Raw Diet for Weight Loss

The raw diet is a controversial approach to losing weight that involves eating only foods that are unprocessed and uncooked. Staples of the raw diet are vegetables, fresh and sun-dried fruits, sprouts, seeds, nuts, beans, grains, coconut milk, purified water and seaweed. Ideally, the foods should be organic to avoid as many additives and pesticides as possible. The theory is that heating foods above 116 degrees F causes some of the beneficial enzymes in the food to break down, diminishing the nutritional value.

Food Preparation

• The only cooking process allowed in the raw diet is dehydration. A food dehydrator blows hot air around the food, but the temperature never exceeds 116 degrees F. Foods may be blended, juiced and chopped, nuts are soaked, and bean and grain seeds are sprouted.

  People on the raw diet are advised to ease into it by first eating 50% raw food and allowing your body time to adjust before raising your raw food consumption to the 70% that defines the raw diet. Drastic changes in diet should be discussed with a doctor and approached with caution. Adding a great deal of fiber to your diet all at once can have uncomfortable results.

  Not everyone on the raw food diet is strictly vegan. Some continue to eat lean meats, eggs, fish and dairy. Non-vegans following the raw diet should be aware that these foods may contain parasites, bacteria and viruses and take care to follow safe handling instructions.

Benefits

• Enthusiasts claim that eating only raw foods guarantees weight loss, a claim that makes sense because foods that are high in fiber and low in fat are essential to losing weight and keeping it off. On this diet you would naturally avoid the unhealthy foods that make people fat. Fast foods, empty carbohydrates, candy, baked goods, and starchy rice and potatoes are not allowed.

  In addition, you can expect increased energy, better skin, improved digestion, and lower risk of developing heart and cardiovascular disease while you're on the raw food diet. Some raw foods even help guard against cancer. In a 2008 study by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, researchers determined that eating raw cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower lowers the risk of certain cancers. Cooking reduces or destroys the natural anticarcinogens, called isothiocyanates, in the vegetables.

Drawbacks

• The position of the American Dietetic Association is that the science behind the raw diet is faulty. Enzymes in the food are broken down by gastric acid in the stomach--not by anything in the food itself. There is also a danger of deficiencies in nutrition from vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids absent in a diet that contains low digestible protein and no fish.

  In addition, some foods are toxic when eaten raw. Buckwheat, kidney beans, alfalfa sprouts, some types of peas and parsnips are potentially toxic if uncooked.

Conclusion

• The average diet today would benefit greatly from added fruits and vegetables, but the raw food diet is not for everyone. It is difficult to manage in social situations, expensive, time consuming to maintain, and it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, but it will result in weight loss, reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, and lower cholesterol.