The Raw Food Diet: Will It Work for You?
A relatively new food trend has appeared on the diet landscape.
It’s known as the raw food approach, and from California to Connecticut,
the trend appears to be gaining strength. The centerpiece of the diet is
uncooked, highly nutritious foods. The idea behind the diet is that a
number of foods lose nutritional value when they are cooked.
For the most part, those who subscribe to the raw food diet eat
fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Beverages consist of
unpasteurized milk, water, juice, and tea, but the diet excludes beer and
liquor. It is a revolutionary way to eat, and many of those who use it
say it keeps them thin and healthy.
However, while the raw diet is rich in some nutrients, it lacks
others. For instance, it tends to exclude such vitally important nutrients
as protein, iron, and calcium. Therefore, it may not be an appropriate
diet over the long term. Also, one disadvantage to the raw food diet is
that the food tends to be loaded with pesticides. Therefore, it might be
best to consume only organic raw food.
For health reasons, the diet is not recommended for children, women
who are pregnant, people suffering from osteoporosis, and those who are
anemic. Critics of the diet also note that it can be extremely time
consuming trying to prepare food with all the chopping and blending that’s
involved. As a result, a raw food diet isn’t for everyone.
If you decide to turn to a raw food diet, you may have to have
supplements to make up for the nutrients you are not getting. These
supplements include vitamin B12, zinc, copper, and chromium. Also, since
proteins from plants do not have as many amino acids as animal protein,
you’ll have to consume a number of different raw foods in order to remain
healthy.
Some medical experts have suggested that a raw food diet is a good
antidote to eating disorders. This is because such food provides nutrition
without creating fat. Eating raw foods can give you a positive outlook on
food in general, enabling you to combat psychological addictions to fatty
and high sugar foods.
Some supporters of the raw food diet believe that some raw foods
are superior to others. These experts recommend focusing on fruits and
vegetables and eating only minimal amounts of nuts and seeds. They also
say that the fresher the food, the better. In other words, the best raw
foods come from your own garden rather than from a supermarket.
At this point, it might be helpful to say some additional words
about proteins. According to the World Health Organization, people need to
consume five percent of their calories from protein. Interestingly enough,
five percent of the calories in fruit are derived from protein, while as
much as half of the calories from vegetables are protein-based. Beans and
grains derive about a quarter of their calories from protein. Backers of
the raw food diet insist that raw foods provide a better source of protein
than cooked foods, since the cooking process itself may make as much as
half of all protein unusable.
Some medical experts see great benefits in the raw food diet. In
addition to enabling weight loss, the diet can ostensibly increase one’s
metabolism, making calorie burning easier. One’s immune system can become
stronger, and the body may rid itself of harmful toxins while following the
raw foods program. The raw foods diet is also advertised as a stress-
reliever and a method for enhancing digestion. The diet may enable you to
balance your PH level and lessen your risk of heart disease. Some dieters
even claim that the raw food regimen improves the look of their skin.
Finally, the diet is seen as a healthy way of responding to hunger.
If you decide to try the raw food diet, you should attempt to plan
your meals in advance. That way, you can assure yourself that you are
receiving the maximum amount of nutrients. Also, those who follow the diet
recommend eating fruit early in the day in order to boost your energy level
and improve your digestion.
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