raw food diet weight loss,Diet of raw foods: raw food is healthy?

raw food diet weight loss

Some argue that the raw food diet is optimal to maintain a good health. Others, however, believe that raw food can lead to severe malnutrition. The truth lies somewhere in between. The strongest supporters of the claim that a raw food diet consists primarily of plant foods, raw and unprocessed, favors the maintenance of a healthy weight healthy, make the skin less impure and increases the energy level. They also argue that the raw food diet helps to reduce the risk of disease.

But what exactly is the raw food diet? Follow this kind of diet is healthy? Anyone can become raw food?

What is the raw food diet?

The basic principle underlying the diet of raw foods is that plant foods in their most natural state, so raw and unprocessed, are the healthiest source of nutrition for the body. The diet of raw foods is a way of life and must never be interpreted as a feeding program for weight loss.

Following a raw food diet is not easy. Most of those who take this course spend most of their time in the kitchen to peel, chop, mix, mix and dry. This is because the raw food diet is composed of 75% fruit and vegetables. The staples of this diet are:

• Algae
• shoots
• sprouted seeds
• grains
• pulse
• dried fruit (dried and shell)

The alcohol, refined sugars and caffeine foods are "forbidden".

Most raw foodists are vegan raw food, so do not consume animal products. However, some consume raw eggs and cheese made with raw milk or unpasteurized.

How to cook the raw food?

The raw foodists do not use the oven or stove, but a dryer that promotes greater crispness of vegetables and sweets. This unit also dried fruit, the basic ingredient for many recipes crudiste.

On the web you can find many recipes of raw food. We mention a few resources you can (of course the list is not exhaustive):

• Vivocrudo.it
• Crudismo.com
• Tuttocrudo.blogspot.com

If "chewed" English, excellent sources of recipes crudiste are:

• food.com (in the search bar insert the words "raw food" and you will get a list of recipes crudiste)
• welikeitraw.com
• living-foods.com

The mechanism of operation of the dryer is based on the heat, but the temperature should not be higher than 46-48 degrees Celsius (115-118 degrees Fahrenheit). The raw foodists believe that high heat contributes to the release of enzymes and vitamins essential for proper digestion. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) disputes this claim, countering that is the body to produce the enzymes needed to digest and foods that we introduce in it. The ADA also states that cook the food to a temperature below 48 degrees Celsius can prevent a complete elimination of harmful bacteria from food.

Raw food vs. cooked food

The medical literature that deals with the raw food diet is poor. The research tends to focus on vegetarianism, veganism and the benefits that a diet based on plant foods can make in health, including a reduction in cholesterol and higher levels of glucose.

Some studies seem to bring back the belief that cooking vegetables will help to eliminate important nutrients.

One study showed that eating raw cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli) helps to reduce the risk of bladder cancer. The researchers noted that cooking cruciferous vegetables free of substances called isothiocyanates (agents that alter protein in cancer cells). They found that even a few servings a month of raw cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk.

Another study, which analyzed the results of 50 medical studies regarding the comparison between raw food and cooked food, has shown that consuming raw vegetables helps reduce the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and stomach.

The diet of raw foods is healthy?

The opinions in this regard are molteplci.

Researchers who have studied the impact of a raw food diet, they found that study participants had lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. However, it also had a vitamin B12 deficiency . This result is almost the same of another study on raw food conducted in Finland. Vitamin B12 is found in the natural state only in the products of animal origin. It is essential for the development of the nerves and red blood cells and a possible deficiency can lead to anemia and neurological damage.

A German study, conducted on a long-term raw foodists, showed that the levels of vitamin A and dietary carotenoids of healthy subjects were analyzed.Both substances come from vegetables, fruits and nuts, and protect against chronic diseases. However, participants in the study had lower average levels oflycopene in the plasma, which is thought to play a role in disease prevention. Lycopene is found in foods of plant origin bright red as tomatoes. However, the lycopene content is greater when the tomatoes are cooked.

Another risk for the raw food could be a lower bone mass at the lumbar spine and hip. However, the researchers came to the conclusion that raw foodists surveyed had a 'good bone quality. " This is because rapid weight loss at the beginning of the diet may have caused a reduction in bone mass.

Finally, another study showed that the raw food diet can lead to the 'disruption of the menstrual cycle, always caused by the drastic weight loss.

Raw food and nutrition

The diet of raw foods is rich in nutrients. And 'rich in fiber and low in fat and sugars.

But the raw food, such as vegans, must ensure that they meet the requirement of vitamin B12, calcium, iron and omega 3 fatty acids, most of which is located in the natural state in the products of animal origin.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) offers the following guidelines:

• The dose of iron consumed must be double compared to that of non-vegetarians. Good sources of iron include tofu, legumes, almonds and cashews.

• Eat at least 8 servings a day of calcium-rich foods such as cabbage, soybeans, tempeh (fermented food made ​​from soybeans yellow; it is also known as soy meat) and figs.

• Consume fortified cereal for breakfast, nutritional yeast and soy milk fortified with vitamin B12. The intake of supplements is to be taken into consideration.

• Consuming flax seeds and walnuts. Use canola oil, flaxseed and soy. They are all excellent sources of Omega 3 fatty acids E 'advisable to take an Omega 3 supplement.

The raw food, in general, take the same amount of protein of non-vegetarians through foods of plant origin consumed in the course of the day. But because plant proteins are less digestible, the ADA recommends that consume large amounts of soy and legumes.

The ADA nutritionists also recommend to raw foodists and vegans to increase calcium intake. This is because their diet is characterized by a high content of sulfur containing amino acids (dried fruit and cereals, for example), which may increase the loss of calcium in the bone tissue.

Zinc is best absorbed by the body through the consumption of meat. The ADA, therefore, recommends the intake of legumes, grains and seeds. In this way, the body can better absorb the nutrients from these foods.

Finally, those who do not consume meat or dairy products should pay particular attention to the contribution of vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D can lead to a weakening of the bones. The ADA recommends eating foods fortified with vitamin D, including some brands of soy milk, rice milk, breakfast cereals and margarine. And 'recommended taking a supplement of vitamin D.

The diet of raw foods for me?

If you are a healthy adult who love to cook and if you give up meat and dairy is not a problem for you, the diet of raw foods can do for you. Below we offer some points to take into account before adopting a diet of this type.

The ADA supports the diets based on plant products, but denies diets consist mainly of raw food arguing that cooking some foods, such as eggs and tomatoes, making them more bioavailable. This means that the nutrients in these foods are better absorbed by the body.

The diet of raw foods requires considerable processing of the foods that can rob them of their nutrients. For example, working the pulp of cashew nuts to obtain a sort of milk, results in the elimination of healthy fiber. Drying and shredding involves the destruction of valuable nutrients, as well as exposure to air.

As raw foodists do not consume fish, may not meet the needs of essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 are often lacking other vitamins and other nutrients, such as vitamin B12. The ADA, in this regard, recommends taking specific supplements.

The diet of raw foods is strongly not recommended for infants and young children.