Alkaline Diet

11 Reasons Why Raw Food Diet Rocks Your Body

Posted on 26. Dec, 2011 by Isabelle Ngin in Blog

I’m sure you have heard of many awesome benefits about Raw Food Diet, but you may not know some of these 11 reasons and benefits on how Raw Food could rock your body and boost your health. Watch this exclusive raw food video to discover the 3 surprising raw food diet tips that boost your energy, melt your fat and heal your body.

I. Rich in Phytonutrients

That which give fruits and vegetables radiant and lonely different colors is called the phytonutrients, the word came from” phyto” which means plant and then word “nutrients”, these are very good source of antioxidants and are very helpful in the prevention of chronic diseases which many people are prone to having. According to Doctor Hayman and Doctor Galland, these phytonutrients help stimulate the metabolism in its cellular level and helps in regulating hormones that controls one’s appetite.

II. Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

When food is cooked or altered in any machine that is 130 degrees and above, the vitamins and minerals present evaporates or disappears so there are less nutrients consumed. In simple words, the more a food is cooked, the lesser nutrients it has therefore, the food that one consumed is just a pile of “junk” which is contradicts the main purpose of why we eat which is to be healthy.

On the contrary, if one eats some food raw, the more they consume some of its nutritive value which should be the goal of eating healthy. Organic fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw are very much healthy to the body. People who have been practicing to eat organic food can very much tell the difference whether the food that they are being served at restaurants are chemically produced ones or organically grown because of the different taste it manifests.

Making a simple salad for instance can very much tell the difference if the food is organic based or not because of the different colors it has, you can tell by color itself if the food is organic or not. Salads are made up of different variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and the more there are fruits and vegetables in it the more vibrant the colors are it is just about the presentation of it.

Presentation is also another key so that these foods are eaten by the whole family, if a food is presented in such an eeky way children will not likely to eat it even for some adults, so better think about how you present your salad, so that the whole family can appreciate and eat the whole bowl of it.

III. Rich in Enzymes

Enzymes are responsible for breaking down raw food. In some research conducted it was found out that foods that are high in enzymes helps in the digestion of the body it was also said to slow down the aging and increase one’s vitality. Enzymes are the body’s power, it directs every single activity to the body. As quoted by Doctor Gabriel Cousens who had a Master’s Degree , ‘Enzymes can even help repair our DNA and RNA.’

In losing weight, enzymes are as much to be thankful for as any other nutrients. The lipase, “fat splitting” enzyme can be found in raw food, it functions in helping the body digest and burn fat easily for energy consumption. Another enzyme that is most helpful is called the protease, it is responsible in splitting up proteins into amino acids that helps in body block building a well as eliminates toxins.

IV. Rich in Proteins (Yes, Plenty of Proteins)

Proteins can also be found in plants as many of us may be unaware of because of the misconception that proteins can only be found in meat products, dairy products and the like. Now to prevent any more confusion and misconception, proteins can also be found in plants and truthfully, these plant based proteins are way easier to digest and break down compared to meat or dairy based proteins.

In detail, proteins are found in plants deep inside a wall of fiber, fiber is also another good nutrient in the body as it helps in digestion and cleansing and flushing away all toxins in the body, while on the other hand, meat based protein from animals are found deep inside a wall of so much fat and cholesterol which are very hard to break down by the body and has a lot of health related problems when consumed.

When cholesterol builds up in the body, the veins and arteries can be clogged that can cause a lot of problems like stroke, heart attack and the like, it also does no good to the digestion of the body as it is not easily absorbed, so better switch to eating plant protein based food as it especially those green ones as it helps one become healthy and it can also complete the essential 8 amino acids that the body needs.

Proteins present in food that is cooked can cause chains of the amino acid to congeal and when this happens it can do more damage to the body than good. A food cooked over 180 degrees Fahrenheit can lost all of its vitamins, enzymes and minerals in it, the building blocks of protein-amino acid deteriorates and is completely destroyed at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. A finding that most might not have hear of is that too much protein can actually destroy the body like the kidneys, digestive tract and more.

People who are on the program to lose weight that might be in the protein high diets should read the fact that the ACS or the (American Cancer Society) people who eat meals with meat 3 times more only gained more weight compared to those who have been strictly on the vegetable side of the diet, this was based on a study done on an 80,000 participants who aimed to lose weight. A published study by the Journal of the Clinical Nutrition and New England Journal of Medicine said that meat lovers are prone to gaining weight than vegetable lovers do. Add to that the health risks it poses.

