Along with yoga and avocado toast, the raw food movement is probably the biggest health and wellness movement to hit our shores in the past couple of years. Let’s learn how a raw food diet can improve your health.
Defining Raw Food
Raw food refers to dishes that do not undergo any cooking or processing. It isn’t just fruits and salad vegetables, but also raw fish (think ceviches, sashimi and sushi), raw eggs and raw meat (e.g. carpaccio).
Three Health Benefits of Raw Food
- Preserving nutrients
In certain cases, the application of heat can deplete the vitamins, protein, enzymes and unsaturated fat content in food. Therefore, raw food is often more nutritious than cooked food. This contributes to better bodily functions on the whole, including a more effective immune system and even a better complexion.
- None of the bad stuff
Raw foods are very low in trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. There is also scientific evidence showing that cooking can create free radicals in food, which in turn may damage your body’s cells1 and increase cancer risk.2 Raw food diets minimize this risk.
- Healthier digestion
A raw meal can leave you feeling more alert and energetic as it takes less energy to digest. In addition, raw food generally contains more fiber and enzymes, which help combat digestive ailments such as acid reflux and constipation.
Of course, raw food — raw meat and fish in particular, must be carefully prepared to avoid catching gastroenteritis. But done properly, a raw diet can work wonders for your health!
Sources
- Link LB & Jacobson JS. Factors affecting adherence to a raw vegan diet. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2008; Vol 14 (1): 53-59.
- Halliwell B. Oxidative stress and cancer: Have we moved forward? Biochem J 2007; 401: 1-11.