As of late, the Raw Food Diet has gained a reputation that has taken it from a diet to a popular lifestyle choice. Celebrities such as Demi Moore, Robin Williams and Alicia Silverstone swear by the raw food diet, and every day more and more people are joining the ranks of those who believe that eating raw fruits and vegetables as the key components of a health regimen is the healthiest way to live.
There are those people, however, who shy away from it, believing that the diet is inconvenient, or expensive or unhealthy. There are many myths out there as to what the Raw Food Diet is and what it isn’t. By separating myth from fact, you will be able to properly assess and understand the benefits and drawbacks of the Raw Food diet, and you will be able to decide for yourself whether it is the right lifestyle change for you.
Let’s talk about what the Raw Food diet is NOT.
The Raw Food diet is not a diet consisting of 100% raw foods alone. For a person to reap the benefits of raw food eating, he or she needs to eat at least 90% to 95% raw foods. That doesn’t mean that you are absolutely not able to eat foods that are cooked or heated. It also doesn’t mean that you can’t deviate from the diet every once in a while. Of course, as with everything else, dedication and discipline is key in obtaining all you can from developing healthier eating habits. However, there are those who practice an almost raw food diet instead of an entirely raw food diet. Recipes are available all over the Internet that support that.
The Raw Food diet is also NOT an expensive diet. It’s true that it seems as though lately, diets that are easy on the body are not so easy on our wallets. One only needs to take a look at the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, Nutrisystems, Jenny Craig, diet pills, drugs, juices…the list goes on and on. But think about it: a diet consisting of mostly raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, sprouts, grains, seaweed, nuts and other cold pressed raw oils and fermented sauces is not only good for your stomach, but it costs very little. A raw food diet means that you spend your fast food money — the money that you would have spent on that cholesterol-riddled, high-fat cheeseburger– on a healthful salad, packed with nutrients that can help your body release toxins, help you stay trim, and ultimately improve the quality of your life.
Finally, the Raw Food diet is NOT a boring diet, meaning there is no variety. No, this has nothing to do with the health or the vegan aspect of the diet. It does have everything to do with the mentality that you have in approaching a new lifestyle. It’s just like every lifestyle change you make; you wouldn’t decide to go green without first researching what it means, right? Likewise, you wouldn’t make the decision you change your eating habits from one thing to another without checking out how to do it. When you research the Raw Food diet you will find that there are hundreds and hundreds of recipes, food combinations, and methods of preparation that make it not only a diet filled with variety, but one brooding with many, many options on how to go through it. There are completely raw food eaters and there are also those who opt for an almost raw form of dieting. Regardless of the choice made, education, research and a positive, open mind make all of the difference in the way that you approach any new and different lifestyle.
Debunking some of the myths regarding this increasingly popular raw food lifestyle is the first step in educating yourself and ultimately deciding whether the Raw Food life is the right choice for you.
