Vegan influencer's last post before 'starving to death' after only eating fruit

01 August 2023 , 20:34

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Zhanna Samsonova shared a haunting final post on social media before she died

A vegan influencer who attempted to live on a diet of just raw fruit shared a haunting final social media post before she "died of starvation".

Zhanna Samsonova, 39, said "life is meaningless" days before she died on July 21. Her last Instagram note included a selfie with her mouth open and the words: "Life is meaningless but worth living provided you recognise it's meaningless." Friends said Zhanna, a Russian national who toured the world to give dietary advice, "died of starvation" but the official cause of death has not yet been released.

Zhanna had moved from Russia to Sri Lanka and switched to a restrictive tropical fruit diet (@rawveganfoodchef/Instagram)

Friends of the 39-year-old woman became worried about her diet and health (@rawveganfoodchef/Instagram)

The influencer, known as Zhanna D'Art, previously explained how she had only been eating and drinking just fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, smoothies, and juices for four years.

But one pal recently said: "A few months ago, in Sri Lanka, she already looked exhausted. I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning. I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn't make it." Her mother Vera Samsonova said she had caught a "cholera-like infection" just hours before she was due to fly home.

Zhanna was an active promoter of a raw food vegan and previously said: "I eat simple food, although I have a lot of experience as a raw food chef. I love creating my own recipes and inspiring people to eat healthier. For the last four years, my diet has been only fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices.

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Zhanna Samsonova is originally from Russia (@rawveganfoodchef/Instagram)

This is Zhanna's last post on Instagram

"I only got to this level after five years on a completely raw vegan diet. I see my body and mind transform every day. I love my new me, and never move on to the habits that I used to use." She also claimed to look younger than her friends thanks to her diet. Zhanna said: "I feel very sad when I see most of my peers. Because of junk food, they look much older than their age."

Despite the potential downsides to Samsonova’s diet, many of her devoted followers refused to believe her eating choices led to her death, instead claiming that she was killed by chemicals in the fruit she ate. Zhanna's family is now waiting for a medical report and a death certificate to show her official cause of death.

If you're worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website, https://seedeatingdisorders.org.uk.

Bradley Jolly