raw foods diet
In this article, we talk about raw foods, what they are, how they could benefit your diet, and how to start eating healthy thanks to the raw foods diet.
If you already know about the raw food diet but want to be an expert on it, check out these raw cooking classes to obtain a raw foods chef certification.
Table of contents
You May Also Like>>> Check out some raw vegan cooking classes here!
What is a raw vegan?
A raw vegan diet consists of mainly eating foods in their natural state.
These should be consumed entirely raw or heated at a temperature of a maximum of 104–118°F (40–48°C).
The so-called “raw foodists” argue that food cooked at a high temperature loses its enzymes and harms our health and body.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds should be abundant, and you should avoid all animal products. Although you can use them, grains and legumes must be soaked or sprouted before eating.
High raw vegan
Some people also follow a high raw vegan diet, meaning that 75-90% comprises raw vegan recipes.
In this scenario, some processed or cooked meals are consumed at a lower percentage than the rest of their meals.
Raw vegan vs. vegan?
Even though the raw vegan diet and the vegan diet can sometimes look similar, there is a distinction:
In the raw vegan diet, they don’t cook above a set temperature, which is usually 104–118°F (40–48°C), while that is allowed in the vegan diet.
In the raw diet culture, people believe that all the nutrients and vitamins that humans need to survive can be found in vegan food, but to maintain them, it is necessary to consume them in their natural state.
Is the raw vegan diet healthy?
Although it is well known that eating a lot of fruit, vegetables, grains, and seeds benefits overall health, is the raw vegan diet healthy?
Let’s find out
Benefits of a raw vegan diet
This is a relatively new kind of diet, but some evidence already shows how it positively affects human health and lifestyle in many ways.
Fruit and Vegetables
One of the best things about the raw vegan diet is that you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.
You can have them as a snack, mix them in a smoothie, squeeze them in juice, or have them dehydrated.
Raw fruits and vegetables are known for improving heart health, reducing the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, and delivering a lot of good vitamins and nutrients.
Nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes
Other significant ingredients in the raw vegan diet are nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.
You can have them as they are, add them to a bowl or a salad, add them to a smoothie, or use them to garnish your toast. You can also make vegetable milk from some nuts.
They can be great for improving your cholesterol level and lowering blood sugar.
Fibers
The high amount of fiber in the raw vegan diet may help to improve digestion.
In particular, soluble fibers are essential for developing good bacteria in your intestines, whereas insoluble fibers speed up the passage of food through your gut.
Fibre intake may also help with irritable bowel symptoms, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
High amounts of fiber can be found in foods like beans, berries, broccoli, dried fruit, avocado, and whole grains.
Raw vegan weight loss
Research has consistently shown that eating a raw food diet is linked to having reduced body fat.
That is because processed foods contain higher levels of salt, sugar, and calories, while raw foods have lower levels.
If a raw diet or even a high raw diet sounds appealing to you, it might be something to consider if you are embarking on a weight loss journey.
Physiological benefits
The raw vegan diet is also an excellent ally for our physiological wellness.
Some small benefits we could notice a few weeks into this diet are clearer and smoother skin and more energy throughout the day.
Risks of raw vegan diet
Lack of Vitamin B12
One of the main risks in all vegan diets is the lack of vitamin B12, which we usually find in meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, dairy products and fortified vegan products.
Inadequate vitamin B12 intake can lead to numerous conditions, including heart disease, infertility, anemia, and damage to the nervous system. Therefore, it is crucial to take this into account.
The solution here could be to take some vitamin B12 supplements, which can be easily integrated into your diet and help to keep you healthy and strong.
Lack of Calcium and Vitamin D
Another risk to not underestimate is the lack of calcium and vitamin D, which are highly concentrated in some fish, like salmon, perch, sardines, and rainbow trout, and in beef meat, cheese, and milk.
The consequences of a lack of calcium and vitamin D could be weakened bones and muscles.
However, there are many plant-based foods with a good concentration of calcium and vitamin D, like beans, spinach, cereals, and orange juice. Be sure that these ingredients are present in your raw vegan diet.
Acids in excess
Overeating fruit, especially citrus and berries, could increase the acids in our mouth and our stomach, leading to tooth decay and gum pain.
Nonetheless, citrus acid is also good for our health; for example, it helps with the absorption of minerals, energy metabolism, and the prevention or treatment of kidney stones.
So do not avoid them, but don’t consume them too much. As always, a moderate amount is best.
Irregular menstrual cycle
Women who follow a raw vegan diet occasionally experience amenorrhoea, an abnormal lack of menstruation, and irregular menstrual cycles.
If this happens, please get in touch with your doctor or gynecologist to understand how to proceed.
Do raw vegans live longer?
Even if there are pros and cons, there are some studies that suggest that a raw vegan diet could make us live longer.
A raw vegan diet might lower the risk of developing conditions like:
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- heart diseases and complications
Eating raw foods could help us avoid developing these illnesses.
You May Also Like>>> Check out some raw vegan cooking classes here!
Raw foods diet meal plan
To help you in your raw vegan diet journey, we have prepared a 7-day meal plan for you, so you can start eating raw foods today if you wish.
Starting a raw vegan diet journey is not always that simple, so here is some basic information you need to know before following our raw foods diet meal plan.
