Why The Raw Food Diet Isn’t Really A Diet

I've been wanting to do a raw food series for a while. Eating raw can really be a great way to cleanse and detoxify your body in a way that is gentle and healthy, and it can even become a way of life if desired (which you may once you feel how good it makes you feel). I can't think of a better time to try going raw than in the summer - after all, who wants to slave over a hot stove when it's 90+ degree outside anyway? So that's why I'm doing a 2-week series on raw foodism, from benefits, to detoxification uses, to recipes - starting with today's post on why raw foodism is more a way of life than it is a diet, even though it can be used for "dieting" purposes (i.e. losing weight).

Our busy lives can sometimes make it difficult to stick to our dieting plans when we’re trying to lose weight. We’re either keeping track of our fat intake, our sugar intake, our carbohydrate intake, or our caloric intake. With all that counting, it’s no wonder most of us become discouraged and ‘fall off the dieting wagon.’ Add to that the surplus of convenient diet foods that are out there that are chock-full of preservatives and additives that we choose when we’re tired from a busy day and don’t have the energy or time to prepare a nutritious meal, and we’re headed down a wrong-way street trying to navigate our way through our weight-loss journey.

English: A close up of a fresh raw food dish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Enter the raw foods lifestyle. Not only are raw foods full of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals our bodies need to perform optimally, they provide enzymes for proper digestion, and will also result in the purging of toxins and the cleansing of your body systems. 

The best part? You can eat as many fruits and vegetables as you like…and you will lose weight.

In addition, the natural high fiber content of most raw foods will help you feel fuller, thereby reducing your food intake. They’ll assist in turning up the thermostat in your body, helping to melt away that excess fat and nourishing your body’s cells to continue with the fat-burning process. 

Most raw foods are naturally low in calories, and obviously much lower in calories, fats, sugars, and carbohydrates than the dieting convenience foods we’d been reaching for in the past. Add the extra bonus of increased energy, regulated blood sugar and blood pressure levels, sharper vision and improved mental functionality, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t become a ‘raw foodie’ sooner! 

And, once you reach your weight loss goals, you’ll realize how healthy you’ve become in the process, and how good you feel, and the raw food lifestyle may just become a way of life.