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Written by Tania
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There is little doubt that fruit and vegetables are at their
nutritional best in their raw state but, for most people, the idea of
maintaining a constant diet of uncooked food would be less than
appealing. Yet there are many people who are happy to follow a raw food
diet, often claiming that it makes them feel more energetic and 'alive'.
They believe that cooking and processing not only damage the
nutritional quality of food, but also reduce its health-giving
properties. It is true that the nutritional content of fruit and
vegetables is reduced through exposure to heat and water, especially in
terms of water-soluble vitamins.
Fruit and vegetables make up the bulk of the raw food diet, but it may
contain a little dairy produce and oil, both of which are likely to
have undergone some form of processing. Beans, pulses, rice and other
grains, pasta and potatoes are excluded as they cannot be eaten unless
they are cooked - whether boiled or baked into bread.
As the raw food diet is based on fruit and vegetables, it provided
plenty of B vitamins, vitamin C, beta carotene and potassium. The diet
is high in insoluble fiber, which means that constipation is unlikely.
However, an excessive intake of raw food can lead to irritable bowel
syndrome. The diet is also associated with a reduced risk of Heart
Disease. Furthermore, a high consumption of fruit and vegetables is
believed to help the body fight infection, and to protect against some
forms of cancer.
The raw food diet tends to be low in fat - and thus low in calories -
so it is likely to promote weight loss in most people. This makes the
diet unsuitable for children and those who do not need to lose weight,
such as pregnant women and people with cancer. The diet is likely to be
deficient in iron. If dairy products are excluded, it may also be
lacking in adequate supplies of other vital nutrients, such as calcium,
vitamin B12 and protein.
Eaten for a week or so, the raw diet is said by some to detoxify the
system, improve vitality and may indeed help people to lose a few
pounds. Others dispute this claim, and argue that the body's capacity
to detoxify chemicals is reduced, and that much of the weight loss will
be water, not fat. If you are considering adopting a raw food diet for
any longer than a week or two, it would be wise to consult a qualified
dietitian first.
Nuts and Proteins
Including plenty of nuts in a raw food diet ensures an adequate supply
of PROTEIN. Although the quality of protein from individual plant foods
is lower than that from foods of animal origin, the overall protein
quality will be just as high if a good variety of plant proteins is
consumed.
Nuts also contribute vitamin E, thiamine and niacin, but their high fat
content does make them calorific - most contain more than 225 calories
per 55g serving.
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