The Promise Your oven gets a rest on this diet. You'll mostly be eating raw fruits, vegetables, and grains. The idea is that heating food destroys its and natural enzymes, which is bad because enzymes boost digestion and fight chronic disease. In short: When you cook it, you kill it. Some fans of raw food diets believe cooking makes food toxic. They claim that a raw food diet can clear up and , boost immunity and memory, and improve and. What You Can Eat and What You Can't Think uncooked, unprocessed, mostly. Your staples: raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. Some eat unpasteurized dairy foods, raw eggs, meat, and fish. You can use blenders, food processors, and dehydrators to prepare foods. Level of Effort: High You may need to ramp up your kitchen skills. Eating out can be tricky, and if you go organic, you may need to go to specialty stores for a wider selection than your usual grocery store. Cooking and shopping: Prep work can be extensive. Many raw food fans become experts at blending and dehydrating foods. Some germinate nuts and sprout seeds. Due to the risk of , a raw foods diet isn't recommended for women, young children, seniors, people with weak immune systems, and those with chronic medical conditions like. Packaged foods or meals: No. Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences? Vegetarians and vegans: This diet works well for you. Just make sure your diet meets your nutritional needs. A dietitian can help you with that. Gluten-free: Most raw foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are naturally gluten-free. What Else You Should Know Eating lots of veggies and fruits helps control. The diet is low in sodium, so it might help lower your chance of , , , , and. But because most people who eat raw foods exclude animal products, you may need to take vitamin to make up for any gaps in your diet. Organic ingredients tend to be more expensive. Kitchen appliances like juicers, blenders, and dehydrators are another expense. Support: You can do this diet on your own or find online resources, like. What Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, Says: Does It Work? You'll probably lose on this diet, since most of its foods are low in calories, fat, and sodium, and high in fiber. One study found that people who followed a raw foods diet lost a significant amount of weight. You'll also get nutritional perks. Most of what you eat will be high in , minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. But there are lots of drawbacks. The diet is difficult to follow and inadequate in many essential , such as protein, iron, , , and more. Plus, contrary to the claims of many raw food fans, cooking does not make food toxic but instead makes some foods digestible. Cooking also boosts some nutrients, like beta-carotene and lycopene, and kills bacteria, which helps you avoid. There is no scientific evidence that raw foods prevent illness. Is It Good for Certain Conditions? It is not recommended for any specific health conditions. But losing extra weight is good for general health. If you are considering a raw diet, talk to your doctor before starting the plan. The Final Word A raw food diet is low in calories, high in fiber, and based on primarily healthy whole-plant foods, so eating this way will lead to weight loss. But the diet is a nutritionally inadequate and highly restrictive plan that will be hard to stay on for the long-term. The risk of food poisoning from eating raw or undercooked foods outweighs the benefits of this plan. In general, cooking makes your food more easily digestible and safer. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 1999.
