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The Raw Food Diet: Will It Work for You? :
A relatively new food
trend has appeared on the diet landscape. It’s known as the
raw food approach, and from California to Connecticut, the trend appears
to be gaining strength. The centerpiece of the diet is uncooked, highly
nutritious foods. The idea behind the diet is that a number of foods
lose nutritional value when they are cooked.
For the most part, those who subscribe to the raw food diet eat fruits,
vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Beverages consist of unpasteurized
milk, water, juice, and tea, but the diet excludes beer and liquor.
It is a revolutionary way to eat, and many of those who use it say
it keeps them thin and healthy.
However, while the raw diet is rich in some nutrients, it lacks others.
For instance, it tends to exclude such vitally important nutrients
as protein, iron, and calcium. Therefore, it may not be an appropriate
diet over the long term. Also, one disadvantage to the raw food diet
is that the food tends to be loaded with pesticides. Therefore, it
might be best to consume only organic raw food.
For health reasons, the diet is not recommended for children, women
who are pregnant, people suffering from osteoporosis, and those who
are anemic. Critics of the diet also note that it can be extremely
time consuming trying to prepare food with all the chopping and blending
that’s involved. As a result, a raw food diet isn’t for
everyone.
If you decide to turn to a raw food diet, you may have to have supplements
to make up for the nutrients you are not getting. These supplements
include vitamin B12, zinc, copper, and chromium. Also, since proteins
from plants do not have as many amino acids as animal protein, you’ll
have to consume a number of different raw foods in order to remain
healthy.
Some medical experts have suggested that a raw food diet is a good
antidote to eating disorders. This is because such food provides nutrition
without creating fat. Eating raw foods can give you a positive outlook
on food in general, enabling you to combat psychological addictions
to fatty and high sugar foods.
Some supporters of the raw food diet believe that some raw foods are
superior to others. These experts recommend focusing on fruits and
vegetables and eating only minimal amounts of nuts and seeds. They
also say that the fresher the food, the better. In other words, the
best raw foods come from your own garden rather than from a supermarket.
At this point, it might be helpful to say some additional words about
proteins. According to the World Health Organization, people need
to consume five percent of their calories from protein. Interestingly
enough, five percent of the calories in fruit are derived from protein,
while as much as half of the calories from vegetables are protein-based.
Beans and grains derive about a quarter of their calories from protein.
Backers of the raw food diet insist that raw foods provide a better
source of protein than cooked foods, since the cooking process itself
may make as much as half of all protein unusable.
Some medical experts see great benefits in the raw food diet. In addition
to enabling weight loss, the diet can ostensibly increase one’s
metabolism, making calorie burning easier. One’s immune system
can become stronger, and the body may rid itself of harmful toxins
while following the raw foods program. The raw foods diet is also
advertised as a stress-reliever and a method for enhancing digestion.
The diet may enable you to balance your PH level and lessen your risk
of heart disease. Some dieters even claim that the raw food regimen
improves the look of their skin. Finally, the diet is seen as a healthy
way of responding to hunger.
If you decide to try the raw food diet, you should attempt to plan
your meals in advance. That way, you can assure yourself that you
are receiving the maximum amount of nutrients. Also, those who follow
the diet recommend eating fruit early in the day in order to boost
your energy level and improve your digestion.
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