Surely, you’ve heard about veganism by now. After all, the media is espousing its benefits, and as more and more people begin living the lifestyle, it’s becoming mainstream. But what about a raw vegan lifestyle? How it does it compare to a typical vegan diet?
You may be wondering if it's a healthy approach to eating. Surely, the experts have weighed in. Many researchers have looked closely at the trend, and you may find yourself surprised by what they've discovered.
Let’s learn all about this rapidly-expanding food craze.
WHAT IS A RAW VEGAN?
A raw vegan diet consists of raw foods or foods that you cook at temperatures below 115 Fahrenheit. People who eat raw food diets do it differently. For example, some people eat a 75 percent raw food diet, which means that 75 percent of their foods are vegan and raw. Others adhere to a 90 percent raw food diet, while others only eat raw foods only some of the time. For instance, the "Raw Till 4" diet is popular among people who want to eat mostly raw, but after 4 p.m., they cook their foods.
VEGAN, RAW VEGAN, VEGETARIAN: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
With all the focus on meat-free diets, you’ve probably heard some terms thrown around like vegan, raw vegan, and vegetarianism. How do you distinguish between them?
Here’s an easy way to think of each diet that will help identify them in your mind:
WHAT DO RAW VEGANS EAT?
At this point, you may wonder what in the world raw vegans eat. Do they live like rabbits and nibble on lettuce all day, or is there a hidden method to their madness?
The truth is, they eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables. But there’s a little more to it than that. Most raw vegans eat an 80/10/10 diet. That means their diet consists of 80 percent carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, 10 percent fat from things like coconut and avocados, and 10 percent protein from nuts and seeds.
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Here’s a list of the most common food staples for a raw vegan diet. Keep in mind that not all raw vegans will eat even slightly processed foods such as fermented foods or dried food. But we included them on our list because many do.
Here’s what a raw vegan food pantry looks like:
WHAT FOODS DO RAW VEGANS AVOID?
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A raw vegan avoids all of the foods that other vegans do such as meat, eggs, dairy, and anything else that’s made from or by animals like honey and bee pollen. They also adhere to the vegan lifestyle of not wearing animal skins, not using products made from animals, and doing everything possible to ensure that their lifestyle doesn’t harm another living creature.
But raw vegans take things one step further.
They also only eat those things in a vegan diet that are raw. They don’t cook their food, plain and simple.
Here are some of the things excluded from a raw vegan diet.
POSSIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A RAW VEGAN DIET
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By now you may be wondering why anyone would choose to eat a raw food diet. After all, the benefits of the diet must be pretty good to forego hot, cooked meals, right?
Proponents say yes, the health benefits make the lifestyle well worth it. Let’s take a look at the health benefits raw vegans claim to get from their diet.
A BETTER HEART
DON’T SUGARCOAT IT
THE WEIGHT OF IT ALL
IT GETS THINGS MOVING
RISKS OF A RAW VEGAN DIET
Along with all the possible benefits of a raw food diet comes some risks. As with any diet, if you’re going to start this one, planning is essential. Without it, you may not be able to get all the nutrients you need to keep your body strong and healthy. You may also want to consult a doctor to make sure it's for you.
Here are a few risks to starting a raw vegan diet:
WAKING A TIGHTROPE
NOT SO STRONG
DON’T CHEW THAT
ALL EYES ON THE BABY
SCIENCE VS. RAW FOOD DIETS
Now that you’ve seen the possible health benefits of a raw food diet and the possible complications let’s take a look at what science has to say about the myths of this type of diet.
MYTH NO. 1: COOKING DESTROYS NUTRIENTS
MYTH NO. 2: COOKING DESTROYS ENZYMES — AND THAT IT MATTERS
MYTH NO. 3: RAW FOODS CAN DETOX YOUR BODY
MYTH NO. 4: IT’S A NATURAL WAY OF EATING
IS A RAW VEGAN DIET RIGHT FOR YOU?
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Now that you’ve learned the truth about a raw vegan diet, what do you think? Will you join the movement and become a raw vegan, or will you approach the diet more moderately and cook some or all of your food?
Have you started a raw vegan diet? If so, we would love to hear about your experience in the comments below!
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