Should a Healthy Diet Plan Consist of Raw Foods?

A raw diet works exactly what it sounds like — it’s a form of veganism that is based on taking raw, non-processed and uncooked meals. It is sometimes referred to as raw vegan diet.

Therefore, all meat and poultry, dairy eggs, in addition to all foods that contain animal by-products are not allowed from this healthy diet plan. The diet permits to use a dehydrator for food as the sole means to “cooking” food, but food items should not be cooked to temperatures above 118°F (48°C). 

The base of this diet founded on the belief that food that is raw has the most energy and are based on the thermodynamic principles. When you cook food and cook them, nutrients are removed and vital enzymes within the food are destroyed. Therefore, food items in their natural, raw state are the best to our health.

The benefits from a Raw Food Diet

While only a few large-scale research studies have been conducted on the raw food diet however, the results of studies have demonstrated some health benefits. Furthermore, there are many stories of improvements in overall health of those who have been following the diet for an extended duration of time. According to the advocates of this type of diet, following raw foods keeps the enzymes that are present in food and aids digestion and improves intake of nutrition. Furthermore, there are more nutrients in raw foods since heating and cooking certain foods can reduce the amount of vitamins in the food, particularly vitamin C and E. Studies have revealed that people who eat eating raw foods were significantly more enriched in antioxidants in their systems when compared to those who eat an omnivorous, cooked diet.

Dietary antioxidants are believed to have anti-cancer properties in numerous studies. Research studies of eating raw foods also observed significant weight loss due to the switch to this diet which is beneficial for people who are obese or overweight. It has also proven effective and recommended to people who suffer from digestive or bowel issues (particularly constipation) because it is rich in fiber.

A healthy gut microflora can be connected to a decrease in gut inflammation due to the fact that healthy gut bacteria create nutrients that decrease inflammation. Indeed, many people following the raw foods diet say that they have chosen this diet due to health benefits particularly the treatment and prevention of illnesses. Furthermore, switching to a raw food diet has been linked to lower levels of LDL cholesterol; this is also known as “bad” cholesterol that is associated with cardiovascular diseases. This is likely because the diet is free of most of the usual sources of fats, like red meat and dairy.