Introduction
The raw food diet consists of eating uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and other supplements as desired. Rarely, a raw food diet may also include lean proteins, such fish. Eating a raw food diet has a host of health advantages, as long as the right precautions are taken to ensure that needed minerals (such as iron) and protein that are commonly obtained through animal sources are still consumed through alternative sources or supplements.
Nutrients
One of the leading factors of why a raw diet promotes health is the concentration of nutrients that can be obtained from raw products. Cooking foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can cause a significant portion of the natural vitamins and minerals in the food to leech out. Eating these products raw, especially when eating foods with edible skins, drastically increases the amount of health-promoting nutrients you consume each meal. This is especially true for vitamins that are water soluble.
Calories
Another way that a raw food diet promotes health is through daily caloric intake. Because most raw foods are low in calories and high in fiber, not only do you consume less calories, but you also feel fuller longer because of the extra time it takes to digest the fiber. Because many raw foods, such as fruits and vegetables, contain higher water volumes, you can also eat less while feeling fuller. It is important to note that the lower-calorie benefit only remains true if you moderate your portion sizes on higher calorie raw foods (such as grains, nuts and some fruits).
Fats and Cholesterol
Another health benefit of a raw diet is a dramatic decrease in fat and cholesterol intake. Avoiding high cholesterol and high saturated fat-content foods, such as red meat and processed carbohydrates, can significantly reduce the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. According to the American Heart Association, having too much bad cholesterol in your blood can result in plaque buildup in the arteries, raising your risks for chronic diseases such as artery and heart disease. Eating a raw diet helps keep your cholesterol levels under control, helping to promote a healthy cardiovascular system.
High Fiber
Raw diets are also particularly high in fiber. When many foods are processed, much of the fiber can be lost. For example, breads that are made from processed flour often lose much of the fiber from the grain during the process. Eating raw foods helps you reach your daily fiber needs and provides good sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber. According to the Mayo Clinic, increasing your fiber content can help regulate your digestive system. It can also help prevent diabetes. The additional fiber can also help lower your LDL cholesterol levels by increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. HDL cholesterol helps transport LDL cholesterol out of the bloodstream and back to the liver to be eliminated from the body.
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