Raw food trend: what is raw food?
Very trendy for several years now, “raw foodism” (or “raw foodism” in French) was born in the United States, near California, in the 1980s.
Crudivorism: what is the principle? Crudivorists strive to eat as much raw food as possible. This “raw food” diet thus emphasizes fruits and vegetables (to be eaten raw or barely cooked, always at a temperature below 45 ° C), chosen locally, in season and organic – that is. that is, grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Crudivorism: what do we eat? Raw eaters base their diet on:
- Of green leafy vegetables, at will. Cabbage, salad, spinach, endives … They have the highest percentage of minerals per calorie and per food.
- Of fruits and vegetables, at will. Highly alkaline, fruits are good for elimination and are a major source of essential vitamins and minerals. For their part, vegetables (especially if they are green) are satietogenic and have a high protein content. Please note: eat them with the skin on, do not peel them!
- Of young shoots and legumes, with moderation. Dried beans and lentils, for example, are very high in protein and fiber, and contain little fat. On the other hand, although they are very nutritious, they may not be digestible.
- Of seeds and nuts, with moderation. Hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa…
- Of algae and aromatic plants, sometimes. It’s good for health (high protein, vitamin A, iron …) but it should not be abused. They are considered to be food supplements.
- Of “good” fats : avocado, olives, walnuts, coconut oil …
- Of natural sugars : dates, agave syrup, maple syrup, honey, stevia …
- Of super food : goji berries, guarana, aloe vera, spirulina, pollen …
Crudivorism: what about meat and fish? If some raw eaters are also vegan (which means that they do not eat any animal product: no meat, no fish, no eggs, no cheese, no milk …), others consume meat and fish, raw or almost – in the form of tartars, ceviches, carpaccios, sashimi …
To know. If raw food can be considered a real way of life, it is often associated with a “detox” period of a few days to a few weeks.
Crudivorism: what’s the point? The main argument of the followers of “raw foodism” is that cooking tends to destroy some of the “good nutrients” contained in food – and in particular certain enzymes which facilitate the assimilation of vitamins and minerals. The “raw food” diet has already won over a number of personalities, from Nathalie Portman to Beyoncé, from Demi Moore to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Crudivorism: Is Eating Raw Food Really Better?
Raw food diet: is it better for your health? To date, no scientific study has validated the health benefits of a raw food diet. Can we adopt a raw food diet for weight loss? Why not: however, it is not the fact of eating “raw” that makes you lose weight, but rather the fact of eliminating industrial sugars, ready-made meals, chocolates, candies, ultra-processed foods. .
Moreover, because this diet is hyper-rich in fiber (with unlimited raw vegetables and fruits), in the long run, we can see digestive disorders – bloating, constipation, gas, intestinal irritations. , digestive discomfort …
In the long term, the risk of dietary deficiency is also very present: raw food consumption can thus lead to a deficiency in vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iron. The lack of starchy foods (because we cannot consume raw pasta …) can result in persistent fatigue, both physical and mental.
Want to try a raw food diet? Be careful: some foods should especially not be eaten raw, at the risk of developing potentially serious symptoms – this is the case of potatoes, green, yellow and red beans, cassava, eggplant, certain mushrooms, certain meats … In fragile people (immunosuppressive treatments, organ transplants, babies, the elderly …), medical monitoring is absolutely essential.
Source: Cooking raw, 70 raw food recipes Leïla Drissi and Xavier Boulière, ed. Alternatives.
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