How a raw food diet affects the body: benefits, drawbacks, and hidden risks

Adopting a diet exclusively of raw foods, heated no higher than 40 to 48 degrees Celsius, is based on the principle that high temperatures destroy vital enzymes and nutrients. This eating style emphasizes uncooked and unprocessed ingredients, primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Some adherents also incorporate raw animal products.

Preparation methods for raw food diets eschew traditional cooking like boiling or baking. Instead, foods are prepared through blending, low-temperature dehydration, soaking, sprouting, and fermentation. Dehydrators set below 48 degrees Celsius are used to create items like crackers or dried fruits and vegetables, maintaining their raw status.

The typical raw food menu features fresh produce, raw nuts and seeds, sprouted or soaked grains and legumes, and dried fruits. Plant-based milks, nut butters, cold-pressed oils, and fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut are also common. Some followers consume raw eggs, unpasteurized dairy, and raw meat or fish, while avoiding all cooked, pasteurized, refined, and chemically treated foods.

Variations exist, including raw vegan (exclusively plant-based), raw vegetarian (excluding meat, fish, poultry, but allowing raw eggs and unpasteurized dairy), and a raw omnivorous diet that includes uncooked meat and fish. These variations significantly impact nutritional intake, particularly concerning protein, vitamin B12, and fats.