With the number of diets on the market that make a number of health claims, it may be a bit difficult to assess which ones offer the greatest cleansing effects. Whether you are trying to detoxify your body, lose weight or simply improve your overall health, a raw diet may help do the trick.
A raw food diet is founded on the principle that unprocessed and uncooked foods are more nutritious. The most popular raw food diet is the raw vegan diet, which consists of eating only raw plant foods that have not been cooked above 114 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw food dieters believe that the heat from cooking kills enzymes that serve as catalyst for a number of biochemical reactions in the body. A raw food diet typically consists of fruits, vegetables, sprouts, legumes, seeds and nuts.
Cleansing Effects
The traditional American diet is rich in processed foods, artificial flavors and hormones, so adopting a diet free of potentially harmful additives is likely to provide some cleansing effects and health benefits. The National Institutes of Health says that raw foods such as blueberries and various nuts contain many antioxidants, which oxidize free radicals and help prevent cancer and slow aging. According to "Nutritional Food & Science," individuals who adopted a raw food diet for 28 months or longer reported improved health and overall quality of life.
Other Health Benefits
Studies have shown that raw food dieting can be effective for weight loss, as a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will likely result in the consumption of fewer calories. According to the "Southern Medical Journal," eating raw foods may also be helpful when it comes to lowering your diastolic blood pressure and blood serum levels of LDL cholesterol. In some individuals, symptoms of fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis have also been reduced in association with raw food dieting.
Considerations
One of the major benefits of cooking foods is that high temperatures kill bacteria that could result in food-borne illness. In fact, raw sprouts, onions and lettuce are some of the most common sources of food-borne illnesses, and some raw foods such as kidney beans and rhubarb can be poisonous. Furthermore, raw food diets may not have a sufficient amount of certain vitamins and minerals, so it may be necessary to supplement your diet with nutrients you may be lacking.
Alternatives
There is limited research on the effects of maintaining a raw food diet for a long period of time, so it is important to consider other possibly healthier options. As a whole, fruits, nuts and vegetables are healthy for you, but it may best to occasionally cook certain foods to prevent illness and supplement your diet with additional foods to make sure that you are getting an appropriate amount of calories and nutrients. As when making any significant change to your diet, consult your doctor to develop a diet that is best for you.
References
- Live Science: The Raw Food Diet: A Raw Deal
- Living Foods: Raw Foods Diets
- "Southern Medical Journal"; Effects of a Raw Food Diet on Hypertension and Obesity; Douglass, J., Rasgon, I., Fleiss, P., Schmidt, R., Peters, S., Abelmann, E.; 1985
- "Nutrition & Food Science"; Food and Nutrient Intake of Hallelujah Vegetarians; Donaldson MS; 2001
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