Tools and Techniques
By definition, raw food means “uncooked” food. That means all the methods we use to cook foods, especially with the heat, like cooking in a pan, boiling, steaming, and baking, are entirely avoided in raw vegan cooking.
Juicing, blending, soaking, sprouting, and dehydrating are the most commonly used techniques.
Most dishes are bowls, salads, smoothies, no-bake cakes and desserts, and other processed food alternatives, like cultured cheese, vegetable pizza, or zucchini pasta.
List of raw vegan foods
Here is a list of some foods you might want to use in your raw foods diet:
- Veggies (green beans, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, eggplant)
- Nuts and Seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds)
- Whole grains (oatmeal, bulgur, quinoa, barley, amaranth, rice, farro)
- Fresh, dried, juiced, or dehydrated fruits (banana, apple, orange, avocado)
- Tubers, Corn, and Potatoes (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, corn)
- Dark greens (kale, bok choy, spinach)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- Plant milk and butter (almond, oat, soy, coconut, nuts)
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso and kimchi
- Vinegar and vinegar seasonings
- Unprocessed raw cacao
- Seaweed
- Cold pressed oils
- Vegan Cultured Cheese
- Sweeteners and condiments
Raw vegan breakfast
For your raw vegan breakfast, you might want lots of fruit, plain yogurt, and granola to give you energy for the day.
Also, smoothies and juices are great options to complete your first meal, giving you the nutrients and vitamins you need.
Raw vegan lunch/dinner
Salads and bowls are perfect if you want to prepare something quickly with various ingredients.
If you want a more sophisticated meal, you can recreate popular recipes with raw ingredients, like Cauliflower Rice Sushi or a Pizza with Red Pepper Flax Crust.
Raw vegan snack
Raw vegan foods allow you to create many fun and creative snacks!
Some examples are bites made with fruit, nuts, and seeds, smoothies, cultured vegan cheese, and many non-baked desserts like cheesecakes or puddings.
Also, raw fruit and veggies are the perfect fast and easy snack to give you a little bit of extra energy during the day without any effort.
Raw foods diet meal plan
Now that you know everything about the raw vegan diet, you are ready to start your meal plan
See below our 7-day raw foods diet meal plan we prepared for you.
Day 1
Breakfast: Creamy Blackberry Smoothie
Lunch: Buddha Bowl with Ranch Dressing
Dinner: Raw Pad Thai
Snack: Chili Coconut Bacon Bites
Day 2
Breakfast: Raw Fruit Cake
Lunch: Onion Herb Flatbread
Dinner: Cauliflower Rice Sushi
Snack: Vegan Cultured Cheese
Day 3
Breakfast: Raw Granola and Yogurt
Lunch: Avocado Caprese Salad
Dinner: Cauliflower Rice Sushi
Snack: Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pecans
Day 4
Breakfast: Creamy Blackberry Smoothie
Lunch: Pizza with Red Pepper Flax Crust
Dinner: Pesto Zucchini Pasta
Snack: Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie
Day 5
Breakfast: Raw Granola and Yogurt
Lunch: Buddha Bowl with Ranch Dressing
Dinner: Carrot Gazpacho
Snack: Berry Swirl Cheesecake
Day 6
Breakfast: Creamy Blackberry Smoothie
Lunch: Broccoli Balls
Dinner: Onion Herb Flatbread
Snack: Pumpkin Pecan Cups
Day 7
Breakfast: Raw Fruit Cake
Lunch: Lettuce Tacos
Dinner: Pizza with Red Pepper Flax Crust
Snack: Raw Lemon Goji Cookie Bites
Raw vegan cooking classes
If you want to become an expert in raw foods and the raw vegan diet, you should check out some cooking classes! This is the best way to learn new techniques and recipes and make the most out of every food!
You May Also Like>>> Check out some raw vegan cooking classes here!
Discover Pure Joy Planet!
The best platform to learn amazing recipes and become an expert in raw foods is definitely Pure Joy Planet!
They offer 1:1 coaching, online cooking classes, and virtual certificates, teaching you the best techniques and innovative recipes based on plant-based and vegan diets.
On their website, you can find vegan, gluten, grain, and dairy-free, plant-based keto, paleo, and flexitarian recipes and culinary tips to regulate hormonal imbalances, health problems, and weight gain.
For Pure Joy Planet, a healthy lifestyle and diet are good for your body, mind, and soul! Every journey is essential and knowing how to better the quality of your life through your food is a power not to underestimate!
You May Also Like>>>> Check out some raw vegan cooking classes here!
Pure Joy Planet Courses
The courses are both for:
- Healthy food enthusiasts who want to advance the cuisine’s quality but need some assistance
- Chefs and professionals who have access to a high-quality online academy to learn the art of sustainable and healthy cooking.
Their expertise includes fermented vegan cheese, raw and vegan grains, and vegan desserts. They also offer chef certifications in plant-based diets.
Private coaching
Private coaching is another service provided by Pure Joy Planet for those who require assistance with their diet plans!
Their main objective isn’t to develop a strict diet but to learn how to achieve their health goals while preparing delicious meals.
These sessions could teach you how to eat more mindfully, increase your energy, improve your relationship with food, and learn easy recipes to incorporate into your daily routine.
Another choice is to participate in a Group Coaching Session, where you can talk about your journey with others who have had similar experiences and support one another in changing your way of living.
Check out some raw vegan cooking classes here!
