Nowadays, people, whether young or old have become health conscious. According to medical experts, not only what we eat, but also what is digested matters a lot. There are many varieties of processed food readily available, the newest trend in eating is a raw-food – only diet. It means unprocessed foods eaten raw or uncooked.
The preference is, perhaps, due to the functional live enzymes which are abandoned in raw food. Unlike, the cooked food which takes time to pass through the digestive tract, and in the process ferments and throws toxins into the body back, the raw food doesn’t produce any such reactions.
It is important to know that the food that we eat is to be broken into simpler building blocks. For this our body needs exogenous and endogenous, enzymes. The former is found in raw foods and the latter is produced in our bodies. If we have more exogenous enzymes, our body doesn’t have to borrow from other metabolic processes and the Pancreas. When we chew the raw food, these enzymes help in its digestion.
All of us are born with an adequate supply of endogenous enzymes to last our life time. When we lack it, we must supply through our diet; otherwise, we become vulnerable to the signs of old age and premature to death, according to experts. Raw foods offer stamina, strength and longevity. Food theorists say that during the cooking process our food loses much of its nutrients. So, they claim that if our diet consists of about 75% or more of raw food, our overall well-being is enhanced.
However, it has its drawbacks too. People who consume raw food diet have a low body mass index and are quite lean. Furthermore, it has potential implications for bone health, since low body weight and fat are associated with osteoporosis, as these diets are low in calcium. It is certain that one can’t entirely survive on them. These diets must always be supplemented and balanced with considerable quantities of cooked food. Here are two questions which may arise in your mind:
1. What kind of raw food should we eat?
All raw food must be washed thoroughly before we consume. Otherwise, we suffer from food-related stomach infections. We can take vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, beets, cucumber, garlic, onion, radish, parsley, spinach, tomato etc.; all fresh fruits besides sprouted seeds, nuts, legumes and grains.
2. How beneficial is it?
Raw food is rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, etc.; since raw foods have high water content, they are excellent sources of hydration. Besides digestive enzymes, these foods contain bacteria and other micro-organisms that help the immune system and digestion. They lower the incidence of diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular. However an expert’s advice is always necessary in your food choice.
Stay healthy. Stay beautiful. Best of luck.
