Raw Food Diet & Tofu

With the raw food diet train picking up speed, it's hard to ignore some of its many health claims. Whether you're interested in losing weight, increasing your energy, promoting longevity or just improving your overall health, a raw diet may set you on the path toward achieving your goals.

Basics

A raw food diet consists of eating organic, unprocessed and uncooked fruits, vegetable, nuts, sprouts, grains, beans and seeds. Living foods store enzymes that are proteins that help your body digest food A raw food dieter can eat foods cooked under 120 degrees, because anything about this "kills" living food. By cooking foods at high temperatures, you annihilate these enzymes and leave your body to do the work and thus you have less energy.

Raw Food and Your Health

There are many positive health claims associated with a steady raw food diet. Aside from improving your overall health, raw foods are thought to increase energy and endurance, facilitate and maintain weight loss, prevent and reverse many diseases associated with poor diets, lessen the occurrence of cold and flu symptoms and improve digestion, just to name a few.

Raw Food and Your Heart

There is evidence that a food regimen rich in fruits and vegetables can dramatically improve your health. According to a study published in the "Journal of Nutrition," strict adherence to a raw food diet over time can significantly lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, it is important to note that some foods offer more heart-healthy substances after being cooked, such as lycopene in tomatoes.

Diversify Your Raw Foods

When embarking on the road to raw food living, you must keep several things in mind. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables must be complimented with foods high in proteins, calories, vitamins and minerals. Strict raw food dieters may be at risk of becoming deficient in calcium, zinc, iron, vitamin D and vitamin B12, which can lead to illnesses such as anemia and osteoporosis. Diversify your diet with an array of legumes, nuts, seeds and other foods to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of your daily nutrients.

Tofu

Tofu has long been recognized as a healthy meat alternative since it is high in protein, low in cholesterol and saturated fat and rich in potassium, essential B vitamins and vitamin E. Tofu production is similar to that of dairy cheese. It is made by separating soybean curd from soy milk, and the resulting curd is then pressed to make tofu. Because tofu is heated during the production process, it is not a raw food, but may be a good compliment to a raw food diet.