There are both advantages and disadvantages of consuming raw foods. Raw, uncooked foods are rich in nutrients because they are not depleted and destroyed by cooking. They are also rich in dietary fiber that is essential for moving the food along the alimentary canal and the digestive tract. However, you could also be exposing yourself to many food safety risks by consuming only raw foods.
All About Raw Foods And Raw Food Diet
With raw foods, you do not really have to count calories. In fact you can include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet and still be able to maintain a healthy weight.
The high amount of fiber in raw foods helps to prevent the retention of water and is good for those who are trying to lose weight. Raw food, since it is high in vitamin and mineral content, also helps maintain clear skin and good complexion. Cucumbers, tomatoes and other raw foods help clear the skin and the complexion.
Raw foods contain little or no saturated fats. In fact, they not only supply your body with the essential vitamins and minerals, but also provide you with energy.
However, with all these great benefits to the body, today you have to be very careful while consuming raw foods too. If you are planning on including more of raw foods and vegetables to your diet, here are some pointers that you should definitely keep in mind.
Consume only fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are in a habit of buying in bulk, buy only that much which can be consumed within a few days.
Try to store your food in the refrigerator so that the food is able to retain its nutrients for a longer period of time.
Longer storage periods can lead to depleted amounts of nutrients. Therefore, consume the fresh produce as quickly as possible.
Wash your raw food thoroughly. If you haven’t been able to procure organic fresh food, there are good chances that your food is covered in pesticides.
Where raw milk is concerned, the nutritional value is much more than that of pasteurized milk. However, it also contains a lot of bacteria and therefore it is not advisable to have raw milk.
To store vegetables and fruits, check for any soft or decaying pieces. If you find any, discard them immediately. Unwrap any wrapped items and store them in specially made storage bags.
When serving raw foods, wash them thoroughly and check for any clinging clumps of dirt. Repeat several times, especially for leafy vegetables. You may also soak the raw food in water containing apple cider vinegar, to kill of any bacteria.