Raw Food and other diets: place-holder for discussion

[montmorencyt2w]

Raw Food and other diets: place-holder for discussion

Toastie's thread about "Perception" was beginning to be derailed by a discussion of diets.
As I helped to start this (sorry), I will try to compensate by starting a thread for discussion of things like the Raw Food Diet, but not just that.

I don't have time at this moment to add anything substantive, but I will come back to it.

Feel free to add to it, for or against, and not just Raw Food.

 

[shadowninja]

What do you want to know? One of my interests is nutrition and diets.

 

[Jon Doe]

ORGANIC is the key. 52 minerals in the soil as opposed to 3 minerals in non organic soil.

You are what you eat.

Learn about the benefits of an organic diet here

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8384134159042346609#

 

[bradenandri]

Hi......,

I like raw food diet because Raw food diet is relay very good diet for health and it is the right path to gain health.

 

[Cryptvill]

Organic raw food diet is great, but for sure - every diet is different for everyone. Know yourself and you will know your diet

 

[Shakone]

I see some buzz words like organic, and strange posts about 52 minerals rather than 3, and those numbers can't be accurate in general. But can you give some evidence to back up what you say? Several people saying raw food diet is good, but no evidence so far.

Humans decided to cook their food at some point in history. Perhaps for safety reasons, perhaps because it is easier to digest that way. I tend to think it wasn't because it was easier. At least in those times, it was beneficial to your health beyond just leaving all food raw.

Many people say that being a Vegetarian is a lot healthier. But again, if we look back at history, there would not be many vegetarians. Because being vegetarian would likely mean a lack of protein, and you would die. Sure you can get protein from lots of sources now, but it wouldn't have been as easy in the old days, so vegetarianism, without supermarkets giving you foreign seeds and beans in nice quantities, would probably have been detrimental to your health.

Looking at the wikipedia page on raw foodism, not many studies done, but some showing detrimental health effects, and others showing some benefits. Seems far from conclusive. And given the fact that our food is so processed, either genetically modified, injected with chemicals, or stored in unnatural ways, it would be hard to make a convincing judgement whether it is the cooking of the food that is bad or something else.

Personally I have raw food sometimes, and cooked food other times. So I'm sitting on the fence

 

[Vorbis]

I remember watching an interesting documentary about this subject a little while ago, I think it may have been this one:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r9svk

No longer available from this source but I'm sure that those who are interested and have a little initiative can find it 'somewhere else'.

 

[runningdeer]

I see some buzz words like organic, and strange posts about 52 minerals rather than 3, and those numbers can't be accurate in general. But can you give some evidence to back up what you say? Several people saying raw food diet is good, but no evidence so far.

Humans decided to cook their food at some point in history. Perhaps for safety reasons, perhaps because it is easier to digest that way. I tend to think it wasn't because it was easier. At least in those times, it was beneficial to your health beyond just leaving all food raw.

Many people say that being a Vegetarian is a lot healthier. But again, if we look back at history, there would not be many vegetarians. Because being vegetarian would likely mean a lack of protein, and you would die. Sure you can get protein from lots of sources now, but it wouldn't have been as easy in the old days, so vegetarianism, without supermarkets giving you foreign seeds and beans in nice quantities, would probably have been detrimental to your health.

Looking at the wikipedia page on raw foodism, not many studies done, but some showing detrimental health effects, and others showing some benefits. Seems far from conclusive. And given the fact that our food is so processed, either genetically modified, injected with chemicals, or stored in unnatural ways, it would be hard to make a convincing judgement whether it is the cooking of the food that is bad or something else.

Personally I have raw food sometimes, and cooked food other times. So I'm sitting on the fence

Hi Shakone,

Here's a link to my friends blog. Recently it's about her experiences moving to a raw food diet. She's a natural chef and has interesting things to say - as well as some great receipes.

http://www.nutritiousdeliciousfoods.blogspot.com/

 

[Shakone]

Thanks runningdeer, the problem with one person's experiences is that they don't amount to much, or at least they're not translateable to anyone else.

Suppose I converted to a raw food diet, and even if it was all completely safe. Then it turns out I find the food bland, and tasteless. I don't enjoy my dinner anymore, I become depressed, start losing my appetite, and then my weight, my energy levels drop, and soon I'm in a poor state of health or mind. So the raw food in that case can't be good healthwise, no matter what I'm eating. There are just too many variables to make a good conclusion.

I'm still looking for some evidence. Why can't I just do what I've always done, eat a mix of raw and cooked, enjoy my meals, and be happy? Often these dietary things become a business (organic food for example). Then you have people supporting that business because they work in that business. Next you have people hearing how healthy it is, trying it, placebo effect and they feel better, and tell otehrs it is great. And all it was, was just a business.

 

[guster]

I think there are particular health benefits to the raw, organic, vegan dietary lifestyles. But if someone is looking, in general, to improve their health and knowledge on a balanced lifestyle then I think just following the food pyramid is a great start. Simply substituting more vegetables and fruits for the high-sugar, high-fat products will make an immense difference. It is all about becoming committed to this as a way of life, not a weight goal or short term benefits.