What Can I Eat on a Raw Food Diet?
The raw food diet is a diet based on natural or unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed. Raw foodists usually believe that the higher the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits. Raw foodism or a raw diet is usually equated with raw veganism in which only raw plant foods are eaten, but other raw foodists emphasize raw meat and other raw animal products.
Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to lessen the nutritional value and “life force” of food.
In general, at least 75% of the diet must be living or raw.
Adherents of raw foodism believe that consumption of uncooked foods encourages weight loss (and stability, without the risk of re-gaining), while also preventing and/or healing many forms of sickness and chronic diseases. Some medical studies have indicated that different forms of raw food diets may lead to various health problems, while other studies have shown positive health outcomes with such diets.
What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?
Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:
Increased energy
Improved skin appearance
Better digestion
Weight loss
Reduced risk of heart disease
The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.
These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.
What can I eat?
A. Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Beans
- Grains
- Legumes
- Dried fruit
- Seaweed
B. Unprocessed organic or natural foods
- Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
- Purified water
- Young coconut milk
At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.
2. What cooking techniques are used?
Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:
- Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
- Juicing fruit and vegetables
- Soaking nuts and dried fruit
- Blending
- Dehydrating food
