Raw Food Diet
The Raw Food diet believes that plant foods in their most natural state, uncooked and unprocessed, are the healthiest food option for your body.
While the Raw Food diet can certainly help you lose weight, it is more of a lifestyle than a short-term weight loss plan. The Raw Food diet consists of a lot of preparation time in the kitchen, which is something that needs to be considered before immersing yourself in this diet. You will find yourself chopping, peeling, straining and blending a lot of fruits and vegetables.
How does the Raw Food diet work?
The Raw Food diet is different than most diets in that you will never have to cook your food. Rather than cook their food, raw foodists use food dehydrators that lend crunch to fruits and vegetables. The main belief behind the Raw Food diet is that cooking food at high temperatures robs it of its valuable enzymes and vitamins. All meals planned under the Raw Food diet cannot be prepared above 118 degrees.
Benefits of Raw Food
While there is not much medical literature on the subject of the Raw Food diet, a few studies do exist that appear to back up the claims that cooking food at high temperatures kills important nutrients. One research project showed that eating raw, cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale may reduce the risk of bladder cancer. Cooking these vegetables at high temperatures rids them of their isothiocyanates, agents that alter proteins in cancer cells.
However, on the other side of the argument, the American Dietetic Association argues that preparing food below 118 degrees does not kill harmful, food-borne bacteria, leaving yourself vulnerable to other food relate illnesses.
Is the Raw Food diet healthy?
As is the case with diet that focuses on eating one type of food, the health benefits can affect every person in a different way. Replacing a balanced diet with a Raw Food diet can deprive you of some essential vitamins such as B12, which is found naturally only in animal products. A B12 deficiency can lead to anemia and neurological impairment as B12 assists with red blood cell development.
If you ensure that your body is getting the required vitamins and nutrients that are lacking in the Raw Food diet, this particular diet plan can be healthy and lead to significant weight loss. Taking additional supplements to make sure that your body receives these vitamins and nutrients will help you realize the biggest benefits when going on the Raw Food diet.
