Have you ever heard of the raw food diet? You’re probably thinking that this is just another fad diet that doesn’t really work at all, but there are others who follow this diet because it promotes eating food that are in their natural state which they believe contains the most nutrients in a way that they are easy to digest.
Benefits of Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet has been around for centuries and it appears that it will be here to stay because of the numerous benefits that it provides. Here are a few that you should know of:
Boosts digestion
Reduces inflammation
Delivers dietary fiber
Enhances energy levels
Protects against cancer
Regulate body weight
Basics of Raw Food Diet Menu
What goes on in a raw food diet menu? Since the goal here is to make you eat food in their rawest form, your diet will most likely contain fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds which are similar to a vegetarian diet. What makes this different is that it comes with supplements as well as enzymes that will take the place of meat. The focus on the raw food diet is that your food should not be cooked or baked at all. This means that you won’t be able to eat fried tofu, broiled broccoli, and even heated tempeh at all. What then can you eat?
Green leafy vegetables
Nuts but in moderation
Natural fruits (skip the seedless ones)
Rice (as long as it is cooked by the sun)
Melons as well as sweet fruits
Citrus fruits for detoxification
Avocadoes for healthy fats
You can actually eat anything as long as it is not processed or cooked.
Who Benefits from Raw Food Diet?
It shouldn’t be surprising that following a raw food diet can yield several health benefits, but who can take advantage of this? Truth be told, we all can benefit from this type of diet because the foods here are easier to digest than the ones that we tend to cook. What’s more, when we cook these foods, we are reducing the important enzymes that they have which means that we are robbing ourselves of valuable antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are essential to our health.
Another reason why following a raw food diet can be good for everyone is that it reduces acidity, alkalize the body, as well as minimize the chances of causing fermentation in the gut. Of course, there are others who will benefit from this diet and these are the ones who have:
Heart diseases
Osteoporosis
Cancer
Autoimmune disease
Fatigue
Muscle aches and pains
High blood pressure
Kidney disease
Gallstones
Food allergies
Headaches
Difference Between Vegan Diet and Raw Food Diet
Is there any difference between vegan diet and raw food diet? You might be thinking of going into a “raw vegan” but how is this different from your usual raw food diet? Experts say that the two are almost the same with one another but those who are following a diet that is high in raw food doesn’t really have to skip consuming animal products at all. There are raw food diets that allow consumption of raw fish, raw meats, raw dairy products, and even eggs for that matter.
Raw vegans, on the other hand, are those who don’t really eat any animal products and little to no cooked foods. This may sound a bit extreme to others which is why not everyone can stick with it for a long time. What’s more, they may be missing important nutrients too which are usually found in animal products. Following raw vegan may mean that you are missing out on vital nutrients which can be detrimental to your health.
