Raw foods: benefits and risks of the diet without cooked food

Eating raw foods can bring benefits to our health: they provide energy, help digestion and more. It is necessary to get used to this diet gradually and it is important to know that there may be risks associated especially with intoxication. Let's find out more about raw foods.

Inserting raw foods in the diet means having more energy and keeping intact all the nutritional properties of the foods we eat, and raw foods also promote digestion and help us lose weight. But what is raw food? It is a food practice widespread in America and based on a diet of only raw foods, preferring organic ones: seasonal vegetables and fruits, sprouts, cereals, nuts and seeds, all foods that must not be heated above 42 ° C: at this temperature, in fact, enzymes and nutrients are not destroyed. Instead of being cooked, foods are then eaten in pieces, or blended, dehydrated or marinated. Switching to raw food, however, is not a simple step as, at the beginning, there may be digestion problems and abstinence from cooked food may also occur. It is therefore necessary to gradually insert raw foods in your diet to avoid discomfort. Let's see what the raw food diet is and what the benefits are.

The raw food diet

Just like vegetarianism and veganism, eating raw foods is not just a dietary choice but it originates from the desire to establish a more authentic relationship with food, favoring an example of nutrition considered healthier for man but also more "friendly" to environment. But what is the raw food diet? It is a very restrictive diet, so it is better to consult a nutritionist before starting to follow a diet of only raw foods. First of all, we must point out that there are different currents: fruitarians who consume only fruit; vegetarians who do not eat meat and fish but eat foods that derive from them; vegans, who do not eat food of animal origin and omnivorous raw fooders who eat all the foods that can be eaten raw, even meat and fish that do not come from intensive farming.

Allowed foods

For those who follow a raw food diet, there are particularly recommended foods like papaya, avocado and dates, because they are very nutritious, but also sprouts, seaweeds,

 berries, which are considered natural supplements. Oil seeds are also allowed: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds, rich in mineral salts, as well as walnuts and hazelnuts. Only peas and fava beans are allowed among legumes. Oils and spices are also fundamental as condiments and to flavor raw foods: extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil. For desserts, raw fooders can use: coconut flour, cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

Foods to avoid

Then there are foods that, if eaten raw, are toxic and they should therefore be avoided in a raw food diet: potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes, but also lupins and beans that contain solanine, a toxic substance. Spinach and rhubarb are rich in oxalates and therefore reduce the absorption of calcium, magnesium and zinc. Also peanuts should not be eaten raw because they are poisonous.

What are the benefits of raw foods?

Raw foods provide more energy: raw foods contain more vitamins and mineral salts that are not lost by cooking and so they provide more energy to our body, as well as making us feel even more vital and in a good mood.

Raw foods improve digestion: eating raw foods rich in fiber such as cereals, sprouted beans, fruit and vegetables, helps us to eat more fiber: so this promotes digestion and helps the entire gastrointestinal tract, in addition to safeguarding the health of the cardiovascular system.

Raw foods help you lose weight: raw foods would also help you lose weight: they contain few calories, they help detoxify us thanks to the high content of water and fibers that also help fight water retention. Furthermore, consuming raw food requires more energy from the stomach to assimilate food and this results in burned fat.

Raw foods help prevent some diseases: as we have already said, when we cook foods, vitamins (especially vitamin C), but also important enzymes and folates are destroyed. Instead, these important elements remain intact in raw foods helping to prevent certain diseases, including cancer.

Raw foods provide more hydration to the body: raw and fresh foods such as seasonal fruits and vegetables help our body maintain proper hydration especially in the summer months. Not only refreshing fruit like melon and watermelon, but also salads, cucumbers and other fresh and water-rich foods.