Από A raw food diet emphasizes whole foods that are low in calories, sodium and fat. It’s also high in fiber, phytochemicals and disease-fighting vitamins.
Raw foodists eat uncooked fruits, vegetables, sprouted seeds and nuts. Some eat raw animal products, including milk and eggs.
Cooking eliminates some bacteria, but raw foods contain enzymes that boost digestion and fight chronic diseases. Adding more raw foods to your spring cleanse may help you feel rejuvenated.
Raw Food Diet For Detox and Vitality
What to Eat
A Raw food diet focuses on whole, uncooked foods that are rich in enzymes and phytonutrients. Cooking depletes these nutrients and can also make them harder to digest. The main goal of this type of diet is to improve digestion and enhance health by eliminating toxins. Some followers of this diet also use it to lose weight.
Staples of a raw food diet include fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and herbs. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and fibre. The diet is typically low in calories and sodium. It excludes some types of dairy, meat and processed foods. It can be expensive because most raw foods are sold in bulk and require kitchen equipment like juicers and blenders.
Several books on the subject offer recipes and meal plans for those following a raw diet during detox or cleansing. You can choose to follow a complete program, such as the 30-day cleanse offered in Everyday Detox or simply incorporate a few healthy raw meals into your current diet.
The diet is not recommended for people with certain health conditions, especially pregnancy and infants. Due to the risk of food-borne illness, it is important to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them. You should also avoid foods that can be a source of salmonella, such as sprouts and unpasteurized juices.
To meet the nutritional requirements of a Raw food diet, you should eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits and consume protein-rich sources from animal foods (such as eggs and dairy). The goal is to achieve at least 80 percent of your calories from raw foods. You can do this gradually, starting with a 50-percent raw diet and working towards the goal as you feel comfortable.
Juices
Juice cleanses consist of drinking only juiced fruits and vegetables. They are often used as a way to get rid of excess weight, detoxify the body and improve health. Juice diets are not for everyone, though. People with malignant conditions, nutritional deficiencies, and digestive disorders should avoid them. It is important to seek the guidance of a naturopathic doctor when attempting a raw food cleanse.
Those who are interested in trying a juice cleanse may choose to purchase pre-made juices that are designed for a specific time frame or they can make their own juices at home using a juicer and a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Many juices are high in sugar, which can cause blood-sugar levels to spike, so they are not recommended for those with diabetes or other conditions that require careful management of blood glucose.
If you’re new to juicing, it’s a good idea to start with simple vegetable juices, such as celery and cucumber. These vegetables are easy to digest and tolerate, and they provide the body with a lot of watery, cleansing nutrients. You can also add kale, spinach or chard to your juices to increase the amount of greens you consume each day.
Juices contain a large amount of vitamin C, which is crucial for boosting the immune system and helping to protect against infections. They also help to speed up the digestive process, which can improve digestion and prevent bloating, constipation and gas. Many juice recipes include ingredients that are beneficial for the liver and kidneys, which can improve their function and reduce toxicity. In addition, juices can help to strengthen the immune system by encouraging white blood cells to fight infection.
Smoothies
The idea behind a raw food detox is to consume foods that are full of vitamins, minerals and enzymes and to remove the toxins that build up in the body. During this diet you may experience some side effects, like mild headaches and nausea, but these will disappear as you get used to the new diet. A raw food diet is typically made up of a combination of fruits, vegetables and nuts, and occasionally some unpasteurized dairy products and fish.
Supporters of this type of diet say that cooked foods deplete the body of important enzymes that help digestion and absorption of nutrients. In addition, they believe that raw foods are full of live energy and vitality. Unlike many detox programs that involve taking supplements or herbal remedies, a raw food detox can be very effective because most of the foods are already naturally detoxifying.
A typical meal on a raw food detox may include fresh fruit, salad greens, soaked or sprouted beans, and light, steamed vegetables. People on a raw food diet also often make their own desserts, such as a raw vegan lemon cheesecake using dates, coconut butter and cashews.
A person on a raw detox should be sure to have plenty of fluids, such as water and juices. It is also important to have a good source of protein, such as beans and nuts. If you are planning to start a raw food diet, consult with a health professional or dietician to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients your body needs. If you are not able to go 100% raw, try starting with a 70% raw – 30% cooked diet.
Salads
Salads are a big part of a raw diet and they can be very varied. You can use a variety of different greens and vegetables to make your salad, add fruits or berries for sweetness, nuts or seeds for protein, and be creative with dressings using fresh herbs, citrus zest and other flavours. Some people who eat a predominantly raw food diet also like to add in some fermented foods that are rich in probiotics (these include kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir) for digestive health.
Unlike other types of diets, the raw food diet allows blending, juicing and dehydrating of foods as long as they are not heated above 104deg to 118degF. The diet also allows chopping and slicing of foods. The idea is to create an abundance of nutrient-rich food, so that the body gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs to stay healthy.
The recipes in the book include breakfasts such as a Winter Spice Smoothie with Maca powder, lunches including a clever Parsnip ‘Tabbouleh’ and dinners like a Tomato Quiche with Almond Pastry and Vegetable ‘Spaghetti’ with Puttanesca Sauce. The meals are designed to be easy and satisfying, so that you can feel energised throughout the day and not hungry.
If you have a partner or family member who thinks that anything green is automatically ‘yuck’, then you might want to try a short juice cleanse before trying the raw diet full-time. This will give you a taste of the benefits and make it easier to introduce new, healthier foods into your regular diet. If you are planning to follow a raw food diet, consider taking some extra nutritional supplements during the cleanse, to ensure that your body is getting everything it needs to be healthy.
Meals
The raw food diet is a strict eating plan that eliminates cooked foods. It includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and uncooked whole grains. Some adherents also consume raw meat, fish and eggs as well as unpasteurized dairy products. People on the raw food diet enjoy their meals in their natural state, using blenders and dehydrators to create soups, sauces and other dishes. They often eat a lot of fruit and vegetable smoothies, salads, juices and soups as well as desserts made from raw ingredients.
Many people who follow a Raw food diet report increased energy and improved digestive health. They believe that the digestion-boosting enzymes in uncooked foods are more effective than those in cooked foods. They may also be able to achieve higher nutrient intakes, since they will not be relying on cooked foods to get their vitamins and minerals.
While the raw food diet is relatively low in calories, it can be difficult to maintain in the long term. It requires a significant amount of preparation, including blending and dehydrating foods. It may be best to stick to a less-strict version of the diet, and include cooked grains, beans or legumes to improve satisfaction and provide essential nutrients.
Designed to detoxify, nourish and rejuvenate, Raw meals are filled with natural flavor and energizing nutrients. They provide a variety of benefits, including weight loss, clearer skin and more energy. In her book, Natalia Rose, a certified nutritionist and detox specialist, explains how to reap the benefits of the Raw diet through recipes and inspiration.
