Raw food diets are getting a lot of attention lately, both on this blog and in the wider health community. The raw diet tied for the second best diet for weight loss in U.S. News‘ assessment, and raw cleanses are a hot trend this summer.
Supporters of the raw diet believe that raw fruits, vegetables and in some cases meat and dairy are the richest sources of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other nutrients. While a plant-based raw diet is certainly very healthy, cooking some plants actually increases some nutrients and can also make nutrients more bio-available.
Once you start to look at the question of raw vs. cooked foods, it immediately becomes a complex matter. Nutrition science has become quite sophisticated, yet there’s still only a limited amount of research available on the subject. Some nutrients may be lost during the cooking process yet others are enriched by cooking and exposure to heat. Yet, there are still many gray areas when it comes to the importance of many vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals. Below are some of the facts that we do have about raw vs. cooked foods, organized by nutrient.
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U.S. News and World Report is famous (and in some cases infamous) for ranking products, institutions and services of all kinds, be it cars, colleges or diets. Yesterday, they released diet rankings in a number of categories, most notably the best commercial diets and the best diets for weight loss. They also created a list for both the best diabetic diets and the best heart-healthy diets, and a list of best overall diets.
U.S. News reports that they spent six month researching diets, and then had a panel of 22 health experts score the diet on seven different criteria. The diet was judged on its nutritional completeness, its safety, its ability to prevent or manage diabetes, its ability to prevent or manage heart disease, short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss and how easy it is to follow.
It’s little surprise to us that Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig topped both lists, as multiple studies have shown these two diets to be effective. Below are the top eight diets from the best commercial diets and the best diets for weight loss.
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Although Mimi Kirk has been a vegetarian since the 1970′s, and later became vegan, it wasn’t until her late 60′s that she began eating a raw diet. In 2007, she found out her blood pressure was high and she was experiencing arthritis in her hands. She was also about 20 pounds heavier than the weight she had been for most of her life. Kirk began her raw diet with a juice cleanse and never looked back. Now 73, she has lost 20 pounds, no longer suffers from arthritis and has energy all day long. She was recently named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian over 50.
Kirk recently published a recipe book called Live Raw: Raw Food Recipes for Good Health and Timeless Beauty. All of the recipes are both vegan and are raw, which means that none of the foods are cooked at high temperatures. Supporters of the raw diet argue that this preserves enzymes and other healthy nutrients. Kirk told DietsInReview that she has a love for cooking and created all of the recipes herself. More than recipes, the book also provides a nutritional guide to raw foods, which helps readers understand which kinds of foods they need to be eating every day. The book also includes advice for aging gracefully.
For Kirk, one of the great benefits of a raw diet is the ability to eat as much as she wants without worrying about gaining weight. I was surprised to discover the diversity of foods included in Live Raw, from pizza and cashew parmesan to blackberry cheesecake and ice cream sandwiches. In fact, juices and smoothies make up an important part of any raw diet, because it can be a challenge to get enough calories and vitamins otherwise.
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From the exterior, The Juice Press may seem like many of the other smoothie and juice bars that can be found in any metropolitan area in the U.S. But this particular shop, with a location in the East Village and another soon to be opening, offers only organic and raw foods. All of the juices are cold-pressed and the menu includes sandwiches, chia seed pudding, soups, vegan desserts and salads.
Shops like the The Juice Press are proof of growing interest in raw diets. Supporters argue that raw plants are the richest source of nutrients, and that eating a diet consisting solely or mostly of raw foods will result in better health.
Marcus Antebi, founder of The Juice Press, came to raw foods in the course of his competitive muay thai boxing. “I was trying to get an edge with my training,” he explains. Antebi found that drinking freshly pressed juice and consuming raw foods helped him maintain a high level of physical activity without bulking up.” I had an ulterior motive, I wasn’t trying to seek ultimate health, I was really just trying to get better output.”
Watch our interview with Marcus below …
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This year will see an unprecedented surge in the number of Americans becoming eligible for Medicare, as the leading edge of the baby boom generation begins to turn 65. Today, about 1 in 10 Americans are 65 and older; by the year 2030, according to the Alliance for Aging Research, that number will climb to 1 in 5.
Experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) said today that these statistics paint a grim picture, because aging is the number one risk factor for cancer, and as the U.S. population grows older, cancer incidence – and the costs associated with it – are expected to soar.
The cancer experts noted, however, that much of the cost, loss and suffering of cancer doesn’t have to happen. They pointed to encouraging scientific evidence that many cancers can be delayed or even prevented through a good balance of “self-protection” which includes regular physical activity and a plant-based diet.
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