Raw Vegetable Diet

While there are varying types of raw food diets, the raw vegetable diet appears to be one of the most nutritionally beneficial. Also called the raw vegan diet, the raw vegetable diet sounds precisely like what it is - a raw food diet restricted to vegetables and sprouts, excluding any and all animal food products, including dairy and honey. Raw vegans are usually 100% raw food eaters, but many consider any vegan with a diet of at least 75% raw food to be raw vegan. "Raw" is considered to be uncooked, or food prepared at temperatures no higher than 115° Fahrenheit (46° Celsius). Many raw vegans claim that the raw vegetable diet provides immense health benefits such as weight loss, increased energy, improved insulin tolerance, clearer skin, and improved general well-being. These claims make perfect sense - the lower sugar intake, increased nutrient intake, and higher quality caloric intake of a raw vegetable diet provides the body with the fuel it needs to function more like nature intended.

Despite the many health benefits reported about consuming a raw vegetable diet, there are still some that suggest potential health risks. The most common of these risks that gets mentioned is regarding protein deficiency. This is rarely a problem with raw vegans, if at all, since plants do contain protein despite what many believe... where do you think that animals get it!? Besides the less obvious, fruits and greens, hemp and yellow pea offer a significant amount of digestable protein. Also, there is debate on whether the amount of protein that is suggested that is required in the human diet is even accurate. Raw foodists feel the requirement is much lower. Ask the many raw vegan body builders what they think.

Another suggested health risk, is vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is actually a bacterium, so it is most prevalent in animal-derived food sources where bacteria can thrive. People on a raw vegetable diet plan often take Vitamin B12 supplements in order to maintain optimal health. Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 deficiency include pale skin, respiratory problems, fatigue, anorexia, mental confusion, delusions, paranoia, and unexplained weight loss. Vitamin B12 deficiency, however, is not common and can be easily prevented. In fact, some educators teach that Vitamin B12 recycles itself in the bowel for several years and some even say that the body can manufacture needed Vitamin B12 on its own.

Raw veganism is not only extremely healthy, but it can be a culinary delight as well! Although the raw vegan diet may appear to be restrictive, it does not skimp on taste like one might assume. There are now so many raw food enthusiasts and chefs publishing online and in print that you can easily find lots of different recipes on the Internet and in raw 'cook' books. With careful research you can build an entire raw food diet plan full of variety and tasty raw food cuisine.

Raw Food Articles

Raw Food Diet Recipe There are countless recipes available to prepare food on the raw food diet. The methods range from extremely simple to rather complex. Don't even think for a moment that it's all about eating salads. Thinking you have to give up pizza? Think again, the raw food version tastes wonderful and is fun to make. Some recipes will fool your 'cooked food' friends, they may never know it's raw!

 

Raw Detox Cleansing Diet Clearing your system of toxins on occasion will give your body the chance to heal at a deeper level. Couple a significant reduction of toxins with an increase in nutrition, your body will be armed with what it needs to promote health and well being. If you were to try a raw, organic, vegan cleansing diet while eliminating known toxins and other bad habits, even for just 3 days, the detox may have a profound impact.

 

Raw Food Restaurants More and more raw food establishments are popping up across the world in major cities. One aspect that was sadly missed for some raw foodists was getting together with family and friends for meals. Thankfully raw food and raw food friendly retaurants are alleviating that problem. Plus it's nice to try new meals, especially when you don't have a dehydrator which is needed for some of the more complicated raw recipes.

 

Raw Organic Food Consuming raw organic food could be the healthiest choice that you make. Your body goes through enough stress when you consume food, why put it through more by giving it toxins and other poisons to deal with? The best way to get organic produce is of course to grow your own, but there are organic grocery stores and farms that you can shop at as well.

 

Healthy Green Smoothie A simple way to go raw for some people is to just consume green smoothies on a daily basis. They are delicious, digest easily and are simple to prepare. By mixing mostly fruits with some greens and juice or water, you can very well be getting everything you need in your diet shy of perhaps Vitamin D and B12.

 

Top 9 Healthy Restaurants Originally compiled in a video by Kevin and Anne Marie Gianni, here are the top 9 healthiest restaurants in the U.S. based on their findings. They travelled to 50 U.S. cities checking out the healthy menus and picked out these top choices. The list is not exclusively raw... there are vegan, vegetarian and/or organic restaurants amongst the list as well.