Weight Loss and Raw Food Diets
The basis behind the raw food diet is that when foods are heated over 116 degrees F, the enzymes which help in digesting and absorption of the food are destroyed. Raw food diets are based on consuming uncooked and unprocessed plant foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds, sprouts, grains, nuts, dried fruits, etc. To achieve the full benefit of a raw food diet, your diet must be made up of at least 75% of raw and living components.
Compared to a normal diet, raw food is lower on saturated fats and hydrogenated oils. It also has low sodium content and more magnesium, folate and potassium. A raw food diet also has most fiber and contains the health promoting plant chemicals phytochemical. It contains less fat and less calories than a normal diet.
Raw food has many other benefits too, including improved digestion and skin appearance. It also increases your energy and reduces your risk for heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. This is healthy weight loss, unlike other diets.
What can you eat in a raw food diet?
Organic and unprocessed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, fruits and seeds. Nuts, grains, legumes, dried fruits, and seaweed are also allowed in this diet. For drinks you can have purified water and young coconut milk.
Make sure you follow cooking techniques when using a raw food diet. No food should be heated to 116 degrees F, like I talked about before. Sprouting beans, seeds and grains make them easier to digest. You can soak nuts and dried fruits to bring out their flavor.
Precautions
Some people when starting out with a raw food diet may suffer from nausea, headaches and cravings for a few days. These people usually come from a meat, caffeine and sugar rich diets. Pregnant or nursing women, and children should not go on a raw food diet. These diets are also not advisable for anemic people or people suffering from osteoporosis.
Some supplements should be taken while on a raw food diet to make sure you are getting the necessary vitamins each day. Raw food diets are commonly found to leave you short on proteins, calories, B12, calcium and iron. All of these can easily be taken with supplements.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Vincent Craig
|