Protein based diet can pretty much make more damage to you than you can imagine, yes it does help you lose weight and all but there are certain side effects to all diet, some trainers who endorse this program would argue that it is just part of the weight loss program but it is actually not, that is your body already telling you to stop and take a look of what it is doing to you, it’s not safe anymore.

You as the owner of your body should be able to tell whether a diet program is working for you or not, don’t let anyone else control you and tell you what is good and what is not. Eating a high protein meal can cause a lot of complications to the body, proteins that are animal based is too acidic when consumed can cause the acids to increase and affect the blood stream which in turn can stress the kidneys.

High fat and protein consumption is found out to cause serious illnesses like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, bone problems, liver and kidney problems. Some people who may have some concerns about eating meat raw, though these are rich in enzymes, raw meat can also be a host of some parasites that are may cause some problems when it enters the body, raw fishes can also be dangerous if these were polluted with heavy metals that came from highly polluted body of water.

But now that proteins can be found in plants, there is no discussion at all in how to include protein in eating raw food. They are much safer as they are natural based coming from different fruits and vegetables like seeds (hemp seeds), nuts, sprouts, beans and algae, these can even be good for athletes, pregnant women, and dieters who are aiming to get lean muscles.

Higher protein content can be found more in raw food than in cooked ones, therefore many medical professionals agree that quality should be more of the target than quantity. Once you eat raw food, raw proteins is easily absorbed and digested by the body because the amino acids and enzymes are still present  and are not destroyed as compared to when food is cooked that causes these enzymes to settle in the colon area and may even increase the susceptibility of one to various health problems. The benefits of eating food raw are for the good digestion of food, while making it easier for the body to absorb all the phytonutrients and enzymes that are very much healthy and needed by the body.

The Okinawan and Hunzans tribe of Pakistan are known to live longer among any other tribe in the world and it was found out that 20 percent of their meal consists of protein. Non-vegetarians on the other hand are still advised to at least add half their meal of raw food as some may say that they reduced eating animal protein once they started on eating more of raw food.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, a person is required to eat at least 30g a day of protein while depending on one’s weight and level of activity. Assuming that you work a lot like a marathon runner or a weight lift trainer you are required to consume 40 to 70g of protein, bottom line is to know your body well, you’ll soon see the difference in your body once you start your diet with eating raw and organic food like fruits and vegetables.

V. Fats

Once you eat raw fat it can be very help you to prefer eating more raw food than those cooked ones, so long as you eat lots of fruits and vegetables to balance out your meal, you need to worry about eating raw fat. “Good Fats” consists of mono unsaturated fat which can be found in almonds, avocados, olives, omega 3 in fishes, walnuts and flax seeds. It also includes poly unsaturated fats that can help flush down all toxins in the body. The aforementioned benefits of fats in raw food are great that it can help the body heal fast. Other foods that contain raw fat include sesame seeds, sunflower seed and others.

“Good fats” from avocados, nuts, seeds and others cannot cause one to be fat, with everything consumed in moderation, even eating it daily cannot cause harm to the body especially to one’s weight.

“Bad Fats” consists of trans fat, animal fat, refined and processed fat like cooking oils and other stuff. “Good fat” like the avocado are very heat sensitive, once cooked they are easily damaged by it. Fats heated lose their natural antioxidant qualities and are said to be carcinogenic. And more interesting news is that cooked or processed fats lose its nutritional value, so salmon that are cooked lose their omega 3 values as they are highly heat sensitive.

Nuts on the other hand that are said to contain “good fat” are highly acidic so better eat them in moderation with mixed green vegetables to have a alkalizing effect. Tip: to have less acidity in your seeds and nuts soak it overnight before using it.

VI. Digestion, Absorption, and Elimination

Have you ever heard of the “digestive fire”? This occurs when there is improper food mixture and poor digestion. Some individuals may have already experienced, some symptoms of this are lack of sleep, poor energy and exhaustion and partly to blame is because of poor digestion. A healthy digestive system effects are good physical, mental and emotional condition. If one has a good digestive system it can help in the proper absorption of food and all of its vital nutrients.

Moreover sign of a good digestion is the proper elimination of wastes which is having normal bowel movements. A normal bowel movement would mean an equal ratio of having bowel movements to the meals that is eaten in a day, in short if you ate 3 meals in a day, you must at least have 2 to 3 bowel movements in a day as well.

