Jobs went on to write, “He would tell me how little I meant over and over until I believed it. What use was his genius to me?”
Becoming A Fruitarian
And Jobs used this label Jobs to refer to himself. Jobs explained that it was while on a fruitarian kick that he visited what he called an apple orchard.
Nonetheless, though, the location inspired the name Apple. Jobs thought the name was “fun, spirited and not intimidating.” Wozniak agreed.
And they eventually were. At the time, though, they couldn’t come up with a better name. And so a tech cult emerged.
From Vegetarianism
Even when Jobs didn’t limit himself to munching on skin-tinting carrots or snacking on almonds, he shunned meat.
Eventually, his distaste for all meat products grew. But he was hardly a resolute animal lover. Lisa Brennan-Jobs talked about this in Small Fry.
She noted that while her mother practiced vegetarianism too, Jobs chose a vegan lifestyle after reading a book that convinced him.
To Veganism
The piece also warned against eating anything that wasn’t a starchless vegetable or a fruit. Brennan-Jobs said her father bought into this belief system.
He believed dairy products were mucus forming; mucus blocked spiritual clarity the way it blocked a nose. Now he’d become even more rigid than he was before.
In 1991, Jobs married Laurene Powell. The cake didn’t go over particularly well, though. However Brennan-Jobs recalled the dessert tasted like banana.
Fasting
Another part of author Arnold Ehret’s supposed mucus-blocking technique involved fasting. And Jobs allegedly took that to the extreme as well.
He claimed Jobs would go days without eating. According to the book, the fruitarian started out fasting for two days at a time.
He claimed fasting made him feel “fantastic.” Jobs told Isaacson, “You get a ton of vitality from not having to digest all this food…
To The Point Of Sickness
Jobs was good at many things, but nutritional science was not one of them. In fact, abstaining from food for long periods of time can be problematic.
The hunger can leave fasters fatigued and deprive them of vital nutrients. Do not attempt this – or, really, any of Jobs’s dieting techniques.
When Jobs wasn’t eating, he still managed to live up to his reputation for what could politely be called “being different.”
Enthusiasm for Homegrown Vegetables
Vegetables were something that Jobs loved. In particular however he was noted to be fond of vegetables that would be grown around his own home.
Jobs was notoriously “green” so he was always planting and growing. This meant that there was an abundance of vegetables available to him.
Some said that he took his vegetarian eating to an extreme. Eating meals sometimes consisting of only leafy greens and other rooted vegetables.
Stints of Gluten-Free
Many people end up going gluten free for many reasons. Jobs reasoning was never based on anything other than nutrition. The belief that gluten was harmful to the body.
He would go through long stints of time not eating gluten. Days on end according to his family without a piece of bread or noodle seen in sight.
Steve Jobs was a meticulously regimented man, so whenever he went on a craze like gluten-free, he was very structured with it. They never lasted too long however.
Role in Promoting Farm-to-Table Concepts
Farm-to-table is an interesting concept of bringing food essentially from the fields and farms directly to your plate. This concept enamored Steve Jobs.
He had lots of land and grew lots of different plants, vegetables, and had nearby sustainable farming. Farm-to-table was a way to be gourmet with all of this.
He enjoyed cafes, trying different cuisines, and gourmet dining. Jobs definitely wasn’t big on eating but there were small things he enjoyed from time to time.
Avoidance of High Cholesterol Foods
Getting back to his nutrition, Jobs for most of his life would avoid any foods that would affect cholesterol. He was deeply concerned by this.
He would go to long lengths to avoid foods with heavy amounts of saturated fat. Part of the quirk of Steve Jobs was that he was so particular.
Its too bad that some of the heavy measures he took didn’t help. He didn’t really take many breaks from this type o eating, so not much enjoyment in terms of eating.
He Wore The Same Thing Every Day
He got the idea for matching work outfits when he visited the Sony factory in Japan. Apparently, the company provided all the workers with uniforms created by Japanese designer Issey Miyake.
When the Apple workers revolted against the idea of uniforms, Jobs adopted one just for himself. He liked the idea of simplicity and also of creating a signature style And he certainly achieved that.
They cost $175 each, and Jobs told his biographer Isaacson that he stockpiled enough to last for the rest of his life. That’s definitely one way to solve those daily outfit dilemmas.
He Was Not Keen On Hygiene
Yes, he was extremely fussy about food and famously detail-oriented when it came to his company’s technology. However, there was one area in Jobs’s life that definitely took a back burner.
In her biography, Steve Jobs: American Genius, Amanda Ziller wrote that when Jobs worked at video game company Atari, some of his colleagues refused to work with him.
Mike Markkula told Isaacson that he and the team would force Jobs to take showers before they let him into meetings. Apparently, the man also had some nasty habits. He was a prolific nail-biter.
He Had A Thing For Wheels
Brennan-Jobs remembered her father driving very quickly. When Jobs first started making regular appearances in her life, he picked her up in his Porsche.
Her speculations were likely untrue, but Jobs was enamored with perfection. The man had another favorite toy. It lived on with him.
And according to Isaacson, Jobs eventually installed a BMW motorbike in the lobby of Apple. He hoped to inspire his employees with its beauty.
And Going Fast
Jobs liked to drive dangerously fast, mostly because he thought he could. Brennan-Jobs remembered her father claiming laws weren’t about controlling behavior.
