Raw Food Diet : Benefits And Side Effects You Should Know

These days, there is a growing trend among people that they try out different types of diets. While some people might be doing things like this in order to keep up with the changing times, most people do things like this because they are concerned about their overall health and well being.

One of the diets that is gaining popularity is that of raw diet. The core philosophy of this diet dictates that most (or, in extreme cases, all) the food that is consumed by an individual is unprocessed in nature.

By ensuring that all that you eat is uncooked, you actually ensure that you obtain all the nutrients of the food that you consume without taking in the harmful additives. This article talks about what a raw food diet is and the benefits of the same. The article also throws light on the side effects of such a diet.

What Is Raw Food Diet?

Raw food diet involves the consumption of a decent quantity of fresh produce. Green and leafy vegetables are an important component here. Other than that, things like nuts, seeds, sprouted grains and sea vegetables are also consumed.

It is not necessary for you to stick to a vegetarian diet if you want to have a raw food diet. Things like eggs, raw dairy products and even some types of meat make their way into such a diet. The only idea here is to avoid the consumption of pasteurized and homogenized products of any form.

That is why one has to avoid all types of processed food like refined oil, processed meat, cheese cereals, biscuits and even bread. Things like chocolate, ice creams and things like that are a strict no-no.

Benefits Of Raw Food Diet

1. Good On Your Gut
2. Maximizing Food Value
3. Weight Loss

While we admit that being loyal to yourself and maintaining a diet that is strictly raw-food based requires a lot of self-control, the fact is that the end result of following such a diet is rewarding.

1. Good On Your Gut

Raw food does not stay for long in your digestive system. As a result, there is lesser time for it to ferment before leaving the body. The fermentation of food in the human gut leads to the accumulation of toxic gas. This in turn leads to inflammation, gas and other discomforts in the stomach.

To make matters worse, the fermentation of food in the gut may also cause leaky gut syndrome (that is also known as intestinal permeability) due to the damage that it causes to the mucosal lining of the gut. A raw food diet ensures that such a thing does not happen to you.

2. Maximizing Food Value

For any food item, the moment that it starts cooking, its chemical composition changes. This leads to the loss of enzymes that are present in food and the depletion of a number of other nutrients.

Phytonutrients are an essential component of a number of high-antioxidant foods. This component (that is abundant in nutritional value) gets lost at high temperatures that are required for cooking. Thus, by ensuring that you stick to a raw food diet, you are actually making sure that you take in the maximum nutrients out of all that you eat.

3. Weight Loss

Raw food may be of different forms. Most of it is a good source of fibre and minerals. That is why this type of food will make you tackle your cravings by making you feel full.

As a result, you will end up eating lesser as compared to what you would otherwise eat. For people aiming to shed the extra kilos (and who find it difficult to control their frequent pangs of hunger), this is one of the healthiest ways by which they can go about doing the same.

Side Effects Of Raw Food Diet

1. Increases Acidity
2. Not Advisable For People Suffering From Certain Diseases
3. Growing Food Intolerances

Like every other type of diet that you can follow, a completely raw food diet has its disadvantages. While we cannot deny the benefits of such a diet, the fact remains that the same may not be suitable for everyone. Read on to know more about the side effects of such a diet.

1. Increases Acidity

Any form of raw food affects the pH levels in our body. Thus, consumption of raw foods in large quantities affect the overall acid-alkaline balance. Irrespective of your age, sex or body type, this type of acidosis lowers the immunity and in turn paves the way for a host of diseases.

In order to avoid this particular side effect of a raw food diet, it is important for you to chalk out your diet well in advance. You may even want to consult a professional dietician or nutritionist for the same.

2. Not Advisable For People Suffering From Certain Diseases

While it might be a good idea to go ahead and experiment with the food that you take, this type of diet is not recommended for people suffering from kidney diseases, gallstones or gall bladder diseases.

If you have hormonal imbalance or are PMSing, it might be a good idea to keep away from this. People suffering from autoimmune disorders or those who are terminally ill with cancer or heart diseases should not try such a diet. Changing to a completely raw food diet may even prove to be fatal for such people.

3. Growing Food Intolerances

It is a well-accepted fact that consuming anything in huge quantities may cause you to develop a distaste for the same. While following a raw food diet, you will have to give up on a lot of things that are currently an essential component of your daily diet.

This will naturally make you consume more of the things that you can eat. This is something that you cannot avoid if you would not want to miss out on your daily dose of nutrition. As a result, if this diet is continued for a prolonged period of time, it might cause you to develop a dislike for certain types of food.