HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE RAW FOOD DIET?

As many of us know cooking food depletes it from certain nutritional values and the enzymes that help us digest and absorb the nutrients well. Knowing this fact, some people chose to turn to a raw food diet to improve their health and well-being. The majority of the daily calories intake is either raw or "live" and consists mainly of uncooked and unprocessed foods, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits, nuts, beans, grains, and other foods such as these.

The raw food diet has many health benefits, such as the consumption of a low trans fat, saturated fats, sodium and calories. In addition, it adds an increase in essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, fibre, folate, and phytochemicals. Not only does the raw food diet offer its users better aid in digestion, a boost in energy, improved skin appearance and weight loss, but it also helps to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease. Another health benefit of the raw food diet is that it may prevent certain cancers because it is rich in fibres and antioxidants.

In a proper raw food diet food should no be heated over 116 degrees F. The use of a dehydrator, juice extractor, food processor, and blender are common cooking utensils that you would see in the kitchen of a person on a raw food diet.  If you ever decide to try this type of diet,  you might experience some changes in your bodies while it undergoes an adjustment period to your new diet. Some things that you might notice are nausea and headaches. This will most likely occur if your diet previously contained foods that had a great deal of caffeine, meat, and/or sugar. Your body will have to detoxify itself and headaches and nausea are normal reactions to this.

Like all the plant-based diet, some nutritionist and other health professionals frown upon the raw food diet as it does have nutritional deficits in a couple of areas. The most notable is vitamin B12 which is only available in meat products. Health professionals stipulate that this type of diet should not be used in certain people such as children and pregnant/nursing women. Other groups of people with an already weakened or deficit health system are also advised against the raw food diet.

Always check with your primary care physician before starting any new diet or exercise program to see if this is a helpful approach for your body. He will best advise you on the pros and cons of any new health regime according to your specific health care needs.



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