Individuals who have just started with the raw diet program would be surprised at the number of times they go to the bathroom and that is usually 4 to 5 times in a day which is just normal because it is just starting out to clean the digestive tract. Most people may also be surprised to know that they should be having more than one bowel movement in a day. The big difference when one switch to eating raw is almost so visible, you may notice a change in your energy levels, you feel renewed, rejuvenated and youthful as well.

While under the raw diet program you will notice that you digest food much easier making you absorb the many nutrients of the different food that you eat raw, your usual cravings for some unhealthy foods will also lessen. As for the digestion part, you may have slight difficulties at first because of the many toxins that you are flushing outside the body but it will soon go away. As the body is being cleansed, there may be some unpleasant side effects but this is nothing compared to the many benefits the raw diet gives.

The process of elimination usually starts when the lymph releases unprocessed proteins, chemicals and toxins in the blood stream which is where it is released. Some symptoms of the detoxification process include headaches, hot or cold flashes, mucus discharge, fever, drowsiness, bad breath and others. The sound of it may be unpleasant but once you are out of the process and have eliminated all the toxins in your body, you will feel great and surprisingly full of energy.

VII. Acidity and Alkalinity

Acidity and alkalinity is measured with the use of a pH scale, the importance of knowing this information would mean a lot as it would guide one into knowing the best way to stay healthy and avoid all sorts of sickness. An acidic body can be prone to chronic illnesses like cancer, kidney problems and others and symptoms of acidic body are arthritis, muscle stiffness, fatigue, headache, chest pain, stomach ache and many more.

Understanding of how the body becomes acidic is a good way to start being healthy. One cause of which is poor diet coupled with an unhealthy lifestyle. Sadly, but is a fact that the American household is very fond of acidic meals, examples include, sugar products, fast food products, dairy products, high in fat products and others. There are thousands of food that are bought everyday with tons of additives, preservatives, sugar, fats and others which are all sources of acid. That is why you need to incorporate alkaline based food in your diet to balance out all the acidic foods that you have been consuming for a very long time, a high source of alkaline based food are raw foods. Most raw fruits and vegetables are alkaline based ones so eat a lot of raw foods if you can. Another major contributor to being acidic is stress, so try your best to avoid it.

VIII. Eating Organic Foods

The word “organic” would mean the natural way that a fruit, vegetable or even animals are raised. Many people may have heard of the word “organic farming” and it mainly means the natural way of farming without the use of any chemicals like pesticides, growers, fertilizers, herbicides or enhancers and being able to be labeled as a “certified organic” farm or product would mean that you have conformed to the highest standards of organic, this may only be authorized by private organizations or the government of an Independent State.

According to Doctor Alan Greene from “Stanford’s Children’s Hospital” the immune system will not waste energy into fighting off toxins present in commercially produced fruits and vegetables if one eats organic products. Organic products help the immune system ward off disease and illnesses and are also high in antioxidants although the body has its own defense system, it can also wear out especially if one has abused their bodies, and to counter attack the toxins present in the environment, one must limit him or herself from being exposed to toxins and stress. Herbicides and pesticides that are mostly present in commercially produced food has been found out to be carcinogenic that lead to deadly cancer diseases.

The cost of organic foods is more expensive compared to commercially made foods but the benefits of eating it are far greater. Eating more organically produced foods keeps one’s body healthier that in turn will keep you from frequenting hospitals because the lesser you are to sicknesses which is one way you get to save money, you may also not need medications for sicknesses because your body is much more healthier. The mere reason that organic products cost more because it must follow the highest standards of being naturally grown and there is not much farm out there that produce organically made food, so they cost more. Of course if you want to get more quality products you have to pay more.

To make this much easier to understand let us take the example of a drinking water, all of us would think twice before drinking tap water, so of course we pay more to drink bottled water which is way more costly than drinking just tap water. Tap water of some municipalities may be safe to drink but this is not for all. To think that we pay more to drink bottled water but not on organically produced foods doesn’t make sense.

Here are some benefits of eating organic produce:

• Ultimate health and nutritional value: facts on organic produce have 300 percent more of vitamins and minerals.
• Organic products are tasteful which is why chefs uses this more than commercial ones
• Lesser amount of chemicals are consumed
• Lesser exposure to carcinogenic products
• Environmental friendly
• No GMO’s or “Genetically Modified Organisms”

IX. Plenty of Fruits

Fruits are one of nature’s best gifts to mankind. Fruits have many health benefits to offer not to mention has a great alkalizing effect. Fruits helps to balance sugar levels in the body and controls cravings as well. A simple banana wrapped in a romaine leaf lettuce is very healthy not to mention easy and simple to do. If you prefer you may add green fresh vegetables to your favorite smoothies like celery, romaine celery, parsley or kale to make it more nutritious and healthy.

