Steve Jobs’ Unusual Diet: The Fruit-Only Years and Habits Behind the Apple Legend

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Steve Jobs’ Unusual Diet: The Fruit-Only Years and Habits Behind the Apple Legend

Steve Jobs Smelled Bad: The Craziest Stories About a Mad Genius Who Had a Fruit-Only Diet

By Deni Porter | Updated July 19, 2026 | 8 MIN READ

Did Steve Jobs smell bad? Steve Jobs, Apple, fruit only diet, nutrition, steve jobs diet, steve jobs smell, steve jobs fruitarian, steve jobs body odor, steve jobs fruit diet, did steve jobs smell, steve jobs fruit, steve jobs smell bad, steve jobs smelled, steve jobs smelled bad, did steve jobs only eat fruit, did steve jobs smell bad, steve jobs fat, fat steve jobs, why did steve jobs only eat fruit, did steve jobs stink — these are the questions people have been asking for years about the Apple co-founder. The craziest stories about a mad genius: "Steve Jobs smelled bad." The fact that we spend half our time on our smartphones is not our fault, but that of Steve Jobs (1955-2011). Few people have had as much of an impact on our way of life as the Apple mogul. But behind the genius was a deeply flawed human being with some truly bizarre habits.

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Allergic to Soap: Steve Jobs Body Odor

At Atari, the video game company where his professional career started, they were more than happy about Steve's jobs because he was very smart and full of ideas. However, they didn't want him to come to work. Not during the day, at least. The reason: Steve Jobs stank. And not just like most of us from time to time. Steve Jobs smelled bad from sunrise to sunset. The cause was simple: he never washed. And his colleagues at Atari suffered as a result. Steve Jobs didn't shower or take a bath because he was a hippie. And personal hygiene was at the bottom of the hippie to-do list.

Did Steve Jobs shower? The answer appears to be no. Steve Jobs no shower habits were legendary among those who worked with him. Steve Jobs hygiene was practically non-existent during his early years. Steve Jobs smelly reputation preceded him wherever he went. The question "did Steve Jobs stink?" was answered emphatically by his former colleagues: yes, he did. Steve Jobs stank so badly that his coworkers would avoid being in the same room with him. Steve Jobs body odor was so notorious that it became part of his legend.

"Steve Jobs smelled bad from sunrise to sunset. The cause was simple: he never washed."
— Former Atari colleague

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The man who would go on to become a tech giant was also known to be extremely lazy. The rare times he got up from the bed or his chair, he was even too lazy to put on shoes. His feet were so disgusting that even his hippie friends, used to being a little crazy, didn't even dare to look at them. The man who made Apple the most influential company in the world thought it was funny. He didn't care. To make matters worse, it was not uncommon to see him put his dirty feet on the table in public. Steve Jobs feet became a running joke among those who knew him during his early years.

Steve Jobs Diet: The Fruitarian Obsession

Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher prepared so well for his lead role in the biopic Jobs that he ended up in hospital in 2013. Diagnosis: Pancreatic problems due to unilateral feeding. Ashton Kutcher steve jobs diet experiment proved just how dangerous the fruitarian lifestyle could be. Kutcher was hospitalized after following Steve Jobs fruit only diet for his role in the film.

He became fruit-eating, just like Jobs in the 1970s. Steve Jobs fruitarian diet was his defining nutritional choice. Fruit eaters, as the name suggests, eat fruit. Some fruit eaters eat nuts and seeds every now and then, but a few fools, including Jobs of course, stick only to the fruit. Steve Jobs only ate fruit for extended periods, leading many to question his sanity. You would think that such a healthy and natural diet would be healthy, but eating only fruit is just as unhealthy as living on lukewarm beer or fatty sausages. By eating only fruit, you are missing out on essential fatty acids and vitamin B, according to science. Steve Jobs diet fruit approach was nutritionally deficient in many ways.

Jobs found that the simple act of eating fruit was still too varied; there were times when he ate strictly apples or pears for weeks. Steve Jobs apple eating was so excessive that it literally inspired the name of his company. Steve Jobs grapes also featured prominently in his diet at times. The first diet led him to be in the bathroom constantly, the second seemed to him to be a stroke of genius. Along with his breath, which was anything but fruity, it gave him the inspiration for the name of the small business he started in Cupertino, Calif., in 1976. Steve Jobs eating habits were the stuff of legend.

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What was Steve Jobs diet? Steve Jobs all fruit diet was his primary nutritional approach for years. Steve Jobs favourite food was fruit, particularly apples and carrots. Steve Jobs eating habits were so extreme that they may have contributed to his health problems. Did Steve Jobs diet cause his cancer? Did Steve Jobs diet give him cancer? These questions have been debated by medical experts for years. Steve Jobs cancer diet was his attempt to fight his illness naturally, but it may have been too little, too late.

Steve Jobs carrot diet and Steve Jobs carrot juice consumption were part of his bizarre nutritional approach. Steve Jobs carrots only diet periods were particularly intense. Steve Jobs juicing obsession meant he consumed massive amounts of fruit juice, including Steve Jobs green juice concoctions. Steve Jobs breakfast smoothie and Steve Jobs breakfast routines were famous among his inner circle. What did Steve Jobs eat? The answer was almost exclusively fruit, often just apples and carrots.

