Most individuals choose to follow a raw vegan diet due to the health benefits it offers. Such as weight loss, reduced risks of diabetes, loweredlevels of cholesterol, and protection against heart illnesses.
A raw vegan diet has many positive consequences that make it worth being in your diet. This type of diet has been in use since the 1800s, but it has gained popularity in these recent years. Consuming raw food promotes general good health. Despite the good testimonies from proponents of a vegan raw diet, some experts claim eating mostof it may result in negative health results. Does a vegan raw diet have negative or positive health consequences? Is it safe to follow a raw vegan diet? Let’s find out.
How does a raw vegan diet work?
Raw vegan diet, sometimes recognized as raw veganism or raw foodism,constitutes completely or mostly raw and unprocessed foods. Food is regardedraw if it’s not been heated 40-48C or 104-118F. Also, if it’s not pasteurized, refined, treated with pesticides, or processed in any means. Theonly preparation methods it can go through include blending, juicing, soaking, dehydrating, or sprouting. Raw vegan diet is plant-based and mostly made up of vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruits. Itdoes not allow supplements because its proponentsbelieve this diet offers all the nutrients your body requires.
What foods are included inraw vegan diet?
- Raw nuts and seeds
- Raw vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Dried fruits and vegetables
- Raw legumes and grains, soaked or sprouted
- Nut milk
- Sea vegetables
- Purified water
- Almond, and peanut butter
- Coconut, and olive oil
- Coconut milk
Foods raw vegan diet exclude are;
- Any processed food
- Salt
- Refined oils
- Refined sugar
- Refined flour
- Alcohol
- Tae
- Coffee
- Pasteurized drinks and dairy
- Pasta
- Baked items
What are the benefits of a raw vegan diet?
Improves digestion
Whole plant foods have a high content of fiber which promotes proper digestion processes. Raw vegan diets contain both insoluble and soluble fibers. Insoluble type increases stool frequency and promotes quick food movement in the gut. Hence, reducing risks of constipation. Soluble fiber alsoplays an important role in feedinggood bacteria in the intestines. The benefitsof these healthy bacteria include producing nutrients like short-chain fats. Thus reducing inflammation in the gut and improving symptoms of healthconditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Assists inweight loss
Let’s admit it. Have you not gained weight because of consuming cookies, icecream, meat, and other fatty and sugary foods that you love? Although highly processed foods are the sweetest to consume and satisfy your taste buds, they lead to weight gain. Losing weight is one of the benefits of eating raw vegan food because they lack unhealthy fats and sugars.
Reduces risks of diabetes
Following a raw vegan diet minimizes the risks of diabetes. Focusing on fruits and vegetables offers protection against type 2 diabetes. Also, this diet, full of fiber, controls blood sugar levels and stabilizes insulin sensitivity. What’s more, raw vegan diet containslots of seeds, nuts, legumes, and sprouted grains, which helplower blood sugar levels. Hence, you can beconfident that switching to raw vegan diet will protect you from diabetes.
Improves heart health
This diet focuses on fruits and vegetableswhich are key protectors against heart illnesses and stroke. Eating sprouted whole grains, seeds, and nuts, promotehealthy cholesterol levels and reduce bad cholesterol thus loweringthe risks of heart diseases.
What are the healthrisks of raw vegan diet?
A raw vegan is nutritious. However, it may deny your body essential nutrients that are found in other types of foods. Also, it’s low in calories and contains high amount of natural sugars which may cause negative health consequences. These health issues include;
Weak bones
Focusing too much on vegan diet leads to low bone density. An individual with low bone density has higher chances of suffering from osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Irregular periods
According to research, females under 45 years following a raw food diet experience irregular periods. For some, their menstruation stopped completely. Raw food diet tends to cause extremeloss of body weight and disrupt the menstrual cycle. For that reason, raw vegan diet is not highly recommended due to its ability to reduce fertility in women.
Minerals and vitamin deficiencies
Raw vegan diet is exclusive of many food types. Hence, individuals following it will not get all the minerals and vitaminsneeded for various body functioning. Raw vegan diet fails to provide the following sufficiently;
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Calcium
- Iron
- Protein
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
Food poisoning
Cooking food helps to eliminate bacteria in foods. Raw vegan diet involves eating uncooked fruits and vegetables. Although some individuals do not experience food poisoning symptoms, many ingest dangerous bacteria that may lead to unpleasant results. It’s important to observe hygiene when handling raw fruits and vegetables. Ensure your hands are thoroughly washed, your raw foods are cleaned properly, and stored in a healthyenvironment. Cooking helps to reduce the risks of food poisoning, which means eating them raw will have poorhealth consequences.
Anemia
Due to insufficient amounts of vitamin B12in raw vegan diets,it’s easy to get anemia if you don’t consume supplements of this important nutrient.
Is raw food better than cooked food?
According to nutrition experts, both raw and cooked foods are beneficial. Regarding cooked foods, it’s claimed cooking kills natural enzymes present in foods. These enzymes are necessary for proper digestion and overall human health. Indeed cooking can reduce water-soluble nutrients like B vitamins and vitamin C. Even so, cooked foods have higher levels of certain antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene. Also, cooking inactivatesharmful compounds in food such as phytic acid and lectins in legumes and grains. In summary, raw vegan diet is not betterthan cooked food health-wise. Cooking food is healthier than eating raw diet.
Conclusion
A raw vegan food diet is beneficial. It’s high in vegetables and fruits. Also, it includesfoods high in fiber. To its credit, uncooked vegan diet limits consumption of unhealthy processed foods. Thus, you’ll be protected from excess fats and added sugars which cause poor health. Long-term consumption of raw vegan diet is not healthy. For your wellbeing, add other food typesto your diet instead of consuming a purely vegan diet.Also, cook them to preventfood poisoning.
Ksenia Sobchak enjoys blogging on fashion, style, lifestyle, love and CBD areas. Prior to becoming a blogger, Ksenia worked for a renowned fashion brand. Ksenia is a contributing author to leading fashion, lifestyle and CBD magazines and blogs. You can bump into Ksenia at her favourite cafe in South Kensington where she has written most blogs. Ksenia is a staunch advocate of CBD and its benefits to people. Ksenia is also on the panel of CBD reviewers at CBD Life Mag and Chill Hempire. Her favourite form of CBD are CBD gummies and CBD tinctures. Ksenia is a regular contributor at leading fashion, lifestyle as well as CBD magazines and blogs.
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