As the word itself, Raw Food Diet is basically about consuming unprocessed or uncooked food. Raw foodists are the people who follow this diet. To consider yourself a raw foodist, three quarters of your diet should consist of uncooked, whole plant based and as much as possible organic foods. Vegans or those strict vegetarians are the largest group of raw foodist since eating raw plants is more common among all of us. Raw foodists are grouped into four branches;
- Raw vegetarians are those who consume only animal by-products but are of course raw such as eggs, milk and other dairy raw products and fruits and vegetables but they do not consume the animal meat itself.
- Raw vegans are those who strictly do not eat any food from animals. They only consume raw fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and other plants that can be eaten raw as food.
- Raw omnivores eat both raw plant and animal products and meat.
- Raw carnivores are those who only eat meat products and animal by-products that are raw such as fish, shellfish, poultry, pork, beef and others which are mostly grown organically.
While you may think it grouse to eat all raw food everyday of your life but there are really people who do this due to some health benefits. According to some study on eating raw or unprocessed food is that it promotes desirable weight loss and weight stability. It also enhances an individual’s ability to fight or prevent different illnesses or diseases especially those which are now chronic. It focuses on the fact that a raw food contains essential enzymes that are easily destroyed when the food is heated above 116 degrees Farenheit or 47 degree Celcius. Thus, it is more efficient to eat foods raw to allow our body to experience the full benefits that a particular food could offer just like on ancient time when people haven’t realized the concept of cooking food through fire.
Foods under the raw food diet are beans, dried fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables, juices form fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts. Purified water, seaweeds, legumes, seeds, and may also include egg, fish such as in sushi, meat, milk, dairy products for some branches.
However, eating raw foods will also expose you to some risks such as food poisoning especially when your food is not handled properly and may be eaten with so many harmful microorganisms and can be detrimental to your health. Raw foods can spoil fast and can be a habitat for different bacteria that can be either good or bad for you. If you are to try on this diet, make sure to handle your food properly and buy foods that are handled with proper sanitation facility and reduce you from risks of food poisoning. Food nowadays are more exposed to toxins and different chemicals unlike before that if not cooked or processed properly may even cause serious illness or death among consumers. Just make sure that what you eat whether cooked or raw should be clean to be able to serve its purpose for you to survive rather than causing you your destruction.