SPECIAL REPORT: Raw Food Diets – Keeping It Real

14 Mar 2016 --- Raw foodism has been a popular choice for music and fashion celebrities. Thanks to social media, its upward trend is set to continue. NutritionInsight reviews the evidence on whether raw food diets really are the best lifestyle alternative for health.

Raw food diets are said to optimize health by alkalizing the body so that its elimination system can get rid of the toxins created when eating cooked or heat-processed food: “Heating food above 118 degrees F causes the chemical changes that create acidic toxins, including the carcinogens, mutagens and free-radicals associated with chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Cooking also destroys the live enzymes that aid in digestion and health,” according to Robert A. Ross, writer and creator of RawFoodLife.com.

Raw foodists are usually vegan, meaning they do not eat animal-based products like dairy or meat. “A raw foodist is someone that eats 75-100 percent live, nutritionally-dense organic uncooked and unprocessed food (and drinks pure, live water),” Ross explains on his website.

However, there are many different interpretations of eating under the heading of “raw food,” including “raw till 4” – cooked foods only after 4pm, and “high raw” which includes some cooked foods: “A small group of raw foodists, part of the Natural Hygiene Movement, include raw organic animal products – such as free range organic chicken, sashimi (raw fish), meat (carpaccio), organic eggs, organic yogurt or raw organic goats milk cheese,” Ross clarifies.

Nutrition and Health
The benefits of these diets have been widely recognized. Raw food celebrity guru David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe concurs: “We now have an understanding, based on 150 years of solid research, that there is superior nutrition in raw food versus any other kind of food: processed food, roasted food, microwave food, etc.”

While the Vegan Society neither recommends nor endorses a wholly raw vegan diet, they state that they are aware of “extensive, long-established evidence around the health benefits of eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables.”

“A well-planned raw food diet can be beneficial in maintaining health and preventing disease as it minimizes the use of processed foods and provides an increased level of antioxidants in comparison to diets which are primarily cooked,” Jimmy Pierce, spokesperson for the Vegan Society told NutritionInsight. “Evidence, however, suggests that well-planned and nutritionally balanced diets typically include at least 20 percent of cooked food.”

Research has shown that cooking food can cause it to lose up to 80 percent of its nutritional value. Eating raw means that live enzymes, good bacteria and cultures remain intact and the food retains its vitamins and minerals, which can be directly utilized by the body when consumed. But is this enough nutritionally?

“It’s very important that vegans on a high-raw diets ensure their nutritional needs are met, specifically in terms of vitamin B12, iron, calcium and protein. Many protein-dense staples of the vegan diet – like lentils, pulses, beans and grains – are not raw, making adequate protein intake more difficult,” Pierce explained. 

“Those considering the diet should also be aware that raw diets are also typically low in calories and high in fiber, making weight loss not uncommon,” say  the Vegan Society. A complete diet consisting of only raw foods causes energy limitation, which brings with it a host of health problems. 

Most nutrients in vegetables are stored in its tough fibers. Unless these vegetable fibers are broken down, the body cannot absorb the minerals and nutrients within. Cooking with low to medium heat is usually enough to ‘pre-digest’ them for easier access. 

Research on long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable carotenoid, serum LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but also with elevated plasma homocysteine (which is linked to risk of heart disease and stroke) due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products. Raw foodists also have been found to have low dietary levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which are highest in cooked tomatoes.

People who follow a vegetarian and especially a vegan diet may be at risk of getting insufficient vitamin D and vitamin K, both needed for bone health. Although green leafy vegetables contain some vitamin K, vegans may also need to rely on fortified foods, including some types of soy milk, rice milk, organic orange juice, and breakfast cereals. Vitamin D2 supplements are suitable for vegans (vitamin D3 comes from animals). Therefore, as the Vegan Society suggests, raw foodists may need to take both vitamin D2 and B12 dietary supplements to meet their nutritional needs. 

Who are “Raw Foodists”?
Although the world is amidst an obesity crisis, a number of younger people are embracing healthier eating options such as whole food “clean eating,” and are adopting raw food diet lifestyles. However, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the US, currently does not recommend raw food diets for children.

The term “orthorexia nervosa” – an obsession with eating foods that one considers healthy – has also been linked to users of raw food diets. Many followers of whole food diets are individuals who admit to have had previous eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, and have taught themselves to love food again by subscribing to such diets. 

Raw food tends to be part of a lifestyle choice that involves a desire for purity, and an effort to be closer to nature. Therefore, raw foodists believe that their diet is beneficial for the planet, it’s resources, animals and the world’s pollution levels. 

Statistics relating to 100 percent raw foodism are not easily available. In the US approximately one million people claim to be vegan, however there are no figures on the actual number of raw foodists. The Vegan Society estimates that there are at least 150,000 vegans in the UK, approximately 1 percent of the population. 

Since the early 2000s, data has shown a shift in global consumer patterns towards cheaper, healthier vegetarian and vegan foods. This indicates that many people are now more in favor of raw, unprocessed foods. 

As well as raw food blogs and websites becoming increasingly more popular, raw food supermarkets and restaurants are appearing all over the world in order to satisfy the growing demand for raw food, and ‘back-to-basics eating’. 

Kraig Dooman and Elena Semenova, owners of independent US organic raw food company Wrawp, told NutritionInsight: “We have been able to expand rather quickly within the 3 years we have been in business. People nowadays are more health conscious and appreciate real, natural, organic, raw foods.”

Safety and Misconceptions
Not all foods can be eaten in their natural state, which highlights various safety issues with raw food diets. For example, many vegetables in the Brassica family (such as Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale) contain goitrogens. These naturally occurring compounds may block thyroid function, and can eventually lead to goiter and hypothyroidism. Heat can deactivate goitrogens, however. 

Conversely, another compound found in these vegetables, isothiocyanates – agents that alter proteins in cancer cells – are also removed by cooking. A review of 50 medical studies found that eating raw cruciferous vegetables helped reduce the risk of oral, esophageal and gastric cancers.

The British Dietetic Association agree that “well-planned plant-based, raw and whole food-friendly diets can be devised to support healthy living at every age and life-stage.” 

The most common misconception about raw foodism is that only fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables are eaten. However, raw foodists claim that, with a little creativity, the lifestyle can open up a new eating experience. 

Raw Preparation
Although a raw food diet eliminates cooking time, food preparation can be time consuming. It is impossible to survive on this diet without modern conveniences, such as refrigerators and storage devices, as well as easy access to packaged foods. Meal planning is essential to get a proper balance of vitamins and minerals. 

Raw food preparation often requires a blender, food processor, and juicer.
Many raw foods need to be handled in some way before being eaten, the most common techniques include:
•    Soaking: ‘Long-soaking’ raw foods such as nuts and seeds allows fermentation to begin, which helps the body to produce acetylcholine – important in digestion and gut function. 
•    Sprouting: This increases concentrations of certain nutrients in legumes and grains over their non-sprouted version. It also reduces the presence of phytic acid, a noted anti-nutrient found within the hulls that binds minerals and can lead to mineral deficiency. 
•    Drying (dehydrating): Food dehydrators are now widely available for use in the home. Their temperature does not exceed 116 degrees F (47° C). Dehydration removes enough moisture from food so that bacteria, yeast and molds cannot grow; it retains more nutritional quality than canned or frozen food. This method can be used to produce ‘transitional’ food staples, such as bread alternatives, as well as dried fruit and vegetable snacks.

Consumers are driving the raw food diet industry, and it will continue to become a food industry focus. Although raw food has its benefits, it still remains to be seen whether this dietary regime should be adhered to as part of a long-term lifestyle choice.

By Kerina Tull