The logic/lack thereof of the "raw food diet"

[sciencegirl07]

I'd like to start this post by saying that I am a "raw foodist vegan." Essentially, that means I don't consume (voluntarily) anything that has come from an animal, or that has been heated above 105 degrees F.
My reason for beginning a "raw food diet" was simple curiosity. My reason for continuing it was excellent results: marked improvements in my health, and dissipation of the chronic insomnia and eczema I have suffered since early childhood.

As of now, my stance on the raw vegan diet is that it apparently does work for me. I tend to base my beliefs more in results than in theoretical considerations, because it goes without saying that theoretical considerations can be very intelligent but never fully accurate...simply because we don't have knowledge of everything. Therefore our theories may never be absolutely proven, whereas results, which are arguably the ultimate destination of theoretical discussions, are excellent indicators of the validity/invalidity of any one idea.

I freely and openly admit that I am not of the fanatical proponents of "raw vegan doctrine" that claim that raw food is without a doubt the only healthy way to be. The reason I do not make these kinds of claims is because I do not have the educational background in the evolutionary development of mankind to substantiate these claims. I merely have my own experience.

I would love to hear the stance of someone who does have the educational background to really explore the history of human diet and evolution, and expand my knowledge on the subject.
Thanks in advance for any input.

[ramanand]

Originally Posted by sciencegirl07

" Essentially, that means I don't consume (voluntarily) anything that has come from an animal, or that has been heated above 105 degrees F.

first of all some animal products are included in raw food like lean meat and eggs.

Raw foodism is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet. Depending on the type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may include a selectıon of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds (including sprouted whole grains), eggs, fish, meat, and unpasteurized dairy products (such as raw milk, cheese and yogurt).
Members of the raw food community claim that raw food encourages weight loss and prevents and/or heals many forms of sickness and many chronic diseases. Critics of this nutritional approach argue that archaeological and anthropological evidence as well as medical research suggest that cooking is obligatory for humans.
Of the millions of species of living organisms on the planet Earth, how many of them cook their food???
Answer: 1 (one)
Animals in nature do not experience problems with obesity, as well as so many other diseases common among humans.
If the very first known fireplace was discovered to be from around 2,000,000 years ago and most early fires were around 400-800 thousand years ago, then we would not have begun cooking foods till some time after that.( Probably long after that!) That was the first evidence of a fire, not the first evidence of cooking. Most likely, the predominant motivating factor to use fire, was for warmth. We likely would not have cooked food immediately and would have made that transition, once we discovered "cooking", very gradually and would have continued eating a majority of raw foods, if available. If the first evidence of humans was from at least 35 million years ago, then cooked food would have been only a very tiny part of our evolution, especially considering we would have been on raw foods long before the "first evidence of humans!" As our "evolution" began perhaps over 400 million years ago, the time we have been consuming cooked food is insignificant when compared to our overall time consuming raw foods.

If testimonials from raw foodists are any sign of the benefits of adopting a raw foods diet, then the diet may help people overcome health challenges from colds and flues to cancer and diabetes. Note to the overweight: One side effect for the overweight seems to be weight loss! Many raw foodists claim they experienced weight loss without even trying!
Overcoming colds and flues seems to be a common effect of the diet. In theory, the symptoms of "colds" or "flues" are simply the body's way of cleaning and healing, which is increased when we eat improperly. Anything we put into the body that is foreign to the body, the body needs to purge! It's amazing (or, at least, seems to be) that all of a sudden, we can stop "catching" colds and flues, even when everyone around us is getting sick.
The consumption of raw food is a practice among animal species. Archaeological evidence suggests that the controlled use of fire pre-dates the modern human and was first used by Homo erectus or Homo ergaster.
Beliefs
Common beliefs held by raw foodists:
·Raw foods contain enzymes which aid digestion, meaning that the body's own enzymes may work unimpeded in regulating the body's metabolic processes, and heating food above 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit degrades or destroys these enzymes in food.
·Eating food without enzymes makes digestion more difficult, which could lead to toxicity in the body and cause excess consumption of food, obesity and chronic disease.
·Raw foods contain bacteria and other micro-organisms that affect the immune system and digestion by populating the digestive tract with gut flora.
·Raw foods have higher nutrient values than foods which have been cooked.
·Wild foods, particularly edible wild plants, are the most nutritious raw foods.
·Freezing food is acceptable, even though freezing lowers enzyme activity.

