Raw Diets


Raw Diets, as the name suggests, refers to eating uncooked food. The foods are organic, unprocessed and are largely plant-based. These diets include such foods as:



The belief behind following a raw food diet is that raw and living foods contain higher concentrations of essential enzymes than cooked food does. The only cooking used in following such a diet is a dehydrator. People on such a diet sprout grains, beans and seeds, soak nuts and dried fruits and prepare juices from fruits and vegetable. Some of the benefits of following a raw diet include:



A person may experience some side effects when transitioning to a raw food diet from eating cooked and processed foods. This is because the body goes through a period of detoxification. Some of these side effects include headaches, a feeling of nausea or mild depression, especially if you have a craving for certain foods.

Since the raw food diet has no fat, is low in sodium and rich in potassium and fibre, it is a heart-healthy diet. However, eating raw foods only will not give the body all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and can lead to a deficiency in iron and calcium. Such a diet requires careful meal planning to make sure the meal contains foods that provide the body with all the essential elements.