A vegan influencer died at the age of 39 after subsisting solely on an exotic fruit diet, according to people who knew her.
Her friends and family revealed that she had been promoting raw foods on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to her millions of followers. According to local media reports, Zhanna Samsonova, known as Zhanna D’Art on social media, sought medical treatment during her Southeast Asia tour after experiencing health issues in Sri Lanka a few months earlier.
However, she died on July 21 in Malaysia and her mother attributed the cause of death to a “cholera-like infection.” An official cause of death has not yet been declared. For the last four years, Samsonova claimed to have followed a raw vegan diet, which included fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies, and juices.
On the other hand, a friend alleges that for the past seven years, Samsonova had survived on a diet solely consisting of giant sweet jackfruit and durian, a fruit known for its custardy flesh and strong smell. While Samsonova praised her restrictive eating regimen and promoted its apparent benefits, her friends believe that her extreme diet contributed to her decline in health. They observed her physical deterioration and skeletal appearance, but Samsonova remained oblivious to the consequences of her eating choices.
Experts note that while a raw food diet can offer health benefits, it also carries risks when not properly planned. Nutritional deficiencies in calcium, Vitamin D, and B12 are common issues with such diets. A recent study found that 100% of participants on a raw vegan diet consumed less than the recommended daily amount of vitamin B12.
Samsonova’s devoted followers were divided in their opinions, with some refusing to believe her diet led to her death and instead pointing to possible chemicals in the fruits she consumed. The family is now awaiting the official medical report and death certificate to determine the exact cause of her passing.