Just wondering if anyone has heard of the raw till four diet. I really want to try it, as I wan't to feel better, more energetic and less bloated. I am currently a healthy weight (no need to lose, don't want to) I was just wondering what sort of results any one had had with this sort of lifestyle. TIA
Alien
Favorite Answer
Sounds like a fad diet. Also, many people get gassy and bloated from certain raw veggies. If you want to be healthy, start with foods you LIKE that are good for you. Cook them whatever way is healthy and tastes good. Some vitamins like Beta Carotene actually absorb better when fibrous things like carrots are slightly steamed but not cooked until limp.
The reality is, humans EVOLVED to eat cooked food. It also makes it safer by killing germs and parasites. When you eat a lot of raw foods, you risk getting food poisoning a lot more often than you would with cooked food. Look this up...things like lettuce and alfalfa sprouts are responsible for more food poisoning cases than cooked meats!
Many who do these fad diets have no idea of the risks or if they are sensitive to certain foods. Broccoli is a great example. Humans do not have the enzymes to break down this food raw and doing so can cause severe gas in some people. There is nothing healthy or "detoxifying" about pooping and farting too much. In fact its a sign that your stomach is irritated, not "detoxifying" itself.
If you find that you feel better on a certain diet, then eat it. DO NOT force yourself to eat stuff that doesn't taste good in the name of being "healthy" because any doctor or nutritionist can tell you that you do not need a fad diet to be healthy or lose weight. Its more about balancing your carbs and protein than it is about restricting food choices or not cooking things.
People on fad diets are not healthier and do not look any better than people who just eat smart and allow themselves variety. Not to mention you have more freedom to eat what you want when you are not following some fad. If you listen to your body, you have cravings for a REASON! It means your body needs something. Shoving raw carrots in your face all day will never give a human being enough calories or nutrients to live.
Humans are an omnivore and we evolved to eat more food groups than ANY other animal on earth. Yeah....I like carrot sticks but I also like burgers, cake and ice cream. I do not think humans were meant to live on only a few foods. If that was the case, steak would not taste good to us and potato would taste GREAT raw and not make us barf. That is not reality. Diets like this are too restrictive for most people to follow in the long run. So its great that you feel good but just know there are other ways to be healthy and in good shape.
Mario
120 Raw Diet Food Recipes : http://Go.StayEatingRaw.com/?Pczf