Raw Is Not So Wrong.

Have you ever wonder how chimpanzees survive?  Why humans did take a liking to cooking our food? Over time human society has evolved to today’s food market place. Societies where we tend to take preference to deep dried food, add more butter for taste, high intake of animal meats, and an incredibly increased of processed foods. To eat raw like our ancestors did and still do is something you do not hear often.  

What is a raw food diet?  When I hear raw I think uncooked just plain old natural food. Tomovich, M. J. (MS, RD) describes raw diet as: “Uncooked, unprocessed, mostly organic foods. Your staples: raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains, unpasteurized dairy foods like raw eggs, meat, and fish. Your food can be cold or even a little bit warm, as long as it doesn’t go above 118 degrees F. You can use blenders, food processors, and dehydrators to prepare foods.” (Tomovich, 2013).

I have at time question what influence my appetite? A Japanese study gave me some answers. Some of the vegetables used in this research were: soybean, burdock and lotus root, celery, cabbage, and tomatoes; all in raw recipes and boiled recipes. In this study the researchers were testing the influence of cooking methods on appetite (Zhou et al., 2013). Researchers found participants who consume raw vegetable meals had higher levels of satiety and longer meal duration, especially in male participants (Zhou et al., 2013).  Also a great benefit of eating raw is the calorie intake vs. food quantity; you get a lot more for your buck! 

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics describes Fiber as the nutrient that keeps food traffic moving smooth and efficiently throughout the digestive system, something like a traffic light and a great way towards weight loss due to satiety levels (eatright.org, Jan 2013). Considering most fibers (soluble and insoluble) are a starch, fiber falls under the carbohydrate macronutrient category as polysaccharides (Sizer, F and Whitney, E. 2011). Unlike from the starch found in sugars, fiber molecules have bonds that are indigestible by humans because we lack the enzyme required to break these bonds (Sizer, F and Whitney, E. 2011). Victoria Boutenko; describes in her book Green for Life fiber as the new sponge for the colon (Boutenko, V. 2010). The main role of fiber in our digesting system is to assist in the process of eliminating toxics and food waste from our body; and this obtainable with a raw food diet (Boutenko, V. 2010). 

I would consider myself a juicer for all the nutritional benefits I personally find in eating foods in their natural states for better overall heath. Some would say by eating a raw food diet you are eliminating important food groups or intake less of them for instance the protein group. When we think about protein for most meats are the food items that come to mind, however there are plant base protein products allow to consume in a raw diet. Fuhrman suggests sunflower seeds, high in vitamin E, selenium, iron, among other minerals and a rich source of amino acid tryptophan. Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds along with cruciferous vegetables are ensured to meet the protein requirements for the average healthy individual (Fuhrman, 2011). 

            In conclusion a balance diet to me is a diet that meets all the nutritional needs for a healthy life. It is up to you if that is a raw diet or a cooked food diet is what works best. Based on what I researched, I did not find any scientific implication of significant drawbacks of a raw food diet when compared to a cooked food diet. On the other hand I found many benefits from raw diet. During the documentary showed in class a dietitian said “the closer the food is to its natural state the better, higher, and richer quality of nutrients” and to me that is meaningful. After all humans did not always use the heat cooking method, we survived for many years through a plant based meal plan

References:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Boutenko, V. (2010). Fiber: The Magic Sponge. Green for Life (49-55). Berkeley, California.

Fuhrman, J. (2011). Super foods for super immunity. Super Immunity The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Defense to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free (61-69). New York: Harper Collins.

Sizer, F and Whitney, E. (2011). Nutrition Concepts and Controversies. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

 Tomovich J. M., MS, RD (December 02, 2013). Raw Foods Diet.

Zhou B, Yamanaka-Okumura H, Seki S, Tatano H, Adachi C, Takeda E., (Dec 2013). What influences appetite more: eating approaches or cooking methods?