A raw diet consists of foods (typically produce, grains, seeds, nuts, and beans) that haven't been heated above a certain temperature, usually somewhere between 104 and 118 degrees. Cooking destroys enzymes that raw foodists believe are essential to human health; without those enzymes, the thinking goes, we're not getting the full, life-supporting benefits of our food.
But this theory overlooks an important fact, says Andrea Giancoli, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "While it's true that cooking causes enzymes to unravel, the same thing happens to those enzymes as soon as they hit the acidic environment of your stomach." She says raw foodists enjoy so many health perks for a simpler reason: They're eating a lot of plants. Comprehensive lifestyle studieslike the China-Cornell-Oxford Project, which lasted 20 years and followed 6,500 participantshave found that plant-based diets greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases and conditions.
Still, says Eat to Live author Joel Fuhrman, MD, a specialist in nutritional medicine, there is some magic in raw fruits and veggies. It's not denatured enzymes that worry Fuhrman so much as the loss of vitamins and minerals that occurs and the carcinogens that are produced at high temperatures. He recommends eating a mix of cooked and uncooked produce, because some nutrients (like lycopene in tomatoes and carotene in carrots) are better absorbed after they've been heated. And when you do cook, opt for stewing or steaming. "As a rule," Fuhrman says, "if you cook things at a lower temperature for less time, you'll be moving in a healthy direction."
Four years ago, Gena Hamshaw started shifting toward a mostly raw diet. "Not only did I feel better," says the certified clinical nutritionist, who writes a blog called Choosing Raw, "but, more importantly, I fell in love with the delicious taste of fresh food." Her advice is to start by adding simple uncooked dishes to your regular diet, like vegetable sides and blended soups. "Don't agonize over complicated recipes. Just eat a big chopped salad and you're on your way."
Keep Reading: 3 Easy No-Cook Meals
More Healthy Advice
Advocates of a raw food diet Should you go gluten-free? The benefits Research on enzymes has shown the importance of including raw foods in our diet to
Should You Go on a Raw Food Diet - Raw Food Diet Benefits
Advocates of a raw food diet make enticing Gena Hamshaw started shifting toward a mostly raw diet. Should you go gluten-free? The benefits of buying organic;
How to Go on a Raw Food Diet: 9 Steps (with Pictures ...
How to Go on a Raw Food Diet. "living foods",, raw food diet, natural raw foods, raw, Many trendy diets have real benefits but also can be subject to
Raw Food Diet -- What You Need to Know -- US News Best Diets
The Raw Food Diet emphasizes fruits and since most raw foodists go 75 to 80 Does it have cardiovascular benefits? Unclear, but the raw food diet could have
Raw Food Diet - Food to Eat, Benefits and More
Raw food detox diets or cleanses are entering the mainstream. People typically go on a detox diet for 3 to 21 days. After the detox diet or cleanse, they may continue
3 Reasons No One Should Be On A Raw Foods Diet
Ive had to convince so many of my patients to switch from a raw foods diet to a cooked foods diet that I figured I should write about why I dont support a raw
Raw Food Diet Review: Benefits, What You Eat, & More
The Raw Food Diet claims One study found that a raw foods diet worked for weight loss. You'll also get you may need to go to specialty stores for a wider
Should You Go On A Raw Food Diet Raw Food Diet Benefits ...
Should you go on a raw food diet - raw food diet benefits, The raw food diet: trend worth trying or half-baked hype?. Raw food diet - food to eat
100% Raw Food Diet vs. Mostly Raw Diet - Incredible Smoothies
There is a big debate about whether or not it is really important to eat a 100% raw food diet rather than just eating more raw foods. The general consensus among raw
Raw Food Diet Tips - Alternative Medicine Information
A raw food diet is based on uncooked food, mainly plant food. What are the benefits and diet one study found that people on raw food diets have higher