Raw Food Diet Pros and Cons

There are certainly many different diet programs out there that promise to help you lose the weight. However, while most diet programs are built on quick weight loss promises that tend to not pan out in the long run, others are built on the theory that this is a diet you can eat for the rest of your life.

One of the more interesting diet trends in the past several years is the Raw Food Diet. This diet program has come under more scrutiny since more people are trying it based on the belief that it is healthy and the restrictions are not based on calorie intake, but on eating in the same fashion as our pre-historic ancestors.

What is the Raw Food Diet?

Basically, you eat foods that are raw and not cooked. The theory is that raw foods contain enzymes and many nutrients that break down when cooked. The argument is that these particular enzymes help the body properly digest the food and absorb the nutrients that otherwise would not be present. The result is that your body gains more nutritional value from the food itself and you will lose weight in the process because you will naturally eat fewer calories.

The Pros of the Diet

We actually eat many fruits and vegetables in their raw state, so such foods are not foreign to our bodies. Those on the raw food diet tend to eat healthy, good tasting food in quantities that do not create issues with the body as well. Plus, eating foods that are raw means consuming less processed foods and sugars which can help people lose the excess weight.

Certain foods should definitely be eaten raw and this avoids foods that have fat added in the cooking process as well. For many vegetarians, eating raw foods is a large part of their diet and many lead healthy lives in the process.

The Cons of the Diet

The very theory that those who promote the raw food diet propose is simply not true. In reality, cooked food not only keeps most of the nutrition in place, it is far easier for the body to digest the food in that manner. This is because the nutrients and elements in the food are broken down into smaller parts so that our bodies can readily digest the food.

Raw food on the other hand, particularly meats for example take far longer for the body to digest properly. While some foods do retain more nutrients in their raw state, people will generally find themselves feeling tired because it takes more energy to digest the raw food than if it were cooked.

Thoughts To Leave You With

While adding more raw foods, particularly fruits and vegetables to your diet can be a very healthy choice, going totally without cooked foods may not be the answer for you. Plus, there are raw foods that are not very healthy and consuming too much of them will not take off any excess weight.

So, the answer is striking the right balance of both raw and cooked foods so that you can really enjoy a healthy diet.