Heart disease is a major health problem among Americans in part because the typical modern diet contains unhealthy, processed foods. Raw food dieters believe that turning to uncooked foods improves overall health and decreases your risk of heart disease. Before beginning a raw food diet plan to reverse heart disease, talk to a doctor for more information about your health and cardiovascular risk.
Raw Food Requirements
Raw food diet purists believe that all foods you consume should be uncooked, meaning they have never been heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Other raw food proponents maintain a diet that is 80 to 90 percent raw but permits small amounts of cooked foods. Raw foods must also be unprocessed, fresh and organic whenever possible. Irradiated and genetically modified foods are not considered raw.
Meal Planning
Most of the foods allowed on a raw food diet are fruits and vegetables, which contain nutrients that lower your risk of heart disease. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day in salads or smoothies. Add raw nuts and seeds to your meals to boost your protein consumption. Homemade cold vegetable soups provide your body with nutrients and help to keep you feeling full. Drink cold-brewed tea, freshly squeezed juice or homemade smoothies throughout the day to stay hydrated. Non-vegans may eat raw cheese, milk, fish, meats and other uncooked animal products.
Heart Disease
Following a raw food diet may help you prevent or reverse heart disease. A heart-healthy diet limits your intake of saturated and trans fats. Because these fats are found in animal products and processed foods, they are not a major part of the raw food diet. A 2005 study by Corinna Koebnick, a researcher at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam, found that raw food diet adherents tended to have low LDL cholesterol levels. Having a low LDL cholesterol level reduces your risk of heart disease.
Considerations
A raw food diet may be a good dietary solution for someone with heart disease, but it is not safe for everyone. Following a raw food plan may cause your levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol to drop or cause vitamin B-12 deficiency. Before adopting a raw food diet, work with your doctor to create a healthy meal plan to ensure that you receive essential nutrients while lowering your heart disease risk.
References
- The Journal of Nutrition; Long-term Consumption of a Raw Food Diet Is Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides But Also With Elevated Plasma Homocysteine and Low Serum HDL Cholesterol in Humans; Corinna Koebnick et al.; Oct. 2005
- New Zealand Herald; Raw Food Vegans Thin But Healthy, Study Finds; March 2005
- U.S. News and World Report: Raw Food Diet
- The Best of Raw Food: Raw Food Diet FAQ
- MayoClinic.com; Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease; March 2011
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