4 Reasons Why Eating A "Raw Diet " Is A Lot Better For You Than You Think
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Raw diets are made up mostly of plant-based foods but also include raw dairy, eggs, and legumes. The idea behind a raw-diet is that what you are consuming is living or live. Most raw foodies also follow a vegan diet because they believe in the lifestyle of a completely green diet and the consumption of animals are unethical. However, not all who follow a raw diet are vegan or vegetarian. There are many who also consume meat.
The diet is based on the belief that a high-enzyme, unprocessed, and uncooked diet will ensure the highest level of health. Foods cooked over a cooking point of 118ºF destroy the foods natural enzymes which aid in the digestion of food. So therefore, when food is consumed the body both has to create the enzymes to break down the food and then supply energy to digest it at the same time. This creates a lot of stress on the body's system and therefore decreases your body's ability to perform.
Here are some reasons you should think about adding raw foods to your diet.
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1. Enzymes
As mentioned enzymes are needed to break down foods and help absorb the foods nutrients. When the food enzymes are being cooked, they begin to unravel and become virtually non-existent.
In a China-Cornell Oxford Project based on 6,500 people over a period of 20 years found that plant-based raw diets actually reverse the risk of chronic illnesses and diseases.
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2. Vitamins
Vitamins are required at a smaller dosage in the human diet to help metabolize food, regulate organ functions, and maintain hormone balance. When certain foods containing certain vitamins are no longer consumed raw, their nutrition content subside.
According to the 'Survival of the 21st Century' author Viktoras Kulvinskas states that 70-80% of vitamin B, vitamin C, and folic acid are destroyed when cooked.
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3. Minerals
Minerals are also required at a smaller dosage in the human diet but are very essential because minerals are necessary in order to convert the foods we eat into energy. They also provide strong bones, teeth, hair, muscle, etc. Minerals can be altered and diminished when cooked which can cause deficiencies and poor health.
In a study completed by Mieko Kimura and Yoshinori Itokawa, they discovered that 60-70% of minerals were lost when vegetables were cooked.
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4. Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients protect the body's cells and promote cell function. These phytonutrients ware of viruses and can detoxify substances.
And again, can be destroyed by cooking over a higher hear of 118ºF.
Although a raw food diet is the ultimate way to feel energized, young, and healthy; it is very time-consuming. Slowly ease into raw foods such as nuts, grains, and fruits. Continue to eat meat (if you wish), and add lightly sautéed vegetables to get those extra packed nutrients your body longs for.
