Proponents of the raw vegan diet claim that cooking causes ingredients to lose important enzymes and nutrients. They believe that by consuming the food raw, their diet will prevent and reverse disease, improve energy levels, and improve overall health. However, new research is suggesting that raw vegan diets, if followed for a long period, may cause more harm than good.
While it is true that some vegetables may lose nutrients during cooking, there are others that have greater nutrients when cooked. This is due to the nutrients binding within the cell walls of the vegetables. Cooking can break down the walls allowing the nutrients to be released and more readily absorbed by the body.
For example, when spinach is cooked, the body can absorb the calcium it contains more easily. Tomatoes are another great example of a food that can offer health benefits when cooked. During the cooking process, tomatoes may lose some of their vitamin C content, but it also increases their lycopene content by more than 50%. Lycopene has been associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease.
Studies have shown that vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common in those who follow a plant-based diet. This is because many foods containing high levels of these vitamins and minerals come from animals. Of particular concern are vitamin B12 levels. Research has found that 38% of people on a strict raw food diet are deficient in vitamin B12. This is especially concerning since a vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with various health concerns, including vision problems, depression and other mood disorders, jaundice, and mouth ulcers.
While vegan food may offer many health benefits, the raw vegan diet may take things too far and could come with risk factors. If you plan on following a raw vegan diet, you must check your body’s vitamin levels regularly to ensure it gets the vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy.
Maintaining General Health
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