Partial Raw Food Diet

Advocates of the raw food lifestyle claim a diet rich in live and uncooked foods improves health, vitality, immunity and weight control. Raw food diets typically consist of 75 to 95 percent raw foods, but many raw food enthusiasts, such as authors Jennifer Cornbleet and Carol Alt, advise some newcomers to start with a partially raw diet. Following this more modest approach invites you to eat more vegetables, fruits and nuts without asking you to completely revamp your diet and eating habits.

Staples

To add more raw foods to your diet, choose fresh vegetables; fresh, frozen or dried fruits; unpasteurized nuts and nut butters; coconut; avocado; olives and cold-pressed olive oil; raw honey or agave syrup; unpasteurized, fermented or pickled vegetables, such as sauerkraut and kim chi; and packaged raw foods, such as cereals, chips and cookies. If you are not sure how to use these ingredients, look to raw food cookbooks for inspiration.

Benefits

Raw food staples provide ample amounts of hearty-healthy unsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Raw foods, especially living foods such as sprouts and probiotic foods, supply enzymes, which aid digestion, improve nutrient absorption and may also relieve some gastrointestinal problems, according to Nutraceuticals World. Following a partially raw diet can help you meet recommended intake for these important dietary elements, which are often lacking in the diets of residents of industrialized nations. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, reports that most Americans do not consume enough fruits or vegetables, a dietary trend that increases risk for heart disease and other leading causes of death in the United States. Choosing to consume vegetables and fruits in a raw state helps you get more of many important nutrients, including heat-sensitive antioxidants and B vitamins. Some nutrients, however, increase when heated. These include lypocene and vitamin A.

Diversity

Most nutritionists recommend a balanced and diverse diet, rich in a variety of whole foods and low in processed junk food and refined flours and sweeteners. A partially raw diet allows room for foods many people would not or should not eat raw, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, grains, beans and milk. Following a partially raw diet allows you to continue eating these foods in moderation while also encouraging you to learn creative recipes featuring nutrient-dense and enzyme-rich produce and nuts.

Meal Ideas

For an easy, partially raw breakfast, try pancakes with a raw fruit sauce or smoothies made from fresh or frozen fruit. For lunch, make sandwiches with savory nut spreads or wrap cooked sandwich fillings in leafy greens instead of bread. You can make a quick, raw dinner by replacing pasta with fresh zucchini noodles, which you make with a spiral slicer or carrot peeler. If you'd rather eat cooked noodles, serve them with raw tomato sauce, pesto or another raw topping. For a hearty, spicy dinner, look for raw chili recipes, which use nuts instead of meat. Warm gently, and serve with tortillas, avocado or your favorite cheese.

Tips

If you love sweets, look to the many raw food recipes for cookies, cakes, pies and ice cream. While these nut- and fruit-based recipes are not exactly health foods, they do contain more heart-healthy unsaturated fats than typical sweets, and they do not contain any refined flours or sugars. Some raw dessert recipes even provide a significant dose of fiber.