The Raw Diet program enforces one to drink more water than they normally do, your body would want more water and fruits coincidentally contain water which is good. Fruits are also rich in vitamins and minerals which help a lot in maintaining a healthy body. A noticeable effect also of the raw diet is you may crave more fruits than you usually do, another way to stay healthy.

X. Plenty of Greens

It was said that nutritionist find green vegetables an interesting topic that they even argue and discuss it among themselves. Many people may take green leafy vegetables for granted and just put it on the side of their plate or throw them away but in fact these are one of the most healthiest foods are around, it has the main percentage of essential minerals for each calorie of any type of food.

In the raw diet program it is very much recommended to eat digestible food like the green foods- celery, lettuce, sprouts and unsweetened fruits like tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, red bell pepper and summer squash. Some green vegetables are quite difficult to digest like cabbage, collards, broccoli and kale, this may be softened if you marinate them in olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt so it can be easier to digest.

Another remedy that you may do to help you digest those dark green vegetables is to make them as juice extracts and drink them like your home made smoothies, couple of glasses of it will make you feel stuffed. People who are always “on the o” may also bring with them dehydrated green foods as part of their supplements, it is convenient and easy to bring anywhere.

XI. Raw Foods For Calcium – Not Dairy Products!

Dairy products are found to have a mucous forming effect to people. These are packed with cholesterol and saturated fats. Some effect of eating dairy products to some people is having a cold or allergic reaction. Undigested lactose and acid in pasteurized milk is often the breeding place of some bacteria that when consumed can greatly affect the intestines of the body.

Interesting facts about milk is that humans are the only living animals on the planet to drink it and what’s more is that from the milk of other animals. Dairy industries around the planet are one of the richest businesses with lots of other products that can be made out of milk like butter, cheese and milk.

Traditionally, we have all been raised to believe that calcium found in milk can help reduce bone related problems like osteoporosis but here is the fact: not a single study has been found out that proves consuming dairy products can help prevent osteoporosis, in fact many doctors and medical experts agree that high levels of protein in dairy products actually leaches the calcium from one’s body.

In related studies, countries that consume more dairy products were actually found out to have the most related cases of osteoporosis, so the saying that milk is healthy for bone building is just a bunch of lies, just a marketing strategy to encourage consumers to buy dairy products.

Arthritis is also another disease that most elderly people suffer from and it was found out that once you stop eating dairy products the lesser they are to be prone to arthritis and other bone problems. So better think twice about drinking your glass of milk.

Raw diet program is still the best way to get calcium for your body. Calcium can be found in many fruits and vegetables like nuts, seeds, kale, cabbage, kelp, seaweed, broccoli, watercress, collard and mustard greens and many more. These foods also offer other nutrients like magnesium, manganese, chromium, selenium and others. An alternate that you can have as your milk in your cereals is the almond milk, a very delicious and healthy milk rather than cow’s milk.

Keeping Up!

Here are some few tips as you go through the transition of the raw diet:

1. Chew properly, make sure that the food is well grinded.
2. Avoid drinking water before and after your meal as water may dilute the body’s digestive enzymes. If you do need a drink then sip just a small amount of water mixed with lemon extract. The perception that drinking water before a meal will make you stuffed is all wrong except if you eat dehydrated foods which has its water removed.
3. Begin this diet gradually, do not rush over it. Take your time.
4. Never experiment and combine foods that should NOT be combined as this may only have adverse digestion effects on your body.
5. As previously mentioned for easier digestion blend your food or puree them, like when eating apples, this can be made into a smoothie or a drink that you can easily drink same with easy digestion and absorption. Salads may also be made as a smoothie just with the right food combination with it.

So in general, it’s all about your food choices, it’s all up to you to choose which path you take. One path is the Standard American Diet or the other path which is the Raw diet and with each small step that you take, you can either advance to becoming healthy and staying healthy or you get stuck up at your current position. The steps are not easy to take but it’s a sacrifice that one has to take in order to have a healthy and stronger body.

Tags: raw food, raw food diet