I have known about the raw food diet for over 15 years and have gradually added more and more raw foods into my plant-based diet. I haven’t always been plant-based and I did eat a carnivore-based diet at one stage. Having chronic asthma led me to look into detoxing the body and healing the body in natural ways. I first discovered raw foods through Harvey Diamond’s, ‘Fit for Life, Not Fat for Life’ book.
His book introduced me to the benefits of eating raw foods for optimal health, energy, and vitality. Since then, I have completed a 30-day raw food challenge and am currently completing another one.
Through my research, I have found both pros and cons of eating this way. I have found some answers to address issues with eating raw, such as teeth protection and making sure you get enough vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and proper intake of calories, just to name a few.
Watch my other article and video to find out more about the cons of eating a raw food diet.
What is the raw vegan diet?
Raw foods refer to foods not heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius). The food is unrefined or processed in any way and is preferably organic and grown without pesticides. Foods available to eat are raw fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, sea plants, natural nuts and seeds, nut milk, nut butter, soaked and sprouted grains and legumes, cold-pressed olive and coconut oils, and fermented foods such as kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut. 1
As I continue with my research regarding food, I am coming to a more definitive conclusion that plant-based foods contain essential proteins and calcium; that are easier to digest than animal-based sources. The evidence is shown in the book ‘The China Study by T. Colin Campbell PhD, where it was found that cultures living on plant-based foods had lower disease rates. The study concluded that counties with a high consumption of animal-based foods in 1983–84 were more likely to have had higher death rates from “Western” diseases as of 1973–75, while the opposite was true for counties that ate more plant foods. 2 Many cultures throughout history have shown to be healthy because they lived mostly off plant-based foods.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study
Because our food supply in this day and age is so devoid of nutrients and minerals, (because of soil depletion and agricultural practices), we have become even more dependent on animal food sources to compensate. Being self-sufficient and growing your home-grown organic produce is so beneficial for our health and the health of our loved ones.
Not everyone can fully and exclusively jump into this diet, and this is understandable, especially if one is used to eating a predominantly processed foods diet with fried foods, refined sugars, and animal products. To jump into 100% raw from this standpoint, can be a bad idea and detox symptoms can be too hard and fast and you may not be able to stick to being fully raw. I believe a detox should be gradual and holistic, with colonics and liver cleansing included.
You don’t have to eat a fully 100% raw food diet to gain the benefits. The simple action of eating cleaner whole and plant-based foods whilst increasing your raw food intake over time can provide tremendous benefits in itself. This is what I have done personally for over a decade.
Please note that I am not giving any medical or dietary advice. Everyone is different so it’s best to consult an authority you trust for your health and dietary needs.
For now, let’s delve into the 5 pros of eating a raw vegan diet:
1. Feel better and look younger
There are examples of these people living longer and healthier lives, and sometimes completely reversing disease and healing from illness. Generally, raw foodists look younger than they should and achieve a ‘raw glow’ to their eyes and skin. Eating raw vegan foods always gives me extra energy I never knew I had. I feel lighter, calmer, and happier. My overall health and breathing improve and so does my complexion. I sleep much better, too. And this happened to me when I first did my 30-day challenge. There are some examples of people who have been raw vegan for years, look great, and swear by it.
The raw vegan diet has been shown to aid in weight loss. This is because raw foods have fewer calories and more fiber, making you feel fuller for longer. They also contain plenty of water to help with flushing out toxins. The fiber also aids in digestion improvement and aid in the elimination process.
Fruits and vegetables are linked to lower blood pressure and reduced heart disease and stroke. Observational studies report that vegans may have up to a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure and a 42% lower risk of dying from heart disease. 3
3. The Raw Vegan Diet: Benefits, Risks and Meal Plan (healthline.com)
Organic raw plant food gives us the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals our bodies need for optimal function. If you are wondering how to eat raw foods in ways that will taste ‘good’, don’t be concerned, there are many yummy recipes you can try, and some are very simple.
2. Eating living foods – they digest themselves
We all know the adage ‘you are what you eat’. It’s intuitive – we know that if we eat raw, organic foods, our bodies benefit simply because what we put in is alive: full of enzymes, minerals, and nutrients.
Enzymes are what help your body digest food. Raw food contains enzymes and because of this, the food digests itself. These enzyme molecules are needed for the optimal breakdown of the foods in our digestive system. Our systems cannot take whole foods and process them. They must be broken down into individual components. These consist of amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, etc. 4
In most cases, cooked foods inactivate enzymes. Therefore, the body has to work much harder at digestion. The body then needs to overproduce stomach acid and digestive enzymes in the pancreas. With raw foods, the food is 75%’ pre-digested, with the enzymes already contained in the food, taking the load off your digestive system. It’s a process called ‘autolytic’ digestion. 5
You can find raw enzymes in non-heated foods and fresh vegetable and fruit juices.
