There’s been a lot of talk about the benefits of a raw foods diet. Some of it is sound and backed by research, but much of it is simply anecdotal and the experiences of one person. In all cases, however, a raw foods diet helps you lose weight, which helps many conditions from high blood pressure to diabetes. When you follow a raw foods diet, you eat organic foods that are not cooked above a temperature of 118 degrees, above that, it destroys nutrients and enzymes. Raw foods diets may lack certain nutrients necessary for a healthy body over the long term, unless you use a modified form.
Your blender takes over where your oven left off.
When you eat a raw foods diet, your best friend and kitchen accessory become the blender. Many of the meals prepared are in the form of a shake, which may contain everything from sprouts and kale to apples and peaches. Using organic foods is important to avoid consuming pesticides that often remain in the fruits or vegetables even after you wash them. Eating out can be a problem, particularly if you’re on a rigid form of the diet.
Consider a whole food diet or modified raw food diet.
While a raw food diet offers any nutrients and enzymes, it also doesn’t have many you need for a healthy life. Cooking actually enhances certain nutrients, such as lycopene and beta-carotene. It also can help kill harmful bacteria and makes some foods easier to digest. Rather than stick to strictly raw foods, using a modified form or a whole foods diet might be healthier and easier to follow. Whole foods are foods that have limited processing. You might not be able to eat shrimp on a raw food diet unless it’s extremely fresh or frozen fresh, because of the dangers of illness and toxins. You do have to insure all meats are processed carefully, such as marinating or smoking them. In most cases, people opt for the easier route of using a whole food diet with only a few foods cooked.
Changing your diet to as many whole or raw foods as possible can renew your body and your life force.
Raw foods provide all the nutrients nature intended for man, but also provides many enzymes necessary for digestion. The foods still contain the life force that cooking eliminates. These unprocessed foods are filling but far lower in calories, which helps you lose weight faster, so by including more into your diet, you have an opportunity to lose weight without the need for calorie counting.
Start any dietary change slowly, making smaller adjustments is far easier than changing everything at once. This holds true for all types of dietary changes, including whole and raw foods.
Consider getting a blender if you don’t already have one. You can make some excellent healthy shakes that have all the nutrients necessary and also taste delicious.
Many stores have a special section for raw foods and there are also many new recipes available so you won’t get bored just munching on fresh fruits and veggies. People who devote themselves to a raw or whole food lifestyle now have a delicious selection of foods for their family.
Some people attest to the health benefits of raw foods for curing everything. There’s no doubt when done right it’s healthy. However, you can ramp up the benefits by also adding regular exercise and stress relief to your program.