| Raw Food Diet |
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If some of your personal health goals include getting more nutritional value out of the foods you eat, improving digestion, losing weight, increasing your overall energy level, and improving the appearance of your skin then the Raw Food Diet may be for you. Research has shown that cooking food above 116 degrees reduces the amount of nutrients and beneficial enzymes naturally found in what you eat. If some of your personal health goals include getting more nutritional value out of the foods you eat, improving digestion, losing weight, increasing your overall energy level, and improving the appearance of your skin then the Raw Food Diet may be for you. Research has shown that cooking food above 116 degrees reduces the amount of nutrients and beneficial enzymes naturally found in what you eat. The Raw Food Diet is a vegetarian diet that consists of about 80 percent of uncooked and unprocessed foods. These foods include legumes, seaweed, grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, sprouts, and beans. Eating only these foods in uncooked and unprocessed forms enables you to reduce the amount of sodium, saturated fat, and trans- fat that you would normally ingest eating the typical American menu of foods. While reducing all the bad stuff we find in our foods the Raw Food Diet increases the amount of fiber, potassium, folate, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals that have been proven to promote healthy systems). There are numerous ways to keep you motivated and interested in the foods you eat if you choose to adhere to a Raw Food Diet. One major suggestion is to get certain equipment to help add variety to your menu. This equipment includes food processors, blenders, dehydrators, juice extractors and jars to sprout seeds. Another suggestion is to use online resources to locate recipes, forums, and websites that sell fresh, whole foods. It is important to keep in mind though that no matter how beneficial eating only raw, organic, and natural foods may be for ones overall health it is not for everyone. It is important to monitor your daily nutrient intake to ensure you avoid any kind of nutritional deficiencies. Be sure to include foods or take daily vitamins or supplements that include iron and calcium. For this reason the Raw Foods Diet is not recommended for children, pregnant women, and people with anemia or at risk for osteoporosis. As with all diets there are many critics of the Raw Food Diet. It is always important to consult your doctor before drastically changing your typical diet. |
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