How to Switch to a Raw Diet

The raw food diet is a trend that is revolutionizing the health of many who adopt it, as Jackie Adams for CNN reveals in her article documenting a woman who lost more than half of her total weight by making the switch to raw. Choosing to go raw is a personal decision a person must make based on different lifestyle factors, but making the actual switch to a raw diet takes some planning and discipline---along with a little bit of kitchen purging.

Things You'll Need

• Raw food

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Instructions

• 1

  Meet with a dietitian. In Adams' article, registered dietitian Andrea Giancoli recommends that those switching to a completely raw diet should meet with a dietitian to develop an eating plan that allows them to get all the nutrients necessary. She says that this is important because raw foodists and vegans have a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies in iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in many animal products and fish.

• 2

  Make the switch. Although raw foodist and author Angie Stokes states in Adams' article that she switched to raw foods basically overnight, she recommends that those wanting to make the switch do so slowly. She says to begin eating approximately 50 percent raw and 50 percent cooked at first, and then move from there. However, if going cold turkey is more your style, remove all food groups other than raw fruits, vegetables, seaweed, sprouts, sprouted seeds, whole grains, beans, dried fruits and nuts from your diet.

• 3

  Stock up on extra nutrients. An article on raw food by WebMD gives the American Dietetic Association's guidelines for raw foodists and vegetarians alike when it comes to eating a raw or vegan diet and avoiding nutritional deficiencies. Some of the recommendations include getting twice as much iron as non-vegetarians from foods such as almonds, legumes, cashews and tofu. They also recommend eating eight servings per day of foods rich in calcium such as soybeans, bok choy, cabbage, figs and tempeh. To get enough vitamin B12, the ADA recommends eating fortified soy milk, breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast or taking a vitamin. To get enough omega-3s, the ADA suggests taking a supplement as well as eating walnuts, flax seed, canola oil, and soybean oil.

• 4

  Invest in a high-powered blender and a dehydrator. The raw food diet prohibits cooking any food at a temperature higher than 115 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Because most ovens do not have a setting that low, many raw foodists invest in dehydrators to make a variety of raw-food recipes. Another common kitchen tool used by many raw foodists is a high-powered blender, capable of pureeing nuts into creamy, butter-like textures.

• 5

  Buy a raw-food cookbook. The raw food is composed of more than just fruits and vegetables. Raw-food recipes include everything from raw lasagnas to raw cheesecakes. Purchasing a cookbook will provide you with more options because raw fruits, nuts and vegetables only go so far on their own.