America's raw food diet focuses on the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables and prohibits processed, cooked foods such as meat and dairy. Unlike a raw Japanese diet, which allows for raw fish alongside steamed rice and cooked vegetables, the rawist diet, made popular by health gurus and celebrities, says any food cooked at a temperature above 116 degrees loses its essential enzymes. Proponents of the diet say that because they receive food straight from Mother Earth, they experience improved health and feelings of wellness.
Features
Followers of raw food diets eat "raw" between 75 and 100 percent of the time. Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds make up a raw diet. In order to manipulate these foods to add variety, rawists dehydrate and dry fruits, make juices, and soak and sprout grains and nuts. Raw foodists believe food enzymes that enhance digestion become most available with these techniques.
Benefits
A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables provides ample vitamins and antioxidants. Raw foodists find that following a raw diet gives them energy and helps them find their natural weight--many lose weight without even trying. People report resolution of their skin and digestive problems. A raw food diet is also said to help prevent the onset of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Considerations
Although rawists get a lot of vitamins through their diet, cutting out entire food groups (such as meat, fish and dairy) creates nutritional gaps. Some foods actually improve nutritionally when cooked--for example, tomatoes release lycopene only when heated. Rawists may be low on protein, because soy and nuts are the only complete plant-based proteins. Eating raw outside of your own home may become a challenge because most restaurants do not support such an eating regimen. Also, eating a diet of only cool, raw food may not appeal to you if you live in a cold climate.
Expert Insight
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in 2006 in which researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found a diet low in protein and calories followed for the long-term may protect against certain cancers. This study did not address America's raw diet specifically, but does give weight to rawists' claims that their diet helps prevent cancer.
Warning
Because of the potential for nutritional deficiencies, a raw diet is inappropriate for young children, pregnant and nursing women, and the elderly. Also, the heavy prevalence of fiber in a raw diet could worsen symptoms of those with chronic bowel disease. Due to a lack of meat and dairy, raw foodists may develop iron-deficient anemia or calcium deficiency.
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