Raw Food Diet Plan
The raw food diet plan has existed for ages. This diet plan believes that eating raw food is the way to stay healthy and fit.
By raw food, we mean unprocessed, organic, or plant-based foods.
Although its benefits are commendable, in this article, we shall pry deep into all there is to know about the raw food diet and whether it is good for you.
What is the Raw Food Diet Plan?
The raw food diet is strictly a diet of unprocessed food. The food must never have been heated, pasteurized, cooked, or undergone any processing that reduces it from its original organic and natural form.
The raw food diet plan makes its followers believe that food processing makes the food lose vital nutrients, enzymes, and components that are key to human survival and improved body performance.
Juicing raw vegetables for detox, dehydrating, sprouting, blending, and soaking are a few processing methods the diet offers its followers to use in food processing.
Another name for the raw food diet is raw veganism (similar to veganism) or foodism.
The proponents of this diet are weight loss, Improved resistance to chronic diseases, improved vitality, and better overall health.
Following the Raw Food Diet
To follow the raw food diet, one must abstain from processed foods; a large bulk (at least 80%) of what you eat daily must be raw.
Raw food ranges from vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, grains, legumes, raw egg or dairy, and more.
Grains and legumes must be soaked before eating. Some followers of the raw food diet also eat raw animal meat.
Foods to Avoid
- Baked items, Roasted nuts, and seeds.
- Refined oils, sugars, flours, pastries, and more
- Pasteurized juices and dairy
- Coffee, alcohol, tea
- Cooke/processed fruits, vegetables, meats and grains
- Other processed foods, chips and snacks
Foods to Eat
- All raw fruits, fresh fruits, nuts and seeds
- Raw-soaked or sprouted grains and legumes
- Dried fruits and meats
- Nut milk, Raw but butter
- Cold-pressed olive and coconut oils
- Raw eggs, fish, or meat
- Seaweed and raw seafood
Nutrition Pros and Cons
The nutritional Pros of eating raw foods are:
- It is high in nutrients and fiber
- It guarantees a loss of weight and the burning of extra fat.
The nutritional Cons of eating raw foods are:
- For some people, switching from cooked food to a raw diet may not be smooth regarding calorie intake.
- Cooking enhances digestibility.
- Cooking enhances the absorption of some nutrients.
- Raw foods are deficient in vitamins, minerals, and protein.
- Some ladies following this diet had irregularities in the menstrual cycle.
A Sample Menu for Raw Food Diet
A compiled seven-day menu is below if you want to follow the raw food diet.
Day One
- Breakfast: Fruit with seed pudding
- Lunch: walnut salad and apple
- Snack: Freshly squeezed juice and nuts
- Dinner: Raw noodle pasta with tomato sauce and basil
Day Two
- Breakfast: A bowl of Fruits
- Lunch: Salad with figs and nuts
- Snack: Banana with raw nut butter
- Dinner: Raw lasagna
Day Three
- Breakfast: Green smoothie
- Snack: Carrots and raw hummus
- Lunch: Raw squash noodle pasta with pesto
- Snack: Almonds and strawberries
- Dinner: Raw vegetable pizza
Day Four
- Breakfast: oatmeal with chopped fruit and nuts
- Snack: Broccoli and raw hummus
- Lunch: Raw sweet potato chips and fruit
- Dinner: Stuffed Portobello mushrooms
Day Five
- Breakfast: Soaked oats with berries
- Lunch: Salad with avocado and fruit
- Snack: Sliced bell pepper and sunflower seeds
- Dinner: Raw veggie sushi and chopped veggies
Day Six
- Breakfast: Raw banana pancakes and fruit
- Lunch: Raw squash soup
- Snack: Orange slices and nuts
- Dinner: Kale and mushroom salad
Day Seven
- Breakfast: Green smoothie
- Lunch: Salad with avocado and fruit
- Snack: Apple and berries
- Dinner: Raw tomato soup with veggies
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is raw food healthier than cooked food?
A. Both raw and cooked food have their benefits. Cooked foods have benefits that cover the imbalances of raw foods. Hence, it is better to eat various raw and cooked foods.
Q: How safe and sustainable is the raw food diet?
A. It is safe and sustainable for the short term. Vitamin supplements would have to be used for long-term purposes, which may not cover up for insufficient calories.
Q: Can I consume cooked food on a raw food diet?
A. A good mix of raw and cooked food is best for your health. The early men must have seen the apparent disparities and evolved slowly from eating only raw foods, so why return to what has failed?
The raw food diet plan is good for weight loss only if you add vitamin supplements and some cooked food. Instead of your daily meal containing at least 80% raw food, you could share it 50:50 for raw and cooked foods.
A raw food diet excludes all foods of animal origin and dictates that all food should be eaten completely raw or heated at temperatures below 40-48 degrees.
A raw food diet has many benefits, including weight loss, improved heart health, and a lower risk of diabetes.
Printable Raw Food Diet Plan (PDF)
| Days | Breakfast | Lunch | Snack | Dinner | Total calories for the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Apple and pear fruits, mixed nuts Calories:154 | Asian pear salad Calories:299 | Grapes and yogurt Calories:146 | Fresh salad topper with guacamole Calories:162 | 761 |
| Monday | Smoothie of romaine lettuce, 2 oranges, banana and hemp seeds Calories:220 | Tacos Calories:137 | Apples and almond butter Calories:274 | Sun-dried tomato, baby spinach and cashew cheese carrot noodles Calories:175 | 806 |
| Tuesday | 1 glass of warm water and 1 lemon juice Calories:24 | Chocolate, rasp berry and maca thickshake smoothie Calories:257 | Honey and nut mix Calories:260 | Raw veggie burger Calories:140 | 681 |
| Wednesday | Creamy cacao, chaga with maca smoothie Calories: 260 | Vegetable sticks(carrots, cucumber) in guacamole with a handful of mixed activated nuts Calories: 138 | Grapes and yogurt Calories:146 | Tacos Calories:137 | 681 |
| Thursday | Smoothie of romaine, pineapple, banana and apple Calories:280 | Sprouted bread with raw almond butter and jelly Calories:210 | Handful of spiced nuts Calories:200 | Salad filled with lettuce wraps and some cashew cheese Calories:380 | 1070 |
| Friday | Smoothie of spinach, orange and flax Calories:149 | Leafy green salad, fresh tomato slices and a big serving of raw hummus Calories:128 | Vegetable sticks dipped in cashew cheese Calories:207 | Green salad mixed with grated beetroot, sliced apple and walnuts Calories:165 | 649 |
| Saturday | Creamy choc berry banana smoothie Calories:320 | Tuna salad lettuce wrap Calories:274 | Honey and nut mix Calories:260 | Thinly sliced Raw vegetables with creamy marinated mushrooms Calories: 162 | 1016 |
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