Benefits of raw food diet are numerous. Today thousands more people than before world wide are switching to a raw food diet in an attempt to gain healthier bodies and for some to lose weight. A raw food diet forms an important approach amongst best ways to lose weight. From the onset it needs to be recognized that following a raw food diet takes some devotion. It involves a lot of work which will include looking for the raw food variety, spending time in the kitchen peeling and preparing it and then making an effort to maintain it. To some this can be the downside of raw-ism as it is also known.
To avoid confusion, there is a clear distinction between a whole food diet and eating raw foods. Raw foods are foods that are consumed uncooked and unprocessed. In fact a more encompassing definition of raw food diet is a pure vegetarian diet consisting of mostly raw organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Food is consumed in its natural whole state and not heated above 118º F. This is part of eating healthy.
It therefore follows that raw foods can be found in a whole food diet yet do not wholly form a whole foods diet. The benefits of raw food diet will include disease prevention, treatment, a slimmer body as well as clearer and smoother skin. Different people change their lifestyle to become raw-ists for different reasons ranging from health benefits and a desire to have clearer skin amongst other things.
In essence when you begin on a diet of raw food, you will be consuming 75 percent fruit and veggies. Clearly a plant based diet as is the case with a raw food diet will eliminate many of the things that causes chronic disease in the world today. The benefits of raw food diet will include consumption of very low cholesterol foods, low sodium levels and a stronger immune system due to the various minerals and vitamins found in raw foods. Consequently risk of life long disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and hypertension is drastically reduced.
Raw foods particularly provide the individual with a whole untempered with natural supply of minerals, enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, essential fats, phytonutrients and bioflavonoids amongst other things. Further as mentioned raw foods also supply bioflavanoids which promote anti-aging and help improve function of the circulatory system.
In discussing the benefits of going raw there is the obvious limitation that in depth scientific studies are still limited on the subject. It's an area which still has vast opportunities for research and conclusions. It is however noted that certain components accompanying a raw diet such as cabbage, sprouts and broccoli have a role to play in lowering significantly the risk of one developing bladder cancer. The gain here is in that these vegetables are eaten raw which avoids the usual denial of their beneficial isothiocyanates through cooking. Other benefits of raw food diet will include reduced risk of several other cancers including esophageal and gastric cancers.
Further benefits of raw food diet will include increased energy and revitalization. Many individuals who have changed their lifestyle to 100 percent raw food highly regard this boost in energy. They also report improved emotional well being. All dependent on how far a raw foodist goes, there is danger of missing some important vitamin B12 including calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids which are we find in animal products. However on the other hand some raw foodists also eat raw animal products which may include raw milk, cheese from raw milk, raw fish and raw meat.
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Other benefits of raw food diet will include an opportunity for the body to detox. This is usually achieved in the initial three to twenty-one days of starting out on the diet. It is clear that by following a raw food diet those participating in it are taking a clear break from the typical western society fast food nutrition diet which is loaded with sodium, sugar, trans fats and saturated fat. The following is a summary of the benefits of a raw food diet;
- Clearer skin
- Better energy
- Improved emotional well-being
- weight loss
- Disease prevention, treatment e.g cancers, hypertension etc
- Slowed aging in the long term
- Reduced carbon foot-print