Why Try a Raw Food Diet?
Although some refer to the raw diet as the “anti-diet”, and prefer to call it a lifestyle promoting the consumption of whole foods in their natural state, the raw food diet has in any case spread like wildfire since its inception. Raw food in its purest form, fresh-picked from the tree or pulled out of the garden, is believed by advocates to brim with naturally present enzymes and nutrients easily absorbed by and beneficial to the body. In their opinion, it is and has always been the ideal food for the human body. In addition to the simple goals most of us have of just looking and feeling great, raw foodistsboast of numerous other health benefits from the lifestyle as well.
The Health Benefits are Vast and Varied
Improved digestion and heart health, revitalized liver function, prevention or the successful treatment of illnesses or health problems including constipation and cancer, clearing the skin up, preventing nutritional deficiencies, eliminating harmful toxins, and maintaining a healthy weight name just a few of the lengthy list of advantages they’ve experienced. According to staunch raw food advocates, when the body uses the foods it was naturally designed to consume, the process of healing itself begins.
The History of Raw Foods
With that in mind, we can trace the current trend toward raw foodism all the way back to the late 1800s when it was discovered that eating raw apples cured the jaundice of Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner. From that moment forward came all sorts of tests and experiments intended to measure the value of raw foods upon human (and other animal) health.
So Raw Food Caught On… and Continued
The premise continued from the Bircher-Benner discovery, that participants eat a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, seeds, sprouts, sea vegetables, and other foods – but only in the raw – in order to obtain (or regain) optimal health. No cooking of any kind is allowed on a raw food diet as it destroys nutrients – nor any microwaving, GMO foods, caffeine or exposure to herbicides/pesticides during or after the growing phase.
Joe Cross Learned and Shares How to Use Raw Foods to Fix Our Sick Bodies
Made popular recently by the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (free on Hulu now), the foods consumed by the movie’s star Joe Cross featured only raw juiced fruits and veggies for 60 days — which took him from being 100 pounds overweight, exhausted and guzzling prescriptions for an autoimmune disease to bursting with energy and vitality at his ideal weight. But once Joe regained his own health, he didn’t just stop there. He went on to find others who struggled with their weight and health like he did, and helped them to get healthy as well by using the same raw food methods. He now provides daily updates and articles written on the latest raw food trends and recipes on various social media including his own website, Reboot with Joe.
So Basically…Just Cut the Crap
In other words, junk food, pastas and pastries are out the door – but you won’t miss them a bit once you experience how great you feel! While some stick to a purely 100 percent raw food diet for a short period, most tend to implement some combination of cooked foods if applied over time. With the American lifestyle in mind, this combined version seems easiest to adhere to without growing overly frustrated. Most advise purchasing a blender or juicer (The famous Nutri Bullet or other similar types are very popular as well as great at extracting valuable nutrients from your produce) in order to both extract nutrients and also vary the diet with different flavors and blends. Store-bought fruit and veggie juices are generally off limits due to additives, but fresh homemade juices are encouraged. A good number of raw foodies are vegan, but there are others who also incorporate raw animal products like raw milk or cheese (unpasteurized), dried organic legumes (like lentils, mung beans), raw meat, and raw fish.
Are There Any Risks to a Raw Food Diet?
Some advise staying away from the raw food diet if you have a particularly sensitive gut. For example, those with ulcerative colitis may have trouble with a large amount of raw foods passing through consistently. In addition, some foods are better for you when cooked, at least slightly, such as cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli) and foods containing lycopene and beta carotene, so raw foodists at 100 percent raw might miss out on such nutrients from those items. Of course, with raw meats and other non-produce items, there is always the risk of sickness so proceed with the proper degree of caution. Overall, however, the diet seems highly beneficial.
