Raw foodists eat all fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains, sea vegetables and other unprocessed organic or natural foods.

They are vegans, so animal and dairy products are a no-no. To drink, raw foodists consume such liquids as purified water (not tap), freshly-made juices, and milk from a young coconut. To avoid pesticides and herbicides, as well as to consume food with higher nutritional value, raw foodists aim to eat all organic food.

How is Raw Food Prepared?

It is believed that heating food over 116 degrees F destroys the enzymes, which assist in digestion, in the food; at least three-quarters of all food consumed should not be heated over116 degrees F . Living food is considered to contain more enzymes. Raw foodists also believe that living and raw foods have higher levels of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber.

Raw foodists will prepare their food using techniques such as soaking seeds, grains and beans so that they sprout and become "living," juicing fruit and vegetables, soaking nuts and dried fruit, blending, and dehydrating food.

Benefits of Eating Raw Food

Raw foodists say they experience physical and mental improvements such as increased energy levels, better digestion, weight loss, detoxification, a strengthened immune system and an improved appearance of skin.

Raw foods have little to no saturated fats, are low in sodium, and are high in potassium and fiber. Also, the enzymes in raw and living foods help in the digestion and absorption of your food, meaning your body doesn't have to produce its own enzymes.

The Raw Food Diet is Vegetarian

A raw food diet doesn't include animals, so that's a plus for a wildlife lover. And you're also eating organic, meaning the farms your produce comes from aren't using pesticides that could harm the environment.

The Raw Food Diet Review

Dietician Laurie Barker Jackman says sticking to a raw food diet is a ton of work. She also says followers of this diet could be protein deficient and that it's easy to lack nutrients such as calcium, iron and vitamin B12 in such a restrictive diet.

The theory that all food heated over 116 degrees has less nutritional value than raw food isn't correct, says Barker Jackman. Lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, for example, increases in concentration the more you process and heat the vegetable.