The Raw Foods Diet

If you’ve ever heard of the “Raw Foods Diet” you may have wondered what types of foods are included in this regimen, and what are the benefits of eating this way.  Technically, raw foods include any food that has not been heated to more than 118 degrees F.  What is not included: products that are cooked, roasted, fried, baked, or even pasteurized.  Think of all the foods you eat that are not then “raw” when you eat them: pasta, bread, cereal, cookies, eggs, meat (although raw meat technically is allowed by certain raw food advocates), roasted nuts, and pasteurized milk, just to name a few.

The likelihood of foodborne illness increases when raw meats, fish, and milk are consumed.  Some raw foodies’ answer to this is their assertion that you build a natural immunity to bacteria and parasites when you repeatedly ingest them.  (In my opinion, not worth trying).

The mainstay of the raw foods diet includes raw fruits, raw vegetables, sprouts, and raw nuts.  There are some elaborate recipes for making dishes that resemble foods we normally eat, at least in appearance.  But for the most part, followers of the diet fill up on vast quantities of vegetables and sprouts for most meals, snacking on fruits and nuts.  Some do include forms of sushi, steak tartar, and smoked salmon; most advocate vegetarianism.

Critics point out the likely lack of protein, sodium, vitamin B12, and even calories when following a regimen such as this.  It is quite difficult to consume the level of calories needed when eating just fruits, vegetables, sprouts, and nuts.  Thus, the raw foods advocates point out how beneficial the diet is for resulting weight loss, and the fact that no cholesterol is contained if you are not including animal products in your diet.

To date, no health agencies (such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, or the American Diabetes Association) have made recommendations to follow a diet such as this.  Are there cultures we can point to for epidemiological evidence of the benefits of eating only raw foods?  Anthropologists point out that, historically, populations that survived always cooked their food.

There may indeed be some benefits to a diet that is a compromise somewhere between the typical American diet and the raw food diet.  One such as this would include fewer processed foods. a lower sodium content, less sugar, less red meat (resulting in lower cholesterol intake), and a calorie level low enough to maintain a proper body weight.  But extremes such as eating a diet of only raw foods may bring about more health conditions than cures.

Photo credit: andersofsydney

Written by Laurie Beebe

About The Author: Laurie Beebe has been a registered dietitian for 25 years and is certified in adult weight management. Laurie currently serves as a diet coach and life coach at www.mycoachlaurie.com

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