The Reasonable Raw Food Detox Diet

If you have read all the articles about the raw food detox diet in books  and online then you probably have been getting mixed messages about them. Some articles claim that the raw food detox diet are great for cleansing the body of toxins and free radicals to help boost your overall health and reduce cellulite, wrinkles and bloating. Other articles tell us that the raw food detox diet is dangerous and causes side effects associated with some malnutrition since it does not include all of the minerals and essential nutrients the human body requires for optimal functioning. Perhaps you would like to know the truth about the raw food detox diet. Is it beneficial or will it cause damage to a person's health?

What the raw food detox diet Comprises

A detox diet plan that involves eating only raw foods is quite difficult to follow, especially if you are a big fan of starchy foods and meat. Followers of the raw food detox diet plan can only drink water and eat food that is derived from plants and has not been cooked or processed. The list of foods that can be eaten includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, legumes, beans, nuts, seaweed, herbs and spices. It should not include food that does not come from plants such as meat or fish. Nor should it consist of anything that has been cooked or processed.

It All Depends On The Duration

A raw food detox diet can be healthy or dangerous depending on how long a person remains on it. If one takes a sensible approach to the raw food detox diet by following it for just two or three days at a time, it has several associated health benefits to it. For instance, it can reduce the risk of heart disease, promote healthy weight loss, clean the digestive tract and improve the appearance of the skin.

However, following a raw food detox diet for an extended period of time is harmful because it causes the body to become malnourished. Most plant foods do not contain sufficient fat. The body needs a small amount of fat in order to regulate some body functions. They are also used to absorb and store fat-soluble vitamins and utilize other essential nutrients effectively.

A raw food detox diet will not contain enough protein or essential minerals either. Protein is needed to repair and build new tissue in the body, provide energy and protect against viral and bacterial diseases. Minerals are required for numerous different functions in the body. For example calcium is used to build healthy bone tissue and iron is needed for the synthesis of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Since following a raw food diet involves depriving yourself of fat, protein and certain minerals it is not a good practice to do it for too long. To get the health benefits associated with the raw food detox diet without the risks, one should follow it for no more than two or three days in any one month.