A raw food diet involves eating mainly unprocessed whole, plant-based foods. It can help with weight loss and has other benefits as well.
Some sources say that when following a raw food diet, raw food should make up three-quarters of the diet. People who follow this diet believe that eating raw foods can improve their health, well-being, and possibly reduce the risk of medical conditions.
There are three broad types of raw food diet:
- a raw vegan diet excludes all animal products, focusing only on plant based foods
- a raw vegetarian diet includes plant-based foods plus eggs and unprocessed dairy products
- a raw omnivorous diet includes plant-based foods, raw animal products, and raw or dried meat
People interpret the raw food diet and what it means in different ways. Some people will eat some cooked food, while others eat none. For some people, it is a way of life, and for others, it is simply a dietary choice.
The following foods are suitable for most raw food diets:
- raw fruits and raw vegetables
- dried fruits and vegetables
- freshly made fruit and vegetable juices
- soaked and sprouted beans, other legumes, and grains
- raw nuts and seeds
- raw nut butters, such as peanut butter and almond butter
- nut milks, including almond milk
- coconut milk
- cold-pressed olive oil or coconut oil
- nutritional yeast
- seaweeds
- dried fruits
- green food powder, such as dried wheatgrass or algae
- fermented foods, including kimchi and sauerkraut
- purified water, but not tap water
- other organic, natural, or unprocessed foods
Depending on the type of diet, a raw food diet may also contain:
- raw eggs
- raw fish, such as sushi or sashimi
- other raw or dried meats
- non-pasteurized and non-homogenized milk and dairy products
