Are You Ready for Raw?

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

01 Apr 2008 08:11 PM

Sting, Angela Bassett, Woody Harrelson, David Bowie, Lisa Bonet, Robin Williams, Donna Karan, Alicia Silverstone and Demi Moore are a just a few of the celebrities you may have heard of who are eating raw foods and proud of it.

We're hearing more and more about raw food being all the rage these days so I thought it was high time we took a look at what this diet/lifestyle really entails.

The raw food diet is all about eating living foods that still have all their healthy enzymes intact. For obvious reasons, this is a vegetarian diet that relies solely upon plant foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and seaweed. (Dried fruit is OK because it isn't heated to over 116 degrees.)

116 Degrees is the threshold where the enzymes in foods begin to break down and the food effectively "dies". There is a spiritual element too as cooking is believed to kill the "life force" of a food.

Most raw dieters eat 75-85% of their food raw, while the other 15-25% is cooked.

The raw food diet is believed to increase one's energy, improve skin, help with digestion, reduce risk of heart disease and, especially important to readers here, help one lose weight.

Because you are eating raw, untreated foods, they are typically low in sodium while providing plenty of phytochemicals, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, folate, and fiber. All of these benefits are associated with a lowered risk of such killers as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The raw diet isn't for everyone. Children, women who are pregnant or nursing, those with anemia and those at risk for osteoporosis should not go raw. This diet takes a great deal of time to plan and prepare as foods must be fresh and prepared fresh. There is no freezer cooking on this diet. There are also some serious nutritional deficiencies that can occur when you are on a raw food diet like calcium deficiency, iron deficiency (or anemia), and b12 deficiency. This diet is also very low in protein and calories.

If you're still considering going raw, here is a list of the unprocessed foods you can eat:

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Nuts

Seeds

Beans

Grains

Legumes

Dried fruit

Seaweed

Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables

Purified water

Young coconut milk

Before you get started, prepare yourself for a rough start. If you currently have a diet high in meat, sugar or caffeine, you can expect to experience headaches and/or some irritable bowels until your body becomes accustomed to the raw foods and additional fiber.

If you decide to go through with it, please stop by and tell us how it works for you!

Related Blogs:

What's the Big Deal About Raw Diets

Raw Food Diet

New Deals Focus: Raw Vegan Lifestyle

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger