A raw food diet has become a fairly popular way of eating in recent years. But still not everyone understands what it is. Some people associate this word with cheese, while others believe that raw foodists eat one herb. Well, and they themselves say that they eat live food.
What do raw foodists eat?
A raw food diet means eating non-thermally processed vegetables and fruits. Some raw foodists accept seafood, some - raw meat. There are those who refuse all animal products, including honey. For the most part, raw food eaters eat raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, or fruits alone. They also drink freshly squeezed juices and smoothies made from fruits and herbs.
Someone prepares raw food dishes, including cakes, while others eat only whole fruits or vegetables - several of the same type at one meal.
Rationale for a raw food diet
The theory of a raw food diet is based on the fact that initially all people on the planet ate exclusively raw food, because they did not learn how to produce fire right away. Therefore, the human digestive system is best suited for the digestion and assimilation of raw foods. Proceeding from the fact that a person is not adapted to life in a cold climate in the absence of warm clothing and shelter, it is concluded that humanity originated in a warm tropical climate, which means that its main species food is fruits.
When a raw fruit enters the stomach, it self-dissolves - autolysis - as a result of the interaction of gastric juice and the enzymes (enzymes) contained in the fruit.
Thermally processed foods do not contain such enzymes, so the body is forced to spend its own, thereby spending more resources and energy on the digestion process.
Most raw foodists refuse meat and fish. This is due to research data on the features of the digestion of meat by the digestive system of humans and predatory animals. Humans, unlike predators, have a very long intestine, while a short one is ideal for digesting meat. As a result, in humans, animal food is absorbed for a long time and not completely. Additional arguments include the lack of characteristic fangs, claws, etc.
The popular belief about the need for meat for humans is based on the theory of the need for protein. Raw foodists cite the example of large and strong herbivores such as elephants, giraffes, etc., which do well without animal protein. This is explained by the fact that the amino acids that make up protein, and many other important substances are produced in a healthy body by microflora, which plays a vital role in the digestion process.
Another argument against cooked and fried foods is that most of the vitamins in food are lost during heat treatment. With a lack of vitamins and enzymes in food, the feeling of fullness is delayed, which often contributes to overeating and obesity.
This is just the minimum information on a raw food diet. In general, the society has not yet formed an unambiguous attitude towards him. Someone speaks of amazing results for health and appearance, someone complains of ailments after switching to this type of diet.
But in general, people agree that when deciding to switch to a raw food diet, you should not do it too harshly and rashly. The body needs time to reorganize, during which it should carefully monitor its health, especially if there are any chronic or acute diseases.
