The raw diet, is based on consuming unprocessed, preferably organic, whole plant-based foods, at least 75 per cent of which should be uncooked. Raw and living foods are believed to contain essential food enzymes. It is based on raw nuts, fruits, and various varieties of beans.
People who follow the raw diet for losing weight employ particular techniques for preparing their food. They include sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and dried fruits; and juicing fruits and vegetables. The only cooking that is accepted is via a dehydrator. This equipment blows hot air through the food but never reaches a temperature higher than 116°F. Other techniques required to prepare raw food are blending, juicing and chopping.
What You Need To Go On The Raw Diet
1. Meal plans. Following a raw food diet means that you will have to carefully plan your meals to make sure you do not fall short of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
In some instances it might also be appropriate to consider taking dietary supplements.
2. Equipment. You will need to invest in some appliances so that you’re able to prepare the food.
o A durable juice extractor for your fruit and vegetables
o A blender or a wooden spoon and sieve to crush and blend ingredients
o A food processor or chopper to save you time and effort
o Large containers to soak and sprout grains, seeds and beans
o Glass jars or Tupperware for storing your sprouts
Promoters of the raw diet believe that enzymes are the life force of a food and that every food contains its own perfect mix of them. These enzymes help us digest the food completely, without relying on our body to produce its own cocktail of digestive enzymes.
It’s also thought that the cooking process destroys vitamins and minerals and that cooked foods not only take longer to digest, but they also allow partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates to clog up our guts and arteries.
Followers of a raw diet mention numerous health benefits, including increased energy levels, improved appearance of skin, improved digestion, and weight loss. Clearly the raw food diet has many benefits.
John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.