Researchers at the University of Toronto and another published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggest that ingesting uncooked or unpasteurized dairy products may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Mice and rats fed uncooked sucrose, casein, and beef tallow had one third to one fifth the incidence of microadenomas as the mice and rats fed the same ingredients cooked.
German research in 2003 showed significant benefits in reducing breast cancer risk when large amounts of raw vegetable matter are included in the diet. The authors attribute some of this effect to heat-labile phytonutrients

[ramanand]

I hope it will give you a bit insight into raw foodism.

[sciencegirl07]

Thank you, all valuable information!
There are actually several different types of raw foodism (I specified that I am a raw foodist vegan, meaning I do not eat animal products). Of course, there are streams of raw foodism that advocate the consumption of raw meat and dairy products.

[ronthepon]

Yes, a raw vegan diet would be healthy in some respects... Superior to a cooked diet by some means.

Less oil, almost none of the 'damaging' types (I think), no heat-destruction of nutrients, the list goes on. Numerous benefits.

However, I don't quite believe that absolute absistence from cooked food, or even non-vegetatian food would be nessecary to gain the associated benefits. Have more uncooked food, and cut down on the oils. The benefit would'nt die.

Humans are getting unhealthy from more things than just food, take a sedentary liestyle, less environmental 'roughening up' pressure and the like.

Meat should be cooked and milk pasteurized, atleast for safety's sake. Right? We don't need worms using our delicate hides as their crop-feilds.


Where's my carrot snack?

[Ganoderma]

people here eat fish raw all the time. shellfish too...i hate it bu they love it.

i always wondered why some vegetarians still eat fish? they are animals.....any idea?

i do agree with uncooked food usually being far more healthy. i try to but i am by no means a "raw foodsit"...yet.

sciencegirl. why 105 degrees F? is that a good number for some reason? or just picked it?

[sciencegirl07]

Originally Posted by Ganoderma

sciencegirl. why 105 degrees F? is that a good number for some reason? or just picked it?

ahaha...no didn't just pick it=P above 105 degrees F (although some extend this to 110, 115, up to 118), food enzymes are denatured. and since one of the cornerstones of raw food consumption is the benefit of ingesting food with all enzymes in tact...well, you know, put two and two together=P

[Moontanman]

I do like the idea of the raw food diet, I love raw fruits and vegetables but the no meat part is unnatural (to me anyway) I don't think I could give up sea food or even the occasional steak. I do like my steaks more or less raw(seared on the outside to kill most of the germs) and at least some sea food raw, most meats are better if cooked at least slightly. Meat is and has been a important part of the human (hominid to human) diet for literally millions of years. Consumption of Meat is the reason we have been able to support the evolution of such large brains. I see no reason, moral or other wise, to limit my self to raw vegetables with no meat. Of course other opinions may vary with driving conditions

[sciencegirl07]

fair enough! i don't eat meat for a number of reasons. a)it grosses me out, b) i've been veggie for virtually all my life, so i see no reason to start now, c) i believe it is healthier, for maintaining acid/alkaline balance, colon health, and averting the risk of poisoning (since i don't have my own animals and therefore cannot always account for the way things are raised and fed).

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by sciencegirl07

fair enough! i don't eat meat for a number of reasons. a)it grosses me out, b) i've been veggie for virtually all my life, so i see no reason to start now, c) i believe it is healthier, for maintaining acid/alkaline balance, colon health, and averting the risk of poisoning (since i don't have my own animals and therefore cannot always account for the way things are raised and fed).

I grew up on a farm and I fish and hunt, killing animals for food doesn't bother me. I make sure the death is as quick and clean as possible but it does concern me that many animals are being raised for food under conditions that are tantamount to torture. No excuse for this.......