Benefits of raw food

Maybe the statement “you are what you eat” is a little worn out. But, hey, that doesn’t make it any less true. Actually it is very true. Food is one of the main essentials in life that sustains us all. Whatever we take into our body becomes a part of us; therefore it “builds” us. So why eat raw? What exactly are the benefits of raw food?

Firstly, raw food is food that is uncooked, unheated, unprocessed, and most ideally organic. Secondly, there are numerous reasons why we should eat raw food, but I won’t overload you with jargon, so don’t worry. That's not my style! Simply put a raw food diet is the consumption of food in its original and natural state. And because the food has not been modified or chemically changed, all the nutrients and the enzymes are still intact. Now let’s list down the major benefits of raw food!

Get to eat live food

Yes, "live" food, as in "alive!" This is because raw food, like fruits and vegetables, naturally have live enzymes which are very sensitive to heat. Basically you are killing the enzymes or the life force when you cook food at temperatures above 118 degrees. These enzymes help break down the food you eat and also help your body to absorb the nutrients from the food.

Convenient

Most raw food recipes are very quick and easy to make so it’s actually time-saving, especially since you don’t have to spend your time standing and waiting in front of your stove or your oven. And because you don’t have to cook, you also save gas/electricity! Moreover, one of the convenient benefits of raw food recipes is that you don’t need to use too many kitchen tools or utensils! Certainly that’s a plus to those who don’t like washing the dishes. Generally, if you have a blender and a food processor (and optionally a dehydrator) you're good to go.

Better Digestion

Plant-based food have natural fiber and contain antioxidants. These fibrous raw foods help in digestion by cleaning your intestines and regulating your bowel movements. That means you don’t have to worry about constipation at all! Another benefit of raw food is the antioxidants. Our bodies have accumulated lots and lots of toxins over time because of the cooked food we have consumed in our lives. Because the enzymes have already been destroyed, nothing is aiding our body in the digestion of the food we eat. So our body takes more time to digest and all the toxins it could not eliminate build up. The antioxidants work to remove all these toxins that are slowly poisoning our bodies.

Extra Energy

One of the benefits of eating raw food that you will notice is that you will feel less tired and sleepy. You get to wake up in the morning ready to take on the day without that feeling of wanting to sleep in. With a proper raw food diet, it feels like you’re energized the entire day. One reason is because with a proper raw food diet, your body won’t have to use more energy and work harder at digesting the food that you eat. Protein that comes from plant-based foods are also much easier for your body to digest and absorb. And even when you’re full, you won’t feel heavy. You will also be able to sleep well because you won’t be constipated.

Sustained Weight Loss

You can eat substantially when you’re on a raw food diet. You will lose weight mainly because your body will get rid of all the toxins it has accumulated. Yet once you adapt to the raw food lifestyle, you won’t have to worry about storing toxins anymore because your body will regularly get rid of them everyday. A lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and other raw food are also low on calories but packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, so you will be able to sustain weight loss without going on a hunger strike! These weight loss benefits of raw food are actually healthy and natural.

There are still numerous other benefits of raw food and I could go on with the list. Eating raw organic food means avoiding more toxins and absorbing more nutrients. And nutrients are what we need to sustain life. The raw food diet is ideal because it doesn’t only benefit us in our health, but also our time, resources and environment. Therefore, if we are indeed what we eat, it’s better if we eat healthy!