Raw Foodism
A raw diet is something that most people have heard about, but many don’t actually know what raw dieting requires. Raw dieting or raw foodism is eating only foods that are uncooked, unprocessed, and organic. This means a raw foodist will consume fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and other edible plants. While some raw foodists eat fruit and vegetables that are treated with pesticides, the most extreme and pure raw foodists will only choose organic foods, purified water, and eliminate all animal products. Those who want the purest raw food diet also do not consume alcohol or caffeine.
Each person can pick and choose how devoted to the raw diet they want to be. Many people still eat some meat, but try to have more than 75% of their diet composed of raw food. Some raw foodists target specifically eating fruits while others prefer to eat mostly vegetables. The raw food diet is truly unique to each individual’s health beliefs and goals for their diet habits.
The core motivation behind the raw diet is that more vitamins, minerals, and enzymes important to a healthy mind and body are retained in the food. Cooking foods causes them to lose a substantial amount of these nutrients, which is why the raw diet doesn’t heat foods above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Not being able to cook foods in a stove or oven leads many people following the diet to purchase food dehydrators. Food dehydrators warm fruits, vegetables, and other raw ingredients at a low temperature. This allows the nutrients to remain within the food while also allowing some variation to your diet. Food dehydrators don’t take up a lot of space and are relatively inexpensive, starting out between thirty to forty dollars, only working their way up to hundreds of dollars for the more elaborate designs. This makes dehydrating food easy and affordable for anyone switching to raw foods.
There are many benefits for adding more raw foods to your diet or converting completely to a diet of raw foods. You will be receiving more vitamins, minerals, and enzymes from many of your foods since you won’t be cooking them. Your diet will have lots of fiber to help keep a healthy digestive system. The foods you eat are also low in fat and sugar, helping you stay healthier and leaner. Many people who have converted to raw dieting have lost any excess weight they had prior to raw eating. Devoted raw foodists also see not consuming animal products or meat as an added benefit for the animal community.
Since a raw food diet does exclude so many foods, many people have to take supplements to ensure that all their nutritional needs are being met. Vitamin B-12 normally enters the body through the consumption of meat, but raw foodists may need to take a B-12 supplement to meet this requirement. Iron is also found mostly in meats, so iron supplements are usually recommended for those following the raw food diet. Also, the fatty acid Omega-3 is found in fish, so a supplement of Omega-3 may be necessary. These three supplements along with any others suggested by your doctor can bridge the gap in vitamins and other nutrients needed for a healthy body that are lacking in raw foods.
While only in recent years has raw-dieting become more well known, the idea itself of eating food in its raw, or purest, state is not new. Ancient civilizations used to eat fruits and vegetables raw and inspired people of modern times to model their eating habits after those of the past. Dr. Ann Wigmore, often credited as starting the raw food movement, recognized the importance of eating in a more natural state like humans did so many centuries ago.
Dr. Wigmore believed foods that were organic and natural were better for you than any processed foods. She received many awards throughout the 1970’s praising her for all her hard work towards helping people eat healthier. Since the 1970’s many different authors have written on raw food dieting, cutting out processed foods, and the importance of fruits and vegetables.
Raw foodism is only growing in recognition and popularity as blogs, recipes, and research studies are continually shared between people around the world. While there are many who love the raw food diet, this drastic change in food consumption should not be done without preparation. Just like with any other diet out there, switching to a raw diet should be done carefully to ensure that you are meeting your body’s daily nutritional requirements to stay happy and healthy.
A raw food diet is beneficial to all but as with any diet seek advice from your doctor before you begin your program. With a little tweaking of your daily diet, you too can enjoy the benefits of a raw food diet.