What's up with the raw food diet?

Question

I am trying to think of moral reasons etc. for such a lifestyle.... Is it just a diet, similar to the concept of going on Jenny Craig (sans cooking and meat)?

I'm just curious.
Thanks

Hmmm, maybe I am missing something. I thought a raw diet had only uncooked foods.

Standard vegans definitely cook their food... and can get lots of calories and fat.

And I suppose I should add that I am not looking to go on a diet; I have just been seeing a lot of "raw" questions lately.

Answer 1

The idea behind raw foods is all about enzymes. Every living thing contains within it the enzymes to break it down. When we die, cathepsin with digest us. What we call "decomposing" is actually self digestion.

Gross huh? Think about all those sad saps eating "aged" meat. It's so tender. Why? Because it's DECOMPOSED!

Our pancreas creates most of our enzymes. Due to our unhealtthy lifestyles, our pancreas is 3 times the size of a cow's! Now, 90% of our pancreas creates digestive enzymes. 10% of our pancreas creates metabolic enzymes. Those do the repair work on our bodies.

When our diet gets so bad our body has to use that 10% to digest our food, we start falling apart. Disease runs rampant.

Fasting also helps our metabolism since when we fast our body isn't forced to create digestive enzymes.

Cooking food destroys it's enzymes. We're told "Milk does a body good" (well, we aren't told that any more since the dairy council got sued by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine - false advertising...) But in truth, pastuerization destroys anything that was ever good in milk. 300 milligrams of calcium is rendered to only 30 milligrams that is "bioavailable" - which means our body can use it. You get more calcium from 1 fig.

Lots of raw foodists use raw milk and raw cheese products.

I tried doing the raw food thing. While any injury or illness did heal faster, I already have a high metabolism. I couldn't eat enough to keep up. Plus, raw milk and raw cheese still keeps 10 cows enslaved just for me. That's a whole village of folks getting food and water if I go vegan. Better option...

Answer 2

People generally follow this type of diet for health. The theory is that raw foods in their natural state are the healthiest for the human body. Really, it makes sense. Evolutionarily, we only have been cooking our food for a short period of time and every other animal on earth eats their food in the raw, natural state. However, there are some instances where cooking food has benefits (such as the better absorption of lycopene in tomatoes after cooking, the denaturation of harmful proteins in soybeans after cooking, breaking down of tough cell walls, etc).

There is also the enzyme theory circulating around the raw food community. Some people believe that raw foods contain enzymes that help our body to digest the food that we are eating (some also belive that the enzymes themselves are good for our body). I think this is a bogus theory, however, due to the fact that our very digestive system does quite well at breaking down proteins in the stomach (enzymes are proteins and most are non-functional in an acidic environment such as the stomach).

I do feel that raw fruits and vegetables should be included in every diet, but I do not believe that cooked foods are toxic (as some raw foodists believe). I think that a true raw food diet (including no cooked foods) is very time and labor intensive, and is certainly not for everyone. Only those who are truly dedicated, and knowledgeable about the nutrition aspects will succeed at this sort of diet.

Answer 3

I'm not sure about the moral basis of a raw food diet, but I believe the idea behind it is that cooking food destroys some of the nutritional benefits. Most people I know who do this are already slim, and the nutrition is the major thing, not weight loss.

Answer 4

If you are on a diet ok if you are a vegan vegetables are raw...while meats are not, so your question is oxymoronic the vegan diet is all "raw" food...uncooked is the only possiable difference you could mean... the vegan diet is very very low cal and fat free with the only exception being peanuts and avacados so to get enough fat eat these foods when you feel hungy and you will...however all other food eggs and meats must be cooked. sushi is served with wasabl this kills off the potential for worm to develop if you were wondering...these products are professionally prepared..so yes there are exceptions to the rule..however as a rule vegan diets are already all "raw: foods...

Answer 5

120 Raw Diet Food Recipes : http://Go.StayEatingRaw.com/?Poxw

Answer 6

BEING TRENDY!
Naw seriously, it's just another way to limit the amount of food a person can intake.
The major advantage would be maintaining the nutrient potential of foods because the cooking process reduces that in varying degrees, especially the microwave believe it or not.
and it's soooooooooooooooo hip, especially if you go to yoga class and your name is like "Amber" or "Candice" or "Mercedes"

P.S.
And I've cooked for plenty of vegans who went for unseasoned steamed vegetables allllllll the time!

Answer 7

i been eating raw only for a few days, i notice more energy, i don't get tired at all, and more mental clearity, and i sleep less, but maybe that have nothing to do with the raw food, but I like to think it is the raw food, it's good

Answer 8

It is basically saying to put good foods that animals would eat into your body. Animals are generally the healthiest most fittest beings on earth, by eating like them, theory is that we can achieve that.

Answer 9

i dont see whats so good about eating raw veggies when its not gonna add any fat if you boil them... atleast then they would taste abit better...
i spose there is salad you can have 2 though...

i just think if ppl made heathy choices and didnt eat heaps of fatty foods they wouldnt have to go on stupid diets like the "raw food one" just to lose a few kgs