RAW FOOD VS FRESH FOOD
When raw foods are exposed to temperatures above 118 degrees, they start to break down rapidly. One of the constituents of foods which can break down are enzymes. Enzymes help us digest our food.
Once enzymes are exposed to heat, they are no longer able to provide the function for which they were designed. Cooked foods contribute to chronic illness, because their enzyme content is damaged and thus requires us to make our own enzymes to process the food. The digestion of cooked food uses valuable metaboli
c enzymes in order to help digest your food. Digestion of cooked food demands much more energy than the digestion of raw food. In general, raw food is so much more easily digested that it passes through the digestive tract in 1/2 to 1/3 of the time it takes for cooked food.
Eating enzyme-dead foods places a burden on your pancreas and other organs and overworks them, which eventually exhausts these organs. Many people gradually impair their pancreas and progressively lose the ability to digest their food after a lifetime of ingesting processed foods.
Raw foods are rich in enzymes. Enzymes are needed for the digestive system to work. They are necessary to break down food particles so they can be utilized for energy. The human body makes approximately 22 different digestive enzymes which are capable of digesting carbohydrates, protein
and fats. Raw vegetables and raw fruit are rich sources of enzymes.
Lack of digestive enzymes can be a factor in food allergies. Symptoms of digestive enzymes depletion are bloating, belching, gas, bowel disorders, abdominal cramping, heartburn and food allergies.
All of us loose our ability to produce concentrated digestive enzymes as we grow older. In cases where age is a factor, or where lack of digestive enzymes causes food allergies, supplementation may be helpful.
HOWEVER...
Ingestion of larvae cysts in meat or muscle tissue
Tapeworm infection can also be caused by eating raw or undercooked meat from an animal or a fish that has the larval form of the tapeworm cysts in its muscle tissue. Once ingested, the larvae then develop into adult tapeworms in the intestines. Adult tapeworms can measure up to 50 feet (15 m) long and can survive as long as 20 years. Some tapeworms attach themselves to the walls of the intestine, where they cause irritation or mild inflammation, while others may pass through to the stool and exit the body. Unlike
other tapeworms, the dwarf tapeworm can complete its entire life cycle — egg to larva to adult tapeworm — in one host. This is the most common tapeworm infection in the world and can be transmitted between humans. Even while being treated for certain tapeworm infections, reinfection can result from ingesting tapeworm eggs shed by the adult worm into the stool, as a result of insufficient personal hygiene.
In conclusion, raw food is definitely a much better choice as the enzymes are still present in the food. However, one must make sure that the raw food (eg. salmon) is clean. If not, tube worm eggs might be present. Oher than this, raw food is much better than cooked food.
If not, the RAW FOOD DIET can be implemented too.
THE RAW FOOD DIET...
The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.
Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food. Thus, without cooking or heating the food above 116 degrees F, the enzymes and the nutritional value will increase.
What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?
•Increased energy
•Improved skin appearance
•Better digestion
•Weight loss
•Reduced risk of heart disease
The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.
These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.
1. What can I eat for the Raw Food Diet?
Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:
•Fresh fruits and vegetables
•Nuts
•Seeds
•Beans
•Grains
•Legumes
•Dried fruit
•Seaweed
•Unprocessed organic or natural foods
•Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
•Purified water
•Young coconut milk
At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.
2. What cooking techniques are used?
•Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
•Juicing fruit and vegetables
•Soaking nuts and dried fruit
•Blending
•Dehydrating food
3. What equipment can I use?
•A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
•A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
•A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
•Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
•Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food
Side Effects
Some people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days.
Precautions
The raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as:
•Children
•Pregnant or nursing women
•People with anemia
•People at risk for osteoporosis - A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.
Considerable time, energy, and commitment is needed to be healthy on the raw food diet. Many of the foods are made from scratch. Some ingredients may be hard to find, such as Rejuvelac (the fermented liquid drained from sprouted grains), sprouted flour, date sugar, young coconut milk, carob powder and Celtic sea salt.
People must be aware that certain nutritional deficiencies can occur on the raw food diet, including:
•Calcium
•Iron
•B12 – The Journal of Nutrition study found that a raw food diet increased levels of homocysteine due to vitamin B-12 deficiency.
•Protein
•Calories
Critics of the raw food diet say while it’s true that some enzymes are inactivated when food is heated, it doesn’t matter because the body uses its own enzymes for digestion. In addition, cooking makes certain phytochemicals easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene in carrots.
Another critique is that the human body has changed in response to eating cooked foods. Some of these changes are that are jaws and teeth have become smaller, our stomachs have shrunk, and our small intestines have grown longer, lengthening the digestive surface area.
According to other alternative diet theories, such as macrobiotics, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for people living in colder climates or for people with certain constitutional types.