Raw foodism under the spotlight

Have you ever heard about raw foodism, also referred to as eating living foods? Raw foodism is a healthy eating lifestyle that consists in eating foods in their natural, basic state, or processed through sprouting or fermentation. Though, this lifestyle is not made for everybody. It is not recommended for pregnant women and young children (if necessary, it should be monitored by a health care professional!). Adepts of this lifestyle use it mainly for its numerous virtues. Here are some of the pros and cons of raw foodism.

ADVANTAGES

• This type of nutrition emphasizes fruit and vegetables, which favours a high intake of vitamins and minerals, and reduces risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer;
• Nutrients are better absorbed as enzymes are not destroyed by heat;
• It is rich in antioxidants and fibres as well as low in saturated and trans fats;
• It is environmentally sound.

DISADVANTAGES

• The preparation and planning required by this lifestyle: for example, nuts must be soaked for a certain number of hours before being used in recipes;
• The necessary equipment: home sprouter, dehydrator, food processor, mixer, Saladacco;
• Some nutrients have to be cooked in order to be released (e.g., lycopene, which is found in tomatoes and helps reduce risks of heart disease);
• Some nutritional deficiencies : vitamin B12 (found in animal products);

FOODS ALLOWED

• Raw or dry fruit;
• Unpasteurized honey;
• Raw or fermented vegetables;
• Sprouted legumes;
• Sprouted bread;
• Nut milk;
• Raw or sprouted nuts and seeds;
• First cold-pressed oils;
• Sprout juice;
• Cold-dehydrated vegetable foods;

These foods can be “cooked” at temperatures lower than 40°C, which is just enough for a comforting meal in the middle of the cold winter.

N.B. Raw foodism is a lifestyle, not a diet. It may result in weight loss because of changes in your habits, and also because the foods must be chewed longer, hence resulting in early onset of the satiety signal. However, some high-calorie foods are also part of this type of nutrition, such as nuts, seeds, and avocados. Make sure to vary your menu to avoid eating too much of them!

Why not adopt this lifestyle part-time to reap its benefits, while retaining those of other foods?

Go experiment!

Marie-Eve Nadeau P.Dt.

Baribeau Hélène. Régime Crudivorisme. Passeport santé. 2012.http://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Nutrition/Regimes/Fiche.aspx?doc=alimentation_vivante_regime

Raw foodism under the spotlight is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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