The Health Benefits of a Living Foods Diet

Having a diet that is made up of 75% to 100% in raw foods is called a living foods diet, alternately called raw foods diet. This diet is so called because the majority of the foods are eaten in their natural state, uncooked and unprocessed. Living foods are high in enzymes, which are important to the body because they convert vitamins and minerals for usage. Further, these foods tend to be organic, not effected by the use of pesticides by farmers. Eating living foods, especially fruits, nuts, and vegetables, is much healthier for the human reproductive system since there are no trans-fats or bad cholesterol to encourage heart disease. Having a diet of living foods as such can be healthy for the body, even if the other 25% of your diet consists of cooked meats which are considered “friendly” to the body, such as fish and chicken. That 25% can even include the occasional blueberry bran muffin, a baked food, but a delicious one nonetheless. Eating living foods is better than eating fast foods that contain trans-fats and no nutritional value.

Living foods include: organic vegetables, wheat sprouts, nuts of every variety, fruits, berries, and wild greens. Raw root vegetables, vine vegetables, edible bush berries, and tree fruits are some of my favorite living fruits. It is not advisable to eat certain foods raw, such as chicken or eggs due to the possible contraction of salmonella. Raw fish has been popular in Japanese diets for centuries and while one may need to acquire the taste for raw fish, it can certainly be a part of the living foods diet.

Below are ten health benefits having a living foods diet:

1. Juicing can also make up for not eating the RDA of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Juicing a combination of raw vegetables and fruits. Combined with wheat grass, which is a fiber necessary for the body, a raw foods juice can provide the body with the proper daily nutrients it needs. Vitamins are retained in the juice of vegetables and fruits and as a drink, natural fresh-squeezed juice is a great snack for any time of the day, whether at work or just lounging around the house.
2. Phytochemicals in raw vegetables keep the body from contracting disease, including cancer. Phytochemicals also stimulate enzymes which can lower estrogen in a woman’s body and decrease her chance of contracting breast cancer. These phytochemicals are present in raw foods and vegetables, such as blueberries, cranberries, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage.
3. Raw foods can remove toxins stored in the body, or acquired from processed foods that may have caused the toxins. If toxins are removed from the body, there is a lower chance of getting ill.
4. Portion control. In our super-sized society where food of the not-so-healthy type is in abundance at every fast food restaurant around, a living foods diet can make you feel full so you do not get hungry an hour later. The water and fiber content of living foods is the key to giving you the feeling of fullness until the next meal.
5. Protein from nuts contains good cholesterol for the body, versus bad cholesterol usually caused by high-fat meats like red beef. Cholesterol is necessary for the body to function but if the body receives the wrong type of cholesterol, it can increase heart disease and blood flow problems. Nuts as part of the living foods diet thus fulfills the necessary protein for muscle development and to repair and build muscles.
6. The consumption of citrus fruits can remove any potential carcinogens that reside in your body. Carcinogens come from eating overcooked meat, caffeine, and smoking tobacco (the primary ingredient in cigarettes).
7. With a living foods diet, you can lose weight quicker if you are seeking to drop a few pounds. A living foods diet can also help stabilize your weight once you arrive at the desired weight goal. By eating living foods, you have a lower chance of putting on weight because you eat less during the day. So, even if you consume the average RDA of 3000 calories per day, chances are you can lose weight quicker and keep those unwanted pounds off.
8. Wheat grass, as a staple of a living foods diet, can detoxify your digestive system, prevent cancer and diabetes. Wheat grass also contains amino acids and enzymes necessary for building tissue in the body.
9. Living foods provides your body with a high energy level, so you do not become fatigued throughout the day. Even if you eat a good sized meal of living foods, you won’t feel like you need a nap afterwards.
10. Eating living foods can extend your life span by keeping out the toxins, reduce carcinogens in your system, and your heart healthy.

Some living foods menu suggestions: sushi with rice, wheat sprouts and slivered carrots; green salad with cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower); fresh fruit salad of apples, pears, nectarines with cinnamon.

Image Credit: Image courtesy of Pixabay.