Juicing For Health - Raw Food Diet Health Benefits
Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is based around unprocessed and unheated plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, seaweeds and dried fruits. There are also some individuals that include raw superfood supplements into there diet.
The raw food diet involves not heating food above 116 Degrees Fahrenheit, the belief is that heating destroys the nutrient and live enzymes living foods contain.
There are many tools that are used as part of a raw lifestyle such as a dehydrator, blender, food processor, juicers and spiralizers. To be brutally honest none of these are needed to follow a raw food diet, but if you can afford them they do help and they give variation which can keep things exciting.
The raw food lifestyle is gaining alot of momentum and for good reason too, many are having significant health benefits from following a high raw food based diet. There is much anecdotal evidence on the raw food forums of those healing chronic health problems and conditions from raw foods.
Raw Food Diet Health Benefits
There are many benefits to including more raw fruits, vegetables, sprouts and other foods into your diet. So many that it would take a book to fill with the possible and studied benefits of a high raw food lifestyle. Here are some of the common health benefits people report from following a raw food diet below.
- 1. Anti-Aging & Longevity
- Most of us already know that were recommended to consume at least 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily to counter degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The raw food diet makes this a very easy target to achieve due to consuming a large amount of raw fruits and vegetables.
- 2. Radiant Skin
- Raw food diets are extremely rich in all the nutrients we need for healthy skin such as vitamin C, silica, sulfur and so on. Nutrients such as vitamin C and silica are responsible for the formation of collagen. Not only that because a raw food diet is very clean i.e no fried, excessive fatty, sugary processed foods our organs such as the liver don't take the stress they do with a standard american diet(SAD).
- 3. Increased Fiber Intake
- Raw food diets are very rich in dietary fiber which is great for keeping elimination regular aswell as for colon health. Not only that increasing your dietary fiber intake can ward off a host of diseases such as certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Fiber is essential for feeding the good bacteria which aid digestion and are a large part of the immune system.
- 4. Weight Loss
- One of the main reasons the raw food lifestyle has become so popular is because of the dramatic weight loss benefits many have reported. Even whilst consuming the same calories that they were before many have reported dramatic weight loss results.
- 5. Healing Chronic Health Problems
- There is a large amount of anecdotal evidence from those following a raw food diet that have healed various chronic health problems such as allergies, thyroid disorders, depression, liver problems and much more. It is likely that consuming a large amount of nutrients and phyto-chemicals contained in raw foods is what aids in the healing process.
- 6. Increase Energy
- The raw food diet utilizes maximum nutrition and you get optimal energy in return, without the use of stimulants such as caffeine which produce false energy and are detrimental to the health of the adrenal glands. Those who suffer from conditions such as adrenal fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome can benefit by supporting the adrenal glands with foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin B5. Overall a diet rich in nutrients aids the healing and replaces any deficiencies which can cause health problems.
- 7. Digestive Health
- We already talked abit above about the increase in fiber with a raw food diet and the digestive benefits such as keeping your bowel movements regular and supporting colon health. Many have reported curing there long term digestive problems by going raw such as indigestion, heartburn, candida overgrowth and much more. Raw foods are rich in many substances that support digestive health such as prebiotic fibers which feed the good bacteria.
- 8. Aids In Detoxification
- Raw foods are rich in nutrients and phyto-chemicals which can aid for example the liver in detoxification of toxic substances. Not only that as has been explained the raw food diet doesn't have the burden of foods rich in fats, sugars, salt, preservatives and other chemicals which can all stress elimination organs such as the liver and kidneys.
Raw Food Diet Side Effects/Precautions
Many nutrients are difficult or impossible to obtain from a raw vegan diet. One in particular that is impossible to obtain is vitamin B12, in which case the only route is to supplement with vitamin B12. The best B12 supplements are sublingual B12 or vitamin B12 injections. If you are not 100% raw then there are many vegan B12 fortified foods such as some brands of nutritional yeast, soya milk and so on.
There are some other nutrients that are of concern but with careful planning and adequate calories most of them shouldn't be of much issue. Some common nutrient worries on a raw food diet are protein, vitamin D, iodine, zinc and often iron. Iodine is a relatively easy deficiency to stave off, being that raw seaweeds are the best vegan source of iodine.
Many raw foods are a source of goitrogens such as kale, spinach, broccoli etc. Goitrogens are substances which suppress thyroid function by interfering with iodine uptake.
Goitrogens can be countered by cooking food for as little as 10 minutes, in this instance this isn't possible as the foods are raw. In which case id recommend increasing dietary iodine intake if you are consuming large amounts of goitrogen containing vegetables. Increasing iodine intake helps counter the effects of goitrogens. Here is a good article on goitrogens and the raw food lifestyle.
Initially some may experience some side effects when increasing raw foods into there diet. Some common side effects are nausea, digestive discomfort, die-off/cleansing symptoms such as a mild cold feeling, fatigue and cravings for salty, sugary or fatty foods. Be very careful when radically altering your diet, many try to attribute too many symptoms to detox which in some cases can be more serious problems such as hypoglycemia. As always consult with your doctor before any major dietary change.
There is no downside to increasing the amount of raw fruits, vegetables and other raw foods into your diet. But it may not be appropriate for certain people to follow a 100% raw food diet. Some examples include children, pregnant or nursing mothers(generally have higher nutrient needs), those with certain health conditions such as diabetes. Although there is anecdotal evidence that a raw food diet can alleviate many health conditions.
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