A raw food diet involves eating mostly unprocessed plant foods. It’s said to help with weight loss, along with other benefits.
When following a raw food diet, unprocessed, whole, plant-based foods should make up three-quarters of one's diet. The idea behind a raw food diet is that cooking food potentially destroys essential nutrients and enzymes, so consuming raw food helps retain its full nutritional value. You can also tailor a raw food diet for weight loss!
This blog will tell you more about the raw food diet, its benefits and risks, including what to eat and avoid, and how to prepare it.
Table Of Contents
- What Is A Raw Food Diet?
- 10 Amazing Benefits Of A Raw Food Diet
- Tips To Get Started On A Raw Food Diet
- Dietitian’s Recommendation
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
What Is A Raw Food Diet?
As the name suggests, raw food focuses only on eating unprocessed, raw foods that have undergone minimal preparation. This diet typically involves avoiding any processed foods and those that have been treated with preservatives, additives, or chemical fertilisers.
It is claimed that cooking food can destroy its nutrients and break down the beneficial enzymes that help you digest.
Several people who follow a raw food diet combine it with other health practices, like juicing or food dehydration, to create variety in their meals.
Also Read: 10 Healthier Food Swaps That Can Bring A Huge Impact On Your Long-Term Wellness
10 Amazing Benefits Of A Raw Food Diet
The following are the benefits of a raw food diet:
1. Easier To Digest
In contrast to what most of us believe, our bodies are naturally suited to a raw diet. That's because raw foods are rich in enzymes, which are the life force of food. Enzymes help us quickly digest food and break it down into smaller and absorbable nutritional units. The more enzymes, the easier our body is able to digest food without straining our system. Cooking and overcooking food causes the death of living enzymes; therefore, eating these foods makes our bodies work harder to produce enzymes for our bodies.
Also Read: Understanding Gut Health And Skin: 10 Home Remedies To Improve Digestion For Better Skin
2. Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is said to be one of the main roots of health problems today. It is the body's natural response when our immune system is compromised. While a certain amount of inflammation is good for the body (it means our body is doing its job and fighting off bacteria or foreign bodies), chronic inflammation can cause bodily systems to malfunction, weaken the immune system, and make you more vulnerable to infection.
A raw, plant-based diet contains important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can minimise inflammation in the body and reduce several health risks.
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3. Promotes Weight Loss
Raw foods can support weight loss and weight management by promoting satiety and reducing overall calorie intake. Raw foods like fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods are low in calories but high in fibre and water content, allowing you to eat larger portions without consuming excess calories.
The fibre content also helps control hunger and cravings which makes it easier to manage weight without feeling deprived.
Also Read: Implement 7 Health And Fitness Tips For Weight Loss Results!
4. Optimised Nutrient Absorption
Even if you don't eat a 100% raw food diet, you can still optimise your body's nutrient intake with it. Many vegetables quickly destroy their phytonutrients when heated, making their raw versions much more healthy. Cooking nutrient-dense foods destabilises enzymes and destroys important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
5. Increased Fruit Consumption
Most raw foods consist of vitamin-rich, deliciously sweet fresh fruit. Fruit is low in calories and will leave you feeling energised and satisfied. When fruit is eaten whole, the fibre helps slow and healthy digestion, keeping you feeling full and controlling your appetite. Fruit can also be blended or juiced to add delicious variety to a raw diet.
Also Read: 10 Benefits Of Eating Fruits On An Empty Stomach With 8 Choices!
6. Increased Vegetable Consumption
A raw food diet naturally increases vegetable consumption, as it focuses on unprocessed, plant-based foods. As a result, it can promote better health by providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre. A raw diet provides a daily serving of vegetables, and its accompanying nutrients can be created in smoothies, salads and slides.
7. Balances Nutrition
By incorporating various fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains, a raw food diet helps ensure a diverse and balanced nutrient intake. When properly planned, it can offer all the essential nutrients that your body needs without relying on processed foods or artificial additives.
8. Promotes Heart Health
Without any animal products or added salt, a raw food diet is very low in cholesterol and sodium, which reduces the risk of heart disease. This allows your heart to pump more efficiently and increases the efficiency of blood flow.
9. High-Fibre Content
Fibre-rich foods in a raw food diet are linked with health benefits such as weight control, digestive health, cardiovascular health, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Fibre helps keep our bowels clean and also adds bulk. They help collect and remove waste regularly.
Also Read: Your Secret Weapon To Slim Down Fast: 20 Weight Loss Fibre Foods And Their Game-Changing Benefits
How To Start A Raw Food Diet? Tips To Get Started On A Raw Food Diet
A raw diet basically includes raw fruits and vegetables, sprouted grains and legumes, raw nuts and seeds, raw salads, raw smoothies and raw soups, and raw desserts. Here are six tips to help you get started:
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Dietitian’s Recommendation
If you're thinking of starting a raw food diet, it's always better to start with a few simple steps before slowly increasing your intake of raw food. So, start by adding salads to all your meals (even if you're having pizza or a pasta) to help your digestion.
Breakfast can be a great place to start this diet by making a smoothie with fresh fruit, nut milk and added chia seeds and spirulina for a great start to your day.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Raw foods are preservative-free. They are fibre-rich foods that are high in nutrients, low in calories, rich in calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics. A raw food diet may aid weight loss and improve digestive health.
However, when you start a raw food diet, you should first start by eating half-and-half of raw and cooked foods to get your body used to it.
FAQs
1. What to eat on a raw food diet?
On a raw diet, one has to eat uncooked and unprocessed foods such as fresh produce, nuts, legumes and sprouted grains.
2. Is raw food really good for you?
Though a raw food diet has many benefits, it may make it difficult to get enough intake of certain nutrients, such as protein and some vitamins. Eating raw foods may also increase your risk of foodborne illness.
3. Is raw food good for weight loss?
Yes, a raw food diet can be beneficial for weight loss as it is low in calories and high in nutrients, promoting healthy eating habits.
4. How can I make a raw food diet meal plan?
To create a raw food diet meal plan, include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, ensuring at least 75% of your meals are raw.
References
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/raw-food-diet-is-it-healthier
- https://www.pushdoctor.co.uk/nutrition-advice/raw-food-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight
- https://www.spatzmedical.com/blog/raw-food-diet-beneficial-for-weight-loss/
- https://nussli118.com/blogs/the-nussli118-blog-for-healthy-living/sharing-my-journey-with-experience-life-magazine?srsltid=AfmBOor1gzZ-IYHl6Pd6go7HU1Ll4Ax4cIPqgGncFNPiFZTWX2R0638t
- https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/raw-food-diet/?sem_campaign=PMAXDynDiet_India&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuou6BhDhARIsAIfgrn4enz3cPAaYxWzM6eOykLmMBZfoHNqfOCiFRrWuOoopkPBOVLgTcIkaAs6ZEALw_wcB#illustration-7-day-raw-food-diet-what-to-eat-benefits-and-side-effects
- https://www.cafassosfairwaymkt.com/health-benefits-of-a-raw-food-diet/
- https://nutri-produce.com/2021/11/24/tips-for-ripening-your-fruit-2/
- https://antidote.sg/5-benefits-of-eating-raw-foods/?srsltid=AfmBOoq_1lGveGvu27ZOy0-7Jpv2C2eU6jeGXOaJNV9XdlkpiUG2HKrE
- https://www.nutripulse.in/blog-single/what-is-raw-food-diet-know-its-benefits-risks-and-what-to-eat/
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