The raw food diet is another of the dietary regimens made only with organic foods and with very special characteristics. Currently, it is a very fashionable food trend all over the world and is practiced mainly by people who want to change their lifestyle or simply lose weight.
In this article, we provide you with all the information you need to know about the raw food diet and the benefits it can bring to your health.
What is the raw food diet?
The raw food diet, Raw Food or Living Food , is a type of dietary regime where the main characteristic is the intake of raw or cooked food at a temperature between 42°C and 48°C, especially cultivated vegetables, since they it is estimated that above these temperatures their enzymes are destroyed.
To highlight: In this form of diet, it is of vital importance that the food has gone through a completely organic cultivation and handling process , including the water with which these foods are grown must be totally drinkable, so as not to put life at risk. of its consumers, in addition, the hydration used in this diet must come from purified water.
The advantage of this type of natural diet is that all the nutrients it contains are fully consumed, since they are not lost during the cooking process. The raw food diet is itself a vegan or vegetarian type diet . (1)
However, eating raw food supplies the body with all the nutrients offered by these vegetables without any type of degradation, estimating that the positive effects on health are greater.
How do you do the raw food diet?
Each type of dietary regime has its own characteristics and peculiarities, and in attention to this, we describe below how to make a raw food diet:
1. Foods that can be eaten
You can consume all kinds of raw fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts such as walnuts , almonds and that are of organic origin. On the other hand, the following foods can also be included:
- Coconut milk .
- Integral rice.
- Legumes or grains previously soaked.
- Oil from seeds and nuts.
- Whole grains .
- Seaweed.
- Cold-pressed oils such as olive oil or coconut oil.
- There is the possibility of including raw meat or fish, as long as they are prepared safely, in addition to eggs and raw milk
Note: It is advisable to consult with your nutritionist, so that they can adapt a raw food diet according to your characteristics and also tell you that there are certain foods of plant origin that cannot be eaten raw .
2. Foods to avoid
Here are the foods you should avoid on this diet:
- Fruits, vegetables, red or white meat and processed or cooked cereals.
- Nuts or seeds that have been roasted.
- Refined carbohydrates and sugars.
- Processed pasta and rice.
- Canned and sausages.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Juices and pasteurized dairy.
- Bakery and pastry products.
- Refined oils.
- Grains without prior preparation to avoid gases.
What are the benefits of the raw food diet?
Due to the quality of the nutritional contributions of this raw food diet, it represents a variety of benefits to your health and which we describe below:
1. Reduces the risk of heart disease
Heart disease arises as a consequence of the accumulation of low density cholesterol in veins, arteries and in the walls of the heart and is due to the consumption above the limit of saturated fats.
The origin of raw foods is essentially vegetable , so the supply of cholesterol and saturated fat to the body is restricted, since these vegetables are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, beneficial nutrients for cardiovascular health.
To highlight: A study found that the consumption of a strict diet of raw foods reduces plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and triglycerides. (two)
2. Regulates blood sugar
This is how consuming raw foods also favors blood sugar levels. We have already mentioned that within the list of foods not allowed in this type of diet, are refined carbohydrates and sugars , which are foods responsible for altering blood glucose when consumed without moderation.
On the other hand, raw foods are rich in dietary fibers, which have the ability to regulate the absorption of blood sugar through the digestive tract.
3. Helps detoxify the body
The raw food diet also limits the supply of processed, junk and refined foods that, in the process of metabolizing in the body, generate waste and toxins.
You should know: The raw food diet provides only healthy foods, with no added chemicals or refined products in them. Furthermore, raw foods supply vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support the detoxification process.
4. Promotes digestive functions
Another characteristic of the raw food diet is that it provides enough soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, which allows the transit of food adequately in both the small and large intestine .
Soluble fiber allows the formation of a gelatinous mass after absorbing water from food, facilitating its passage through the small intestine, and insoluble fiber facilitates the transit of feces in the colon and favors its expulsion.
Note: Many of the fruits, such as pineapple or papaya , contain enzymes that favor the digestion of food.
5. Increases physical energy
The raw food diet supplies the human body with the necessary nutrients to maintain and increase available energy and thus perform daily activities.
To highlight: These live foods provide B vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that are directly involved in the metabolism of energy that the different cells of the body require for their proper functioning. In addition, some of them provide proteins for the construction of tissues and muscle mass.
6. Contributes to weight loss
The raw food diet, as we have already mentioned, is limiting in terms of the consumption of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. This allows the body to regulate the levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and consequently its less accumulation as adipose tissue.
In people with obesity problems, this limitation in the consumption of saturated fatty acids and refined carbohydrates favors the elimination of body fat, contributing to weight loss.
You should know : Studies indicate that all the raw foods in this diet are very low in caloric intake to the body , but rich in nutrients, and may be recommended for weight control. (3)
7. Improves skin health
The live foods in this diet provide antioxidant compounds, vitamins and minerals that promote skin health , are involved in healing processes, in the synthesis of collagen and as antioxidants to prevent skin aging and the appearance of premature wrinkles. .
Important: The nutrients in these raw foods contribute to the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which are necessary to transport essential nutrients to skin cells.
8. Prevents cancer
Another benefit of this diet is that it minimizes the risk of suffering from some types of cancer. Many of the nutrients provided by the diet, including vegetables and fruits, provide chemical compounds that fight oxidative damage to cells , which cause their degeneration and proliferation in the form of cancer cells.
To highlight: There are studies where it is verified that a diet rich in antioxidants can prevent the appearance of some carcinogenic forms. (4)
What are the risks of the raw food diet?
One of the first limitations to carry out this raw food diet is that there are few countries or places where totally organic food is available , because agriculture has become industrialized and the use of pesticides is very common, affecting quality and safety. of the food (5)
Another risk in eating raw food is that some must go through a pasteurization process or must be cooked to eliminate any possibility of contaminating microorganisms such as salmonella .
You should know: It can represent a diet that is incomplete in nutrients , since there are macronutrients that are provided by foods of animal origin that are of a higher quality than those of vegetable origin, such as protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. (6)
In addition, saturated fats in their proper measure fulfill a very important function within the body, being able to affect its metabolic functions at some point.
Key Findings
- The raw food diet provides the body with 100% of the nutritional value of food.
- In this diet of raw foods , those from the animal kingdom or that have been processed in some way are excluded.
- This diet includes only the use of totally organic food , from its production, to its storage and distribution.
- This long-term diet can cause a deficiency of some nutrients that are vital to the body.
- The raw food diet carried out consciously can promote cholesterol and blood sugar levels, weight loss and improve some functions in the body.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.