You probably remember the bananas.
Specifically, the sight of a lean Australian woman sitting on the floor, surrounded by 30 of them, insisting that a "mono-meal" was the secret to human health. In the mid-2010s, Freelee the Banana Girl (real name Leanne Ratcliffe) was the undisputed queen of "Vegan YouTube." She was loud, she was confrontational, and she was—by almost every mainstream medical standard—dangerous.
But then, things got quiet. The shouting matches with other influencers stopped. The relentless "roasting" videos faded. By 2026, Freelee has largely traded the digital battlefield for a literal jungle, living a life that looks less like a YouTube thumbnail and more like a survivalist experiment.
The Shift from Raw Till 4 to the Frugivore Diet
For years, Leanne’s brand was built on the Raw Till 4 diet. The rules were simple but extreme: eat nothing but raw fruit until 4 p.m., then have a massive, salt-free, oil-free, high-carb cooked meal (usually a mountain of potatoes) for dinner. It was a lifestyle that promised weight loss and "unlimited" calories, but often delivered bloating and social isolation instead.
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Fast forward to 2026, and the brand has evolved. She now champions what she calls the Frugivore Diet. It’s still fruit-heavy, but she’s doubled down on the "human as a fruit-eater" philosophy. She’s even started promoting white sugar—which she calls "sun crystals"—as a beneficial fuel source. Honestly, it’s a move that has baffled even her most loyal followers.
While the medical community, including dietitians like Abbey Sharp, has repeatedly warned that such high-sugar, low-fat diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies (specifically B12, iron, and essential fatty acids), Leanne remains her own best advertisement. At 45, she is still remarkably fit, a fact she uses to dismiss any and all scientific criticism.
Living Off-Grid in the Queensland Rainforest
The most dramatic change isn't what she's eating, but where she's doing it. About seven years ago, Leanne and her partner left the "concrete jungle" for 12 acres of rainforest in Queensland, Australia. This wasn't a glamping trip. They started in a tent with no electricity, no running water, and no toilet.
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- They bathe in a nearby creek.
- They use a composting toilet.
- They grow their own food, having planted over 1,000 fruit trees.
- She stopped shaving her body hair, wearing makeup, or using commercial shampoos.
It’s a hardcore "return to nature" that many find aspirational, while others find it performative. Critics often point out the irony of using high-end smartphones and satellite internet to tell people to "disconnect" from modern society. However, Leanne is quick to clap back, often stating that the technology is just a tool to spread her message of "freedom."
The Controversy That Won't Die
You can’t talk about Freelee without talking about the "toxicity." She’s famously claimed that menstruation is a sign of a toxic body and that a "clean" enough diet will make a woman's period disappear.
Doctors have spent years debunking this. Amenorrhea (the absence of a period) is usually a sign of hormonal imbalance, often caused by extreme calorie restriction or excessive exercise. To the medical world, Leanne isn't "pure"; she's malnourished.
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Then there’s the "bullying" legacy. In her prime, she was known for "weighing in" on other influencers' bodies. She famously entered a legal battle with fitness mogul Kayla Itsines over defamatory comments. While she’s toned down the aggression in 2025 and 2026, the scars on the vegan community remain. Many former fans have moved on to "Ex-Vegan" content, citing eating disorders they developed while trying to keep up with her banana-heavy meal plans.
Is It a Cult or a Community?
In 2026, Leanne’s influence has moved into "VIP Communities." She offers a Frugivore Diet Course and 1:1 coaching. For some, she is a savior who helped them escape the "Standard American Diet" and find peace in nature. To others, like those featured on recent episodes of the Red Room podcast, she is a cult leader who weaponizes veganism to create a loyal, unquestioning following.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. She is a woman who has successfully built a life entirely on her own terms, far away from the 9-to-5 grind. But she’s also a reminder of how easily "wellness" can slip into "extremism."
Actionable Takeaways: How to Navigate the Freelee Philosophy
If you’re looking at Leanne’s lifestyle and feeling a mix of curiosity and hesitation, here is how to approach it safely:
- Prioritize Blood Work Over Influencer Anecdotes: If you want to try a high-raw diet, do not guess. Get regular blood tests to monitor your B12, Vitamin D, and iron levels.
- Understand the "Off-Grid" Reality: Living in a rainforest involves more than just eating mangoes. Leanne has documented suffering from cyclones, floods, and even a cockroach crawling into her ear at night. It is a grueling, labor-intensive existence.
- Reject the Period Myth: If your period stops, see a doctor. It is not "toxicity leaving the body." It is your endocrine system asking for help.
- Balance is Key: Most nutritionists agree that eating more fruit is great. Eating only fruit is not. You can take the "freedom" aspect of her message—spending time in nature, reducing processed foods—without adopting the extreme restriction.
Leanne Ratcliffe has survived more de-platforming attempts and scandals than almost any other creator from the 2010 era. Whether you love her or think she’s "totally whack," she’s proven that the "Banana Girl" brand is as resilient as the jungle she lives in.