Raw Food Diets
What it is: As the name implies, Raw Food Diet encourages eating raw food, including fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains. Some followers even take some meat and dairy products but some cooking is required for some of these products to avoid parasites. Vegetarians, though, are among the diet's staunch followers.
In general, food is considered raw if it is heated not above 116 degrees Fahrenheit or 46 degrees Celsius .
It is sometimes called the Living Food Diet though there are a few literature differentiating the two. In general, however, Raw Food Diet is also referred to as Living Food Diet. Advocates argue that prehistoric man used to eat food raw, and humans are the only creatures on the planet who cook their food. If other creatures can eat food raw without banishing their race, men should also follow the �natural� way of eating food by taking them raw.
Though considered too radical by some, the diet is among the latest programs that have caught public attention, with celebrity endorses, such as Hollywood actors Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore.
How it works: Advocates, called �raw foodists,� claim that enzymes in the food aid in the body's natural digestive system. To cook or process the food above the prescribed heat limit could destroy these enzymes.
Uncooked food is also believed to be nutrient-rich, and cooking or processing sheds off some of these nutrients the body needs.
Cooking or processing food also leads to higher levels of toxicity in the body, thus, causing obesity. Conversely, raw foods lack fat, which generally leads to obesity. Another way of looking at this is advocates don't gain weight because of the low fat content of raw food.
Other professed benefits of raw food include improved digestion, clearer skin, and a perceived level of immunity from some common sickness like colds and flu. There are no suggested or stringent meal plans for this type of diet for as long as foods are raw. The argument is that raw foods are natural and eating them is a natural way of life. Cookbooks, however, abound in the market.
Some may have to spend, though, on food appliances like a food processor and juice extractor.
Pros/Cons/Debates:
Despite celebrity endorsers, the diet program cannot convince everyone.
Some critics argue that some nutrients in some food can only be released when they are processed or cooked. Examples are lycopene in tomatoes and beta carotene in carrots.
The also point out that some food may even be dangerous to eat raw. Some greens, or vegetables, for instance, cannot be taken in large quantity because they cause adverse effects in the skin. Pesticides used in some raw foods, like fruits and vegetables, can also be digested if foods are not probably cleaned or processed.
Pure foodists, like those who don't take meat and dairy products, also miss out on some needed nutrients. Dairy products, for instance, are rich sources of calcium for strong bones.
Case Studies:
Some critics rebut the claims of raw food advocates wth recent case studies.
A recent study, which appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine (March 28, 2005; vol 165: pp 684-689.), shows that vegetarians who participated in the study suffer from osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease common among adults http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46447 ; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=21897# and http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/4389837.stm )
The participants' body mass index (BMI) indicates that they are thin compared to people their age. The BMI measures the height of a person to his weight. Thinner people are believed to be more at risk of osteoporosis.
The results of the study, however, are still inconclusive because of �surprise� findings. Though thin, the participants are not suffering from Vitamin D deficiency and they have �higher bone turnover rate� despite low bone mineral density that makes them thinner.
A study published in 1999 on dental research on controlled groups of raw food dieters �showed that a raw food diet bears an increased risk of dental erosion compared to conventional nutrition�.
These case studies are fairly recent and suggest further studies on the subject matter. Even then, there is no stopping advocates from carrying on with their dietary habits, even to the point of sharing their passion with their pets.
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