4. Raw Enzymes: Breaking Down the Secret to Your Best Digestion (nutritionw.com)
5. http://jonbarron.org/article/food-raw-versus-cooked#.VK0G5Xv8fKA
3. Hydrating Qualities
Essentially when you eat raw foods, it is hydrating at the same time because many raw foods are full of water. Raw foods have so much water content: for example, watermelon, strawberries and grapefruit are made up of 91% water. Many other fruits such as cantaloupe, peaches, blackberries, papaya, and nectarines are made up of 88-90% water. 6 Other vegetables and raw foods also have a high-water content including celery, cucumbers, and tomatoes to name just a few. Cooked foods have less water content and therefore not as easy to digest as raw foods.
But it is not just the amount of water in raw foods that makes them more hydrating and easier to digest than other foods. It’s the quality of the water that matters, and not all water is created equal.
A unique form of water exists in fruits and vegetables and this is known as, known as H3O2 water, structured water, or living water. This type of water is believed to be more hydrating than H2O.
It’s the fruit’s complex cellular structure that stores this unique type of water. These structures provide hydration for the plant and contribute to the plant’s health and growth. Along with this, we have natural electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Also, antioxidants, micronutrients, and high fiber content promote digestive health and efficient water absorption. 7
To hydrate on a cellular level, our bodies benefit from structured water. Ensuring you eat raw foods means you are properly hydrating at the cellular level. After all, our bodies are made up of approx. 60% water and we need optimum hydration to be healthy. 8 If you don’t have access to H3O2 water, which is the case for most of us, eating raw foods will ensure your intake is met.
6. 17 Fruits Highest in Water (myfooddata.com)
8. What percentage of the human body is water? (medicalnewstoday.com)
4. Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives trees, grasses, and leafy plants their characteristic, green colour – wheatgrass, sea vegetables such as algae, and leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and rocket. Chlorophyll enables plants to convert the sun’s energy into nutrients that can be utilized by living organisms.
These raw green foods are so beneficial for the body because they contain oxygen similar to hemoglobin in our blood.9 Chlorophyll gives you energy and is packed with vitamin B12. Chlorophyll is incredibly rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K. It increases serotonin production, promotes wound healing, facilitates red blood cell growth, and provides your body with energy. It has anti-aging effects and promotes collagen production.
Wheatgrass juice is a powerful raw living food that is rich in chlorophyll and is stated to have tremendous health benefits. 9, 10, 11
9. http://drleonardcoldwell.com/only-answer-to-cancer/cancer-diet/
10. 30 foods high in chlorophyll. – LazyPlant
11. 7 Chlorophyll Health Benefits | Amy Myers MD
5. Life force and chi energy
Raw foods have been compared to cooked foods via Kirlian photography. The technique is named after Soviet scientist Semyon Kirlian, who accidentally discovered it in 1939.
This technique works by placing an object on a photographic plate connected to a high-voltage source. An image is then produced on the plate. This photographic technique shows the glow or aura around the object by corona discharges. These are electrical discharges resulting from the ionization of gas or fluid surrounding the object.
Essentially, these photographs reveal the energy field or ‘life-force’ energy of the object. Closely associated with this energy I suggest would be ‘chi’ energy. The ancient Chinese understood it to be the life force that animated creation.
Another field of study that I surmise is closely related to ‘chi’ ‘would be the discovery of Biophotons. Bio = biologic and Photon = light energy. The existence of the bio photon field was scientifically proven by Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp in 1974 who proved that bio photons originate from your DNA and are laser-like in nature. He states that we are true ‘beings of light’.
Today, Dr. Joe Dispenza states “We now know that the biphotons emitted from our cells are highly coherent energy that may be responsible for the operation of our biological systems. We know that our cells emit light and that this light is constantly sending and receiving information.”
This photon energy is the ‘source of life’ – feeding plants and all life forms, which include our bodies.
As you can see from these Kirlian photographs, the raw foods are depicted as more ‘alive’ compared to the cooked comparisons. It seems obvious which one would be more nourishing for the body. Perhaps you could look at it this way…if the food has more glow, you are essentially eating foods that are alive and optimally fuel the cells.
Photo sources: kirlian photography raw food – museumofmodernartphotographycourse
This example shows our own bodies’ bio-photonic energy.
Above: schematic illustration of experimental setup that found the human body, especially the face, emits visible light in small quantities that vary during the day. B is one of the test subjects. The other images show the weak emissions of visible light during totally dark conditions. The chart corresponds to the images and shows how the emissions varied during the day. The last image (I) is an infrared image of the subject showing heat emissions. Credit: Kyoto University; Tohoku Institute of Technology; PLoS ONE 2
Informational links that talk more about this topic:
CleanMyMac X (4.2) (youtube.com) Kirlean Photography
Fruit and Biophotons – Anne Osborne (youtube.com) More about bio-photons in fruit
Seeing the Energy of Food with Kirlian Photography (video) – Guardian Liberty Voice (guardianlv.com)
Biophotons: The Light in Our Cells (drjoedispenza.com)
https://prlabs.com/blog/biophoton-fritz-albert-popp.html
Raw foods are beneficial in unique ways. From chlorophyll, enzymes for ease of digestion, lower calories for weight loss and structured water, these foods can be a great way to detox, hydrate and also heal the body.
