Raw food is rich with natural enzymes, nutrients and minerals that can sometimes be obliterated or made less potent when cooked. Because of this, various form of a raw food diet plan have become quite popular.
In a typical raw food diet strategy, 75 to 80% of what you’ll eat every day will be plant-based foods that have never been heated to above 115°F. Most followers are vegan, however some choose to include in their diet raw, unpasteurized milk and cheese products, as well as certain kinds of raw fish and meats.
You’ll eat your fill of fresh fruit and veggies, seeds, sprouts and nuts. Dried, organic legumes, lentils and beans are also staples of a raw food diet.
Here’s the skinny on raw food diets from our perspective.
If you follow the rules and abide by the restrictions – are there are plenty of them – it’s very likely you’ll lose weight.
Studies have not been examined to determine the cardiovascular benefits of a raw food diet, however a diet pattern that relies so heavily on fruits and vegetables and so little on saturated fat and salt is universally regarded as an effective way to keep cholesterol under control and heart disease at bay.
Here’s the tricky part.
If you decide that a raw food diet is right for you, you must devise a sensible plan to find the necessary fats and proteins that do not occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. And you must also avoid risks stemming from consuming undercooked meat, fish or eggs.
Raw food diets are by nature very restrictive and we would encourage you to consult with us to formulate a healthy, wise plan of action.