10 Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

10 Benefits of the Raw Food Diet

Raw foodists eat no animal products and only eat foods that have not been heated to more than 114 degrees Fahrenheit. This preserves the nutrients and enzymes naturally found in food.

Have you heard of the raw food diet?

This makes it healthier and more nutritious.

But what are the benefits of the raw food diet? Here are ten of the most noteworthy.

1. More vitamins, minerals, and fiber

The raw food diet is one of the most nutrient-dense diets around. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and nuts and seeds aren’t far behind.

While vitamins and minerals don’t contain any energy themselves, they allow your body to unlock the energy in the food you eat. Subsequently, raw food dieters usually report that they have more energy, and experience fewer energy crashes compared to those following a standard processed diet.

Vitamins, minerals, and chemical catalysts help regulate the billions of chemical reactions that are responsible for keeping you alive. Fiber is essential for a properly functioning digestive system, as well as being important for weight loss.

Following the raw food diet makes getting enough vitamins, minerals, and fiber much easier, especially compared to a diet high in processed or cooked foods.

2. Improved healing and better health

The raw food diet not only provides your body with the nutrients it needs to heal and be healthy, but it also contains fewer substances that can lead to ill health.

10 Benefits of the Raw Food Diet starting TodayFor example, the raw food diet contains no artificial chemicals, refined sugar, or trans fats, all of which are known to cause sickness.

By providing more nutrients and no toxins, the raw food diet allows your body to heal itself. For many raw foodists, the first thing they notice is that they have better skin. Clearer, blemish-free skin is a good indicator of improved internal health.

3. Weight loss

Except for nuts and seeds, almost all raw foods are very low in calories, especially compared to high sugar and high fat processed foods. This makes the raw food diet ideal for weight loss.

According to the Raw Vegan Traveler, “Raw vegan foods are naturally much lower in calories and higher in fiber. This makes them more filling. As a result, you can eat a lot more food while ingesting far fewer calories, which will lead to weight loss.”

4. Easier meal preparation

Cooking can be very time-consuming. That’s why so many people live on things like processed foods and takeout. Raw foods require much less preparation time, which means the raw food diet is very time-efficient and easy to stick to.

Cleaning up after preparing a raw food meal is also very easy as there will be no pans to clean.

5. Improved immune system

Followers of the raw food diet often report fewer minor illnesses, such as coughs and colds. This is because eating lots of fruits and vegetables supercharges your immune system so that it is better able to fight off germs, bugs, and even viruses.

No one likes being sick, and it’s gratifying to know that following the raw food diet can help keep you out of your doctor’s office.

6. Fewer digestive upsets

A lot of people suffer from things like acid reflux, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and other digestive upsets. In many cases, the cause of these problems is a diet high in processed foods that also contains inflammatory ingredients such as artificial additives and sugar.

The raw food diet is free from most of the substances responsible for digestive upset.

7. Better for the environment

Plant foods are better for the environment than animal products. Raising, slaughtering, transporting, and cooking animal products uses a lot of energy, and most of that energy comes from fossil fuels. Using fossil fuels leads to the production of greenhouse gasses and contributes to climate change.

Raw plant foods are much less environmentally impactful, and it’s good to know that the raw food diet is good for both your health and the health of the planet.

8. Saves you money

It takes a lot of manpower, energy, space, time, and money to raise livestock. That’s why animal produce is so expensive. Eating more fruits and vegetables, and no animal products can slash your grocery bill.

Also, you won’t have to buy pots, pans, and other cooking implements. Your energy bill will also be lower as you won’t need to use your oven or hob.

9. Naturally gluten and lactose-free

A large and growing percentage of the population is gluten and lactose-intolerant. This means they are allergic to these substances.

Both of these substances can lead to digestive upset, bloating, and abdominal pain, as well as rashes and headaches.

While you can buy lactose and gluten-free food products, the raw food diet is naturally free from both of these harmful substances.

10 No more hunger

Raw foods are very filling. They contain a lot of fiber and water, which means they are bulky despite not containing many calories. For example, a cup of chopped broccoli contains no more than 35 calories. In contrast, a cup of regular breakfast cereal contains as much as 400.

Despite this significant difference, the broccoli will probably be more filling as it’s higher in fiber and slow to digest. It’s also higher in nutrients.

Hunger can be hard to ignore and can lead to making unhealthy food choices. The raw food diet quashes hunger so that you are much less likely to be tempted to eat unhealthily.

Wrap-Up

With so many benefits, the advantages of the raw food diet are clear. It’s not just good for weight loss and your health, it’s good for the planet too. Adopting the raw food lifestyle can save you time and money too.

It’s not a question of why you should follow the raw food diet. Instead, it’s a question of why don’t you or at least why don’t you start eating more raw foods?