Raw Food Diet Concerns

All the rage among celebrities, the raw food diet promises weight loss, improved vitality and prevention of major diseases. A diet comprised of vegetables, fruits and whole grains sounds healthy, so what are the concerns?

The Diet

Raw foodists subsist on uncooked plant foods--fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains and nuts. According to their theory, heating food to temperatures above 116 degrees destroys essential enzymes needed to enhance digestion and hinders absorption of nutrients. Rawists truly believe you are what you eat. Raw food represents vitality, freshness and optimum nutrition; cooked food is dead energy. Consuming 75 percent or more of your meals raw qualifies you as a rawist; although some eat 100 percent raw foods. Techniques such as juicing, dehydrating, soaking nuts and sprouting grains allow for a variety of preparations in the diet.

Benefits

Advocates of the diet claim increased energy, improved skin appearance, weight loss and decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Some scientific data supports their claims. A study published in the December 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that following a low-protein, low-calorie diet for the long-term resulted in lower levels of certain factors linked to cancer risk. This study did not focus on rawists, but a raw diet definitely qualifies as low in protein and calories.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Because the diet disallows foods such as dairy, meats and potatoes, nutritional deficiencies may occur. In particular, nutritionists worry about the lack of iron, Vitamin B12 and calcium in the diet. While certain foods can lose up to 85 percent of their nutritional value when heated, others release more nutrients. Cooking maximizes the release of lycopene in tomatoes and beta carotene in carrots. You will find it hard to consume adequate protein on a raw foods diet. Fruits and vegetables do not provide complete proteins, leaving nuts as the primary source. A high intake of nuts can cause stomach upset and a high fat intake.

Risks

Pregnant women, children and the elderly should not follow a raw foods diet. The possible nutritional deficiencies could adversely affect these populations. Those with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease may find that a raw diet aggravates digestive problems. The paucity of calcium in the diet can contribute to osteoperosis and low bone density in prone individuals. Some people find it hard to consume enough calories on a raw diet because of the low calorie density of allowed foods. Those in cold climates might find a raw diet unappealing and unsatisfying.

Certain foods can be toxic when eaten raw. In their raw state, buckwheat greens, kidney beans, alfalfa sprouts, cassava, peas, apricot kernals and parsnips contain certain toxic components and should be consumed with extreme caution.

Commitment

The raw food diet requires preparation, a lot of organization and some specialized equipment. When eating at friends or family's houses, or in restaurants, sticking to the diet may be difficult. You might encounter skepticism and outright criticism of your dietary choices from non-rawists. If you think a raw diet is for you, begin slowly by enjoying one or two raw meals a week so your digestive system has time to adjust to the dietary changes.