Never cook again? Sounds tempting, but there are a few things to consider when it comes to raw food—let's take a closer look.
All animals naturally enjoy raw food—only humans cook (or fry, grill, steam, or microwave) their meals. In some ways, this habit has surely contributed to our species' success. Still, raw food advocates take a slightly different view. Let’s explore that in more detail.
At a Glance
A raw food diet consists only of foods that haven’t been heated above 40°C, as advocates believe this preserves the nutrients and energy in the food. The diet mainly includes plant-based foods, but may also feature raw animal products like raw milk or raw fish.
A raw food diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and can help regulate body weight and prevent chronic diseases. By avoiding processed foods and additives, raw food also supports gut health and digestion.
While a raw vegan diet offers many health benefits, it may lead to nutrient deficiencies, particularly with vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. These can be addressed through careful selection of nuts, seeds, seaweed, and supplements.
As the name suggests, the focus of a raw food diet is on uncooked food—that is, food that hasn’t been heated above 40°C at any point in its preparation. For many, raw food is synonymous with a vegan diet. However, there are also raw food enthusiasts who consume raw dairy (unpasteurised, unhomogenised milk), raw eggs, raw fish, and/or raw meat.
A raw food diet typically includes:
And possibly:
In addition to fresh foods, a raw food diet can also include foods that have been preserved or processed naturally at low temperatures, such as:
A raw food diet can positively impact your weight, help manage chronic conditions, and improve your overall health.
First and foremost, it offers all the advantages of a plant-focused diet: it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, essential unsaturated fatty acids, and beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants and immune-boosters. It’s also significantly lower in calories compared to a typical carnivorous diet.
When foods are cooked, heat-sensitive nutrients, such as vitamin C and B vitamins, can be lost. Water-soluble vitamins are often leached into the cooking water during boiling.
Raw food isn’t just healthy, it’s delicious and versatile. Colourful, fresh, and crunchy dishes instead of overcooked meals—it’s easy to get used to. Want to give it a try? Here’s an example of a raw food meal plan for the day:
Breakfast
Raw oat muesli with nuts, apple, and almond milk
or
Colourful fruit salad with nuts, lemon juice, and honey
Lunch
Salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, peppers, rocket, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil dressing
or
Gazpacho (cold puréed Mediterranean vegetable soup) with Essene bread (a dried bread made from sprouted grains)
Snack
Chia pudding with almond milk and blueberries
or
Banana, nuts, and dates
Dinner
Raw vegetable sushi with cucumber, avocado, celery, and carrot sticks and cauliflower rice (cauliflower pulsed in a blender as a rice substitute), with seaweed salad
or
A raw vegan diet offers many health benefits, but also presents some challenges. Certain essential nutrients are harder to come by in plant-based foods, including iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, getting enough protein isn’t always easy with a raw vegan diet.
The simplest way to address these potential deficiencies is with appropriate supplements. However, some raw food advocates are sceptical of supplements. To ensure you get all the vital nutrients, you should focus on the following:
C. Strassner: Die Gießener Rohkost-Studie: Ernährungs- und Gesundheitsstatus von Rohköstlern unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Protein und Energie. Dissertation (1998)
https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/fbz/fb09/institute/VKE/nutr-ecol/publi/voeff-epid/dissstrassner
K. Abraham et al.: Nutritional Intake and Biomarker Status in Strict Raw Food Eaters. Nutrients (2022)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9105765/
Raw food enthusiasts believe this diet offers significant health benefits. They argue that raw food carries a life force and energy that is largely destroyed by heating. According to this perspective, our culture's reliance on cooked food is directly linked to modern issues like widespread obesity and chronic diseases such as allergies, diabetes, and heart disease.
But what’s the truth behind the raw food diet?
And of course, with a raw food diet, all processed and convenience foods are off the table, sparing your body from excess salt, animal fats, over-processed carbohydrates, refined sugars, and lab-made additives that really have no place in a healthy diet.
Raw and fermented foods also provide a wealth of beneficial bacteria, promoting a healthy gut flora and smooth digestion. The diet’s high fibre content further supports this.
Not only can raw food benefit your health, but many raw food eaters also report more energy, clearer skin, healthier teeth, and an overall radiant appearance.
Raw lasagne with thinly sliced zucchini as lasagne sheets, tomato sauce made from fresh and dried tomatoes, and “cheese sauce” made from soaked, blended cashews, herbs, and garlic
