Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

young coconut milk

seaweed and sea vegetables (not acceptable to all raw

foodists)

wheatgrass

sprouts of all kinds

purified or bottled water

unpasteurized milk and dairy products made with

unpasteurized milk (non-vegans)

raw eggs (non-vegans)

Although a raw diet eliminated the time it takes to

cook food, food preparation can be quite time con-

suming. Meal planning is essential to get a proper

balance ofvitaminsandmineralsfrom this limited

diet. Raw foodists may need to takedietary supple-

mentsto meet their nutritional needs. In addition,

many raw foods need to be soaked, ground, chopped,

mixed, or handled in other ways before being eaten.

Raw food preparation often requires a blender, food

processor, juicer, and food dehydrator whose temper-

ature does not exceed 116F (47C).

Function

Although weight loss is not a goal of a raw food

diet, weight loss inevitably occurs because this diet is

very low infats,protein, and calories. More impor-

tantly, raw food tends to be part of a lifestyle choice

that involves a desire for purity, rejection of conven-

tional medicine, and an effort to be closer to nature.

Raw foodists believe that raw food contains

enzymes that help digestion. In their vies, cooking

inactivates or kills (denatures) these enzymes, making

it harder for the body to digest cooked food. Some raw

foodists go so far as to claim that cooked foods are

toxins. Raw foodists also believe that living food con-

tains bacteria and microorganisms that are beneficial

to digestion and that raw foods contain more nutrients

than cooked foods.

Benefits

Raw foodists claim that the raw food diet offers

the following benefits:

weight control. It is difficult, if not impossible, to

become obese on a raw food diet

increased energy

better digestion

a stronger immune system

more mental clarity and creativity

improved skin

a reduced risk of heart disease and other chronic

diseases

For the most part, these benefits are what fol-

lowers of the raw food diet report rather than benefits

proven by research that would be accepted by nutri-

tionist and practitioners of conventional medicine.

Precautions

Some foods are unsafe to be eaten raw.

Buckwheat greens are poisonous if eaten raw and

cause photosensitivity in fair-skinned people.

Rhubarb leaves can be poisonous if eaten raw. The

stalks can be toxic if they are not harvested when they

are young.

Raw kidney beans and kidney bean sprouts are

poisonous.

The greenish skin that develops on some potatoes is

poisonous. The toxin is neutralized by cooking at

high temperatures.

Raw foods, especially meats and seafood, can be

contaminated with bacteria and parasites that

would be killed with cooking.

It is generally recommended that traditional eat-

ers who wish to practice a raw food diet move gradu-

ally toward a higher percentage of raw food in their

diet rather than making a sudden change. Initially,

people switching to a raw food diet may experience

what raw foodists called detoxifying symptoms—

headaches, nausea,cravings, and depression.

Risks

Raw foodists tend to be rather fanatical about

their diet. They may be at risk of developing an eating

disorder called orthorexia nervosa. Orthorexia nerv-

osa is a term coined by Steven Bratman, a Colorado

physician, to describe ‘‘a pathological fixation on

Raw foods preparation techniques

• Blending


• Chopping, shredding, and grinding


• Dehydrating foods


• Juicing


• Soaking nuts and dried fruits


• Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
  Equipment for preparing raw foods


• Blender


• Coffee grinder


• Dehydrator (less than 116° F)


• Food processor


• Juice extractor


• Large glass containers and jars for soaking and sprouting

(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)

Raw foods diet