Most people these days have heard of the raw vegan diet, since it has been around for quite a long time. Because more and more are looking into this kind of lifestyle for weight loss purposes, the question arises: Does the raw food diet pose any real health dangers or side-effects, or is it a healthy, sensible diet that will reap bountiful benefits?
The Dangers
After a person ventures into the raw food lifestyle for the first time, some side-effects will occur. These are not dangerous, they are merely symptoms of the body detoxifying. Normally a person will break out with a rash on their body, often their chest area, but this will not last longer than one or two weeks. This is simply the body re-healing itself.
A person will usually get hungrier than usual during the first week or two of the diet. This is just because the body is no longer getting fed heavy foods, and it will take some time to get used to the new type of water-based foods. You need to eat a lot more food on the raw food diet than you normally would, since raw foods are very low in calories. Therefore, you need to be very diligent in ensuring that you reach your daily energy needs. Most people love the freedom of being able to enjoy eating more food on this diet.
So if a few weeks of a growling stomach and a detoxifying rash are deemed to you as dangers, then perhaps the raw food vegan diet is not for you! But if realize that these are not dangers, but merely symptoms of the body re-healing and repairing itself, then you will go a long way with this diet. You will reap the many benefits that it has to offer.
100% Raw Food - Is This Dangerous?
Some people will choose to go 100% raw. This poses the next question for some people: Are there any dangers in eating a 100% raw food diet?
To put simply, NO - providing that you venture into this diet in a sensible manner. If you decide to merely eat a few sticks of cucumber and celery each day, clearly you are going to suffer from large nutritional deficiencies. This is where the danger arises, not because of the diet itself, but because of the person's unwise decision-making. One must eat a large variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, avocado, seeds and nuts in their daily diet to fulfil their nutritional requirements and daily energy needs. This can easily be achieved.
Therefore, as long as you eat an adequate amount of food on the raw vegan diet, there are no real dangers, only benefits, including weight loss!
The Benefits
Long-term benefits on the raw vegan diet include weight loss, weight maintenance, and a healthy attitude towards food. The reason why a person can easily lose weight on the raw food vegan diet is because:
· The diet is low in calories
· Raw food is nutrient-rich
· There are no fatty, hard-to-digest meats
· There are no high-calorie dairy products
· Raw vegan food is easy to digest
· Cravings are kept to a minimal due to the nutrient-quota being fulfilled
· Raw food is nutrient-rich
· There are no fatty, hard-to-digest meats
· There are no high-calorie dairy products
· Raw vegan food is easy to digest
· Cravings are kept to a minimal due to the nutrient-quota being fulfilled
Many have successfully achieved weight loss on the raw vegan diet, including Angela Stokes and Carlene Jones. These women were once morbidly obese, but after becoming raw foodists, the weight loss between these two women equalled 133kg (294lbs)! Clearly, these women reaped amazing results from this diet and YOU CAN TOO!
Wise or Dangerous?
The raw food vegan diet is clearly an ideal regime to lose weight. The benefits are endless and weight loss is inevitable! Based on the amazing success stories on the internet, I would say that by following this diet you are both wise and body-intuitive!
Visit http://www.fortheloveofrawfood.com/ to read more weight loss success stories and to get motivated to go raw today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Loren_R_Antonios
