Keep It Raw...The Health Benefits Of A Raw Food Diet
Keep It Raw...The Health Benefits Of A Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet has been around for a super long time. But with the easy access we have to the internet and social media now the popularity of the raw food diet is spreading world wide as people experience the huge life benefits from it.
So what exactly is the raw food diet you ask?
Let’s find out!
The raw food diet consists of eating mostly or completely unprocessed or raw foods. We will give examples later in the post of raw foods.
Basically raw food is a food in it’s natural state (not heated or cooked over 104-118 degrees F). For food to be raw it cannot be pasteurized or refined, and it has to be organic ( no icky pesticides) and not processed.
Vegans are the most extreme version of the raw food diet. They don’t eat anything having to do with animals, only plants. No meat, cheese, eggs, etc.
Some vegetarians eat mostly plants but also consume eggs, cheese and grass fed butter, no meat though. Listen to your body, it will tell you if something works for you or not.
It is believed by some that cooking food depletes the nutrients and enzymes of food, as well as extinguishing the foods good energy. This makes total sense because everything is energy. Live energy is alive and does not need to be cooked. :)
Some of the many benefits of eating a raw food diet are:
Decreased brain fog
Increased energy
Reduced inflammation
Weight loss
Improved longevity
Natural healing
Improved overall health
Improved quality of life
Participating in a raw food diet essentially lets your body get back to basics. To heal its self naturally without all of the processed shitty foods being shoveled down your throat. Give your body a chance to do its job and the health rewards are huge.
Here are some examples of raw foods:
All organic raw vegetables
Organic raw fruits ( just remember that fruit is full of sugar, so limit your daily fruit intake)
Organic sprouts
Organic raw nut butter (low carb nuts are the best ,walnut, macadamia nut, pecans, pine nuts, etc)
Organic seaweed
Raw legumes (sprouted or soaked)
Organic cold-pressed olive oil
Organic cold-pressed coconut oil
Organic hemp oil
Organic raw nuts
Organic raw seeds
Foods to avoid while on the raw food diet:
Anything processed
Pasta
Bread
Alcohol
Refined sugars
Refined flour
Anything baked
Icky oils: canola oil, palm oil, vegetable oil, etc.
Grains
Roasted seeds
Roasted nuts
Donuts
Chips
Fast food
Basically anything processed, the we all know is not good for us anyway…:)
Research shows that one of the biggest benefits of eating a raw food diet is the living enzymes in the food. Remember as we said above cooking or processing food depletes these enzymes.
These natural enzymes are crucial to your digestion and overall health. (health line)
There are pros and cons to everything in life, and that includes the raw food diet. It may not be for everyone, my only hope is that everyone tries it every once in a while (for a week or two) to give your body a break.
We eat a lot of raw food daily, but will also go a week or two without clean meat or do a 3-5 day juice cleanse. Listen to your body, it will never steer you wrong. And always ease yourself into anything you do. If you are smashing three Big Macs a day and try to go cold turkey into a raw food diet you are setting yourself up for failure, your bad gut buddies will make you feel like you are on your death bed.
Simply ease into the raw food diet. Add an organic green salad packed full with the above good examples of raw foods in place of one of you big mac meals. Do this for a few days and then replace the second big mac meal with a bowl of organic green yummy goodness. In only 7 days you are down to only one big mac, and now you can slowly phase that out with some organic raw goodness.
Remember to take a B12 and vitamin D supplement while you are on your raw food diet. Switching to raw foods lowers your intake of these vitamins.
Below are some popular questions and answers about the raw food diet:
Q: What can you eat on a raw food diet?
A: Your staples are raw organic fruits and vegetables, organic nuts and seeds, and organic soaked legumes. Some choose to eat raw eggs and consume unpasteurized dairy. Your food can be cold or a little warm, but it cannot exceed 118 degrees. You can use blenders, food processors, and dehydrators to prepare foods.
Q: Can you lose weight eating raw food?
A: A raw vegan diet seems very effective at helping people lose weight and keep it off. In fact, studies consistently link raw food diets-including raw veganism- to lower amounts of body fat. In one study, people following various raw food diets for over 3.5 years lost around 22-26 pounds (10-12kg).
Q: Is it healthy to eat raw vegetables?
A: Chapman family cancer wellness at Piedmont, says incorporating raw foods, specifically vegetables and fruits into your diet can have numerous health benefits. “You will likely have more energy, better skin, improved digestion and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease once you get used to eating raw food”.
As you can see eating a raw food diet is a great tool to have in your wellness toolbox. Try it for a day.. a week…or if it resonates the rest of your life!
Always remember to listen to your body, it will tell you what works and what does not.
Have fun…and be your best self always.
Here’s to your health…
Cheers!
