Raw food diets are based on the concept that whole, unprocessed foods provide more nutrients than cooked processed foods and contain fewer harmful chemicals. Raw food advocates claim that cooking and processing foods destroys vital nutrients and converts natural enzymes into toxic substances. They focus on foods that have not been heated above 114 degrees F. There are several variations of the raw food diet.
Vegan Raw Food Diet
The vegan raw food diet is most closely associated with raw foodism. This diet excludes all products derived from animal sources such as honey, meat, dairy and eggs. Vegan raw foodists base their diets on raw fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts. They may also consume sprouted grains and legumes.
Lacto Raw Food Diet
Lacto raw foodists follow a diet similar to that of vegan raw foodists. However, they also consume raw dairy products, which have not been homogenized or pasteurized. Lacto raw foodists believe that pasteurization and homogenization destroy the vital nutrients and enzymes in dairy products. However, according to the FDA, raw milk may contain dangerous microorganisms, such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella, which can cause serious illness.
Fruitarian
A fruitarian diet is a variation of the vegan raw food diet. Fruitarians focus on consuming most of their calories and nutrients from raw fruits such as avocados, bananas, papayas, oranges, apples, kiwi fruit and grapefruit. However, most fruitarians do not consume only fruits; they typically also consume nuts, seeds, sprouts and vegetables, although these foods are secondary to fruits.
Considerations
Many foods in raw food diets, such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, require little or no preparation. However, sprouting seeds, grains and legumes is a time-consuming process that can take up to four days. Also, raw breads, which are made from sprouted grains and legumes, require extensive preparation and dehydration times of up to 48 hours. Also, most raw foods, with the exception of raw milk, do not provide significant amounts of calcium or vitamin B-12. Consider taking vitamin and mineral supplements if you plan to follow a raw food diet.
References
- "The Sunfood Diet Success System"; David Wolfe; 2008
- "Everyday Raw"; Matthew Kenney; 2008
- FDA: The Dangers of Raw Milk
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