THE RAW FOOD DIET - IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER DOING?

Hi There,

THE RAW FOOD DIET - IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER?

The raw food diet could lead to perfect health or to under nourishment. The majority of people on this diet insist that a diet consisting mainly of uncooked, unprocessed plant foods can lead to a leaner body, clearer skin and higher energy.  They also believe it cuts the risk of disease.

But what exactly is a raw food diet? Is following a raw food diet healthy? Can anyone have a raw food diet?

Following a raw food diet involves a lot of preparation and means spending a lot of time in the kitchen peeling, chopping, straining, blending, and dehydrating. The diet is typically made up of 75% fruits and vegetables. 

Here is an example of some of the food items in the raw food diet:

Seaweed
Sprouts
Sprouted seeds
Whole grains
Beans
Dried fruits
Nuts

The majority of people who eat raw are vegans and eat no animal products but some do eat raw eggs and cheese made from raw or unpasteurized milk.

How are foods prepared on the Raw Food Diet?

The food is not cooked using a traditional stove or oven, a food dehydrator is used. Food dehydrators are also used to dry out fruits and other raw food recipes.

The dehydrator works with heat, but temperatures cannot be higher than 115 to 118 degrees. People on the Raw food diet believe high heat destroys enzymes and vitamins critical for good digestion but American Dietetic Association challenges this. It says the body produces the enzymes necessary for digestion. The ADA also says cooking food below 118 degrees may not kill harmful, food-borne bacteria.

A few studies do support the belief that if you cook vegetables this tends to kill important nutrients. One showed that eating raw, cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale may reduce the risk of bladder cancer.  Cooking cruciferous vegetables robs them of their isothiocyanates agents that alter proteins in cancer cells.  It is found that even if you have a few servings a month of raw cruciferous vegetables, it seems to lower the risk.

Another study in which researchers reviewed findings of about 50 medical studies on raw verses cooked foods showed that eating raw vegetables helps reduce the risk of oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, esophageal, and gastric cancers.

Is the Raw Food Diet Healthy?

Researchers have found that following this diet could mean that you have a vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 is found naturally only in animal products. It is critical to nerve and red blood cell development. Deficiencies can lead to anemia and neurological impairment.

Researchers found healthy levels of vitamin A with people on a raw food diet, that come from vegetables and fruits and nuts but the study showed that they had lower than average plasma lycopene levels, which are thought to play a role in disease prevention. They are found in deep-red fruits like tomatoes. Lycopene content is highest, however, when tomatoes are cooked.

The raw food diet is rich in nutrients, full of fiber and low in fat and sugars. People following the raw food diet including vegans need to make sure they get enough vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, most of which are found naturally in animal products.

So the raw food diet has a lot going for it but you still need other foods as well like cooked meat.  I could not do the raw food diet 100% because there are too many foods that I enjoy cooked and I want to make sure that I get all the nutrients I need to be healthy.  I like my meat and two veg or fish and chips.  Most of my diet is raw as I enjoy salads and fruits and eat many vegetables raw. I love to make coleslaw to accompany my meals.

I found this recipe which uses cauliflower as the main ingredient and its really great to use as an accompaniment to a main meal.  Why not give it a try.

Ingredients

One small head of cauliflower
¾ cup sunflower seeds
½ small red onion
½ apple, cored and roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh coriander or other herb
1 handful currants, raisins or sultanas
2 cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (or more, to taste)
1 Tablespoon tamari or Nama Shoyu, OR ½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Put everything in the food processor and process until the cauliflower is in small pieces.


All the Best
Andrea