Vegan Raw Food Diet

To be considered a rawist, you must consume at least 75 percent of your diet in the form of uncooked food, according to Every Diet. A vegan is a strict vegetarian who consumes absolutely no animal products, including dairy and eggs. A vegan raw foods diet combines these two eating strategies.

Features

Rawists do not cook their food above 116 degrees Fahrenheit, as they believe high temperatures destroy nutrients and essential enzymes that assist in digestion, according to the Living and Raw Foods website. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains and herbs form the foundation of a raw vegan diet. There are subsets of raw vegans: fruitarians who eat mostly fruits, sproutarians who eat a majority of sprouts and juicearians who drink mostly fresh juice. Most canned foods, sugars, condiments, cereals and prepared drinks are not consumed.

Misconceptions

Some people may think a vegan raw diet consists only of huge servings of salads, raw vegetables and fruits. In reality, raw foods can be made into a variety of preparations that mimic your favorite cooked foods. "Bacon" made by dehydrating vinegar and honey marinated eggplant, raw hummus made with zucchini and sunflower seeds, ravioli created with thin shavings of parsnip or beat and filled with a nut "cheese" and even chocolate cake made with dates, raw cocoa and ground almonds are just a few raw vegan offerings.

Techniques

Raw vegans major use very sharp knives and mandolins, high-powered blenders, juicers and dehydrators to prepare their meals. The texture of fruits and vegetables can be altered using the dehydrator to add variety to your diet. In addition, the dehydrator can make crackers, granolas, "cakes," cookies and bars from nut, seed and vegetable or fruit purees. Green or fruit smoothies and juices are often used as meal replacements for raw vegans. Raw vegans soak their nuts to help soften the outer layer, which helps make them more digestible and sprout grains and beans to add to salads.

Benefits

Vegans may follow their diet for religious, moral or health reasons. Rawists maintain raw food is easier to digest. Including more vegetables and fruits in your diet exposes you to myriad micronutrients and antioxidants that may help you fight off chronic disease. Rawists report greater energy and natural weight loss. When you do not cook, you save energy and help the environment. Raw foods can help you cleanse toxins from your body, says Penni Shelton in the "Raw Food Cleanse."

Considerations

A raw vegan diet requires preparation and planning. Soaking, sprouting and dehydrating are not quick techniques -- it may take 12 to 24 hours for a dish to be prepared from start to finish. Eating out or at social functions can be challenging. Finding raw, vegan foods when you travel can also be difficult. You have to focus on obtaining adequate protein from sources like hemp seeds, chia seeds, sprouted beans and nuts. Organic foods are preferred as they expose you to fewer pesticides than conventionally grown vegetables.