He had a different opinion about them. According to his daughter, Jobs believed laws were solely about one could and couldn’t get away with.
His previous wife said, “He’d drive home so fast down the roads in Woodside, and without license plates, that for almost a year the cops couldn’t catch him.”
He Took Walking Meetings
People often saw Jobs walk around the Apple campus with colleagues and friends. The tech genius liked to have serious conversations while in transit, too.
Bob Iger became friends with Jobs after convincing him to sell Pixar to Disney in 2006. He found that people were more creative when walking and talking.
However, the researchers also noted that if you’re dealing with a problem that only has one answer, you’re better off sitting still.
Interest in Historical Diets and Their Benefits
Part of Jobs interests lied within history. He was a history buff and was very fascinated with it.
In particular, food was something of interest to him as he frequently was exploring old and historic diets to try.
They never really worked or stuck, but it was part of the creativity of Jobs. He found it to be incredibly interesting.
Advocacy for Reducing Food Waste
Steve Jobs as we have mentioned was an incredibly green individual. He promoted this ideology in many ways. Food was one of them.
He would frequently bring up different initiatives to deal with food waste. He was always finding ways to integrate this belief of his into his work.
This was part of Jobs greatness. He was always looking for ways to improve the world. Not many people can be that selfless, but Jobs certainly was!
He Refused Medical Advice
Jobs received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2003. Jobs shunned surgery in favor of alternative therapies, though.
And, indeed, he tried. He tried his very best. He attempted to treat it with things like acupuncture, dietary supplements, and smoothies.
Jobs reportedly regretted this decision. In 2009, he agreed to a liver transplant. Instead, he drank smoothies and ate fruit.
Even To His Own Demise Sadly
He couldn’t let go of certain dietary habits. Lisa Brennan-Jobs remembered that her father sometimes ate mango.
Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple in August 2011. And, sadly, he passed on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56.
He’s remembered, though, as a technological genius, an exacting boss, and a perfectionist designer. And, unlike his outfits, the man’s certainly one of a kind.
No Caffeine
Jobs was not a caffeine drinker. Its somewhat funny if you think about the culture of coffee and tea in the workers world today. It seems like caffeine as a whole is a big part of it.
For Jobs though, he would not put his body through it. He did not enjoy coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soda. He was not a fan!
Caffeine may be addicting to some, but to others it causes a feeling of twitchiness and being overwhelmed. Its not for everyone, and that’s OK.
Can’t Handle The Spice
Despite the fact that Jobs would eat different cuisines, he was not fond of spicy food. It was very difficult for him to get through anything spicy.
Jobs was known to sweat profusely when he would come across something spicy. It was also mentioned he would get slightly bothered too.
Spicy food too just isn’t for everyone. Some people find the heat enjoyable and tasty. Some find it painful and traumatic! Its understandable from both ends.
Frequent Cafe-Goer
A favorite activity of Jobs was going to different cafes. In whichever city he was, he would go to cafes. In Silicone Valley, he was a frequent at many different cafes.
The trend of going to do laptop work at cafes is so big now. Its not too surprising that Jobs would go frequently to get his work done.
He found them to be great distractions and it was an opportunity to see others at work. People using his devices as well. That must have been pretty cool!
Fondness of Eastern Cuisine
There was a major fondness of Asian cuisine for Steve Jobs. He found it delicious but also was very into the aesthetics of it. He saw beautiful colors in the food being served on beautiful dishes.
Eastern food as a whole has such a heavy emphasis on vegetables and healthy grains. This appealed to Jobs heavily considering how he liked to eat.
Its amazing to learn about some of the different foods he ate and the quirks he had about food. Jobs was just very particular.
Juicing
Juicing was another favorite of Jobs. Vegetables and fruits both, he loved to make different juices. You would see lineups of different juices sometimes in his office.
Jobs was sometimes a bit bizarre. He was incredibly particular and also stubborn. He may have thought everything was healthy, but some may have gone over the top.
Its always important to have balance in your nutrition. However sometimes some of the most brilliant people live in the most unique ways.
Influence on Apple’s Culture Around Wellness&Nutrition
Steve Jobs had a few different reputations. In the offices, his most well-known was for being incredibly honest. Sometimes too much so…hurting other peoples feelings.
He did however introduce plenty of positives. He believed in “building a tribe” and always “customers first”. This made for serious success at Apple.
Part of Jobs genius was his ability to think outside of the technology. He had business expertise and marketing skills that were beyond his time, even beyond today’s.
Frequent Cleanses
Jobs was a major fan of going through different types of cleanses. We mentioned the fasting. This would sometimes happen involving small amounts of food and drink.
The idea here was for him to get whatever he needed to out of his body. It was just very bizarre the way in which he did so.
We know all about the bizarre behavior of Jobs. Its no surprise that this trickled into his eating habits as well. Its incredibly difficult to be perfect! No one is.
And Detoxes
Detox’s as well were another favorite of Jobs. The cleanses, diets, fasting, and detoxes. He really had no way of eating “normally”.
Everything Jobs did was different, that is part of his greatness. Most of it was over the top. Some of it was bizarre. However it all made Steve Jobs who he was.
He will always be remembered as such a legendary figure. Difficult in some ways, but fascinating in so many more. He really did some amazing things for this world!