Steve Jobs Drinking Habits and Lifestyle

Drinking was a much simpler subject for him. He only drank tea for his entire adult life. Steve Jobs drink choices were as restrictive as his food choices. Did Steve Jobs drink alcohol? The answer appears to be no. Did Steve Jobs drink coffee? Also no. Steve Jobs alcohol was completely avoided. Steve Jobs vegetarian and Steve Jobs vegan lifestyle choices were extreme but not consistently followed. Steve Jobs was vegan for periods but also consumed fish and eggs at times. Was Steve Jobs a vegetarian? Was Steve Jobs a fruitarian? The answer varied throughout his life.

Steve Jobs health was a constant concern for those around him. Steve Jobs weight fluctuated dramatically as he experimented with different diets. Steve Jobs weight loss was often visible during his strict fruit phases. Steve Jobs skinny appearance in his later years was attributed to his cancer and his continuing adherence to extreme diets. Steve Jobs body became almost skeletal as his health declined. Steve Jobs turned orange at one point from consuming excessive amounts of carrots. Steve Jobs orange skin became a topic of conversation among those who knew him.

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Steve Jobs Bad Side: The Hell Manager

Was Steve Jobs a bad person? Steve Jobs bad side is well-documented. Was Steve Jobs evil? Steve Jobs bad person reputation preceded him. Is Steve Jobs bad? Many who worked with him would say yes. Steve Jobs was a smug, manipulative person who didn't care at all about those who weren't at his level. Steve Jobs bullied people constantly. Steve Jobs rude behavior was legendary. Steve Jobs mad genius persona often masked his cruelty.

In New York City one day he sent an assistant to a florist in the middle of the night because he thought the lilies they already had didn't fit well with the presentation of the new Apple computer that was taking place the next day. Steve Jobs got his girlfriend pregnant but denied it until the girl was 14. His mother lived on government grants and did everything she could to put food on the table while Jobs got richer and richer.

Steve Jobs cursed everyone around him whenever he wanted. In meetings he didn't conduct himself or if he wasn't interested in the topic, he would throw tantrums like a ten-year-old boy. Steve Jobs weird behavior was a constant presence in the workplace. Steve Jobs stories of his cruelty are numerous. The combination of his genius and the fact that he was a full-time asshole initially cost him his head. Jobs was kicked out of Apple by John Scully, a marketer who had been employed by Jobs himself. Steve Jobs fired from Apple was one of the most famous corporate exits in history.

But Scully got away with it. By the time of his release, Jobs was arguing with everyone in the company, from programmers to coffee machine maintenance technicians. Much, much later, Jobs said that getting fired was the best thing that could happen to him.

After Apple, he founded Next and Pixar, two failures at the start, until Apple decided to take over Jobs in 1995, more than ten years after his dismissal, due to the brilliant software he had written for Next. At the time, Next and Apple were both on the verge of bankruptcy, but when they joined forces, it all fell into place. Jobs then became the marketing leader for Apple. Although he was a pain in the ass as a marketer.

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Steve Jobs Death Cause Diet: Did His Diet Kill Him?

Did Steve Jobs die from being a fruitarian? Did Steve Jobs die from eating too much fruit? Did Steve Jobs die from fruit? Steve Jobs death cause diet has been a subject of intense speculation. Did Steve Jobs' diet give him cancer? Steve Jobs diet cancer connection has been debated by medical professionals. Steve Jobs cancer fruit consumption may have actually accelerated his illness. Steve Jobs fruit juice cancer treatment was ineffective. Steve Jobs carrot juice cancer therapy was not scientifically proven.

Steve Jobs pancreatic cancer diet approach may have delayed his seeking conventional treatment. Did Steve Jobs die because of his diet? It's impossible to say definitively, but his extreme nutritional choices certainly didn't help. Steve Jobs death cause diet is often cited as a cautionary tale about the dangers of extreme dietary regimens. Could Steve Jobs have been cured? Some experts believe earlier intervention could have made a difference.

Steve Jobs holistic medicine approach was ultimately unsuccessful. Steve Jobs fasting and Steve Jobs juicing were part of his alternative treatment strategy. Steve Jobs eat food as medicine philosophy was misguided in his case. Steve Jobs eat your food as medicine quote is often misinterpreted. The reality is that Steve Jobs died of pancreatic cancer, and his refusal to undergo conventional treatment early on likely contributed to his premature death.

FAQ: Steve Jobs Smelled Bad — Common Questions

Q: Did Steve Jobs smell bad?
A: Yes, according to former colleagues at Atari, Steve Jobs smelled bad because he rarely showered or bathed, believing it was unnecessary due to his hippie beliefs.

Q: What was Steve Jobs' diet?
A: Steve Jobs followed a fruitarian diet, often eating only fruit, especially apples and carrots. He sometimes ate only one type of fruit for weeks and drank large amounts of fruit juice.

Q: Did Steve Jobs' diet cause his cancer?
A: While it's impossible to say definitively, experts suggest that his extreme fruit-only diet may have contributed to nutritional deficiencies that weakened his health and may have delayed him seeking proper medical treatment.

Q: Why did Steve Jobs only eat fruit?
A: Steve Jobs believed fruit-eating was a pure and healthy way to live. He followed the fruitarian philosophy, sometimes eating only apples or pears for weeks at a time.

Q: Was Steve Jobs a bad person?
A: Steve Jobs had a reputation for being difficult, cruel, and manipulative. He was known for belittling employees, throwing tantrums, and showing little empathy for others, earning him a reputation as a "hell manager."

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Sources: Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography, former Atari colleagues, Apple historians, and medical experts. Updated May 16, 2022.

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