Raw Food / Living Foods Diet Review
Review At A Glance
The raw food diet (or living foods diet) consists of uncooked and unprocessed organic foods. Proponents of the raw food diet believe it dates to prehistoric eras, before humans discovered fire and that the human digestive system evolved to enable a mainly raw, mainly vegetarian diet.How Does It Work?
Most of the foods consumed on this diet are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Some followers of the diet also consume raw meat and dairy products, although most follow a vegan diet. TWho Is It Good For?
People who are prepared for a committment to a raw food or living food life-style, including grain preparation; use of blender, food processor, juicer and dehydrater; avoidance of many restaurants; and embrace of the accompanying tenets and beliefs.Keys: Tenets & Beliefs
- Raw foods contain enzymes which act as catalysts to regulate the digestive process in the body.
- Heating (or freezing) food degrades or destroys these enzymes in food.
- Food without enzymes is thought to lead in the longer term to toxicity and obesity.
- Living and raw foods are thought to have higher nutrient values than cooked/processed foods.
Pros
- Persuasive historical line of thinking
- Visible results in raw foodists' own health
- Scattered supportive scientific research
- Said by many proponents to be transformative of energy, mood, outlook, self-image and weight control
- Promotes organic food production/consumption
Cons
- May lack vitamin B-12, calcium, and protein.
- Critics state that food enzymes cannot be fully utilized by the human body
- Some nutrients are only fully released in cooking
- Preparation of rice and other grains requires sprouting or overnight soaking