In this type of diet, you will stop cooking because you will eat all in raw: fruits, vegetables, and grains. The proponents believe that the nutrients and natural enzymes of those foods will be destroyed by heating. This can be bad because the digestion process is boosted with the existence of certain enzymes. Some enzymes are also there to fight chronic disease. In sum, when you cook the foods, you kill them.
Some proponents even believe that by cooking the foods, they can become toxic. They claim that raw foods diet can heal allergies and headache, boost memory and immunity, and improve diabetes and arthritis.
Raw Food Diet Weight Loss: Is It Effective?
Since many raw foods are low in fat, calories, sodium, and high in fiber, you will probably lose weight when applying this kind of diet. You will also get some nutrients good for your body, including vitamins, fiber, minerals, phytochemicals.
It’s been proven to that cooking can destroy some water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and B.
However, raw food diet also has some drawbacks. Since most raw foodists also exclude animal products, you have to make sure that your body gets enough protein, calcium, iron, and other vitamins and minerals like B12. To fill this gap, you will need to take supplements.
In some cases, cooking is good because it can boost some nutrients such as lycopene and beta-carotene. The cooked foods are also free of food-poisoning because the bacteria have been killed through the cooking process.
Note for Raw Food Diet
Since the foods that are uncooked and unpasteurized can cause foodborne illness, you must wash your food very thoroughly. You need to be extra careful for risky foods like lettuce, green onion, raspberries, unpasteurized juices and milk, and sprout.
Since there is a risk of food poisoning, raw food diet is not recommended for pregnant women, seniors, young children, and those with weak immune system. People with chronic medical conditions, like kidney disease, must not try this kind of diet, either.
Raw food diet is good for you who are vegetarian and vegan. And since raw food dieters also eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, most of them are gulten-free.
Source: www.webmd.com
