Raw Food Diet


For a long time humans lived without electricity, and therefore without conveniences as we have today, such as stoves and microwaves. They ate raw products and did not have the obesity problem that we have in modern world. Nowadays the raw food diet is supported by many people who believe that unprocessed food contains digestive enzymes, and cooking at temperatures ranging from 105-116 degrees Fahrenheit destroys them.

The proponents of the raw food diet believe that cooked food causes addiction and ruins teeth. The research made by dentist Weston-Price confirmed this idea: he visited various hunter-gatherer tribes all over the world in 1930s and the healthiest tribes he met were the ones who consumed enzyme-rich raw animal and plant food.

The advantage of unprocessed fruits and vegetables is the digestive enzymes like amylases, proteases and lipases which cure the digestive system. The followers of this diet think eating food without the enzymes can cause intoxication, obesity and a number of chronic diseases.

Many vitamins and minerals also get destroyed in the process of cooking, therefore the followers of the diet say that the consumption of raw food gives a person even more health benefits such as increased energy, better skin, improved digestion, and also provides a healthy way of losing weight. Reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer are also said to be benefits of raw foods. The Journal of Nutrition published a study that proved that a diet of raw foods lowers plasma, total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

Based on the kind of food in the diet, the proponents are divided into three main categories:

1. Raw Vegans consume only the food of plant origin: vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouts and legumes (herbivorous). Meat ad dairy products have to be avoided.

2. Raw Foodism is the type of diet that allows any kind of raw food. The only restriction is the things cannot be warmed to more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Raw Paleolithic is somewhat of a combination of the first two. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish, shellfish, meat and eggs are acceptable, but the followers of this type do not consume dairy products, legumes, grains, vegetable juices, salt, sugar or oils. In general the proponents of this type eat what they think people in the Paleolithic Age (Stone Age) used to eat.

There are several other types of raw food diets but they are not as popular as these. However, regardless what kind it is, the main criteria of the diet is that 75% of food eaten has to be raw, not being warmed higher than 105 degrees. As a rule, the proponents prefer to consume organic foods as much as possible.

When a person starts the diet several side-effects may occur, such as mild headaches, nausea and cravings. This is a detoxification reaction that appears because sugar, caffeine and meat to which the person was addicted have been taken away. These side-effects are usually not a big problem, because they disappear within a few days.

As with any kind of diet, the concept of eating raw food has its opponents. Critics say that such a diet can cause various nutritional deficiencies, including calcium, iron, vitamin B12, protein and caloric content. However, all of these minerals are short in any type of vegetarian program, because they mostly come in fish, meat, dairy products and eggs. Fortunately, all of these can be substituted for if the diet is balanced. Apples, tomatoes, strawberries, bananas and oranges are a good source iron, and almost all kinds of nuts (as well as soybeans and grains) can provide enough protein. Furthermore, seaweed, nuts, beans and broccoli have calcium. The only remaining concern would be vitamin B12, which has not yet been found in foods of vegetarian nature.

Diet experts want certain people to be careful about this diet. Children, pregnant or nursing women, people with anemia or osteoporosis should avoid diets based on raw foods.

Maria Street

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Posted on January 30, 2009 
Filed Under Diet Reviews, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Tricks

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