What it is
The Raw Food diet consists of uncooked, unprocessed, plant-based, ideally organic foods. At least three-quarters of the person's diet should consist of uncooked food.
There are four types of ‘raw foodists’:
The only animal products consumed are egg and dairy
No animal products are consumed
Both plant and animal based foods are consumed
Meat products are eaten
Foods included
How it works
Raw foodists believe heating food above 47 Celsius destroys the enzymes in raw food that aid digestion. They promote the health benefits gained through the exposure to natural, symbiotic bacteria which can aid digestion by populating the digestive tract with increased beneficial gut flora.
Pros
Benefits reported include improved health and skin, a better digestive system, less food intolerances, weight loss and more energy.
Cons
The diet requires a lot of food preparation and can cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome for some. You should also be aware of the risks associated with eating raw eggs and meat, such as salmonella and other harmful bacteria. You may also need to take diet supplements to make up for potential loss in protein, iron, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals like B12.
Recipes
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
FAQS:
Can the raw food diet help acne/ eczema?
As the raw food diet is based on natural, unprocessed and often organic foods, many report an improvement on their skin's condition. Dairy and wheat, often a cause for skin flair-ups and allergies, is much reduced which also contributes to reduced skin problems. Lastly, digestion is aided and the body effectively 'detoxed' on this high vegetable diet, helping the skin battle inflammatory attack.
What are the dangers?
As mentioned above, you must take the necessary precautions when dealing with raw eggs and meat.
** Can the raw food diet be helpful for cancer patients?**
Research suggests cancer cells are encouraged by growth hormones (often found in non-organic meats, dairy etc) and foods high in glucose (cakes, processed foods) etc, so replacing those with natural food said to slow down the cancer cells growth process such as garlic, is arguably a positive.