the raw food diet

(The Sunday Telegraph)

Lose weight, feel sensational and do absolutely no cooking? Bring it on, says Joanna Bounds.

Forget the Atkins diet. Throw away your cabbage soup plan. There's a new eating movement on the horizon. It's the raw food diet, and its followers, like those of a cult religion, proclaim long life, boundless energy and freedom from illness.

And, although not a weight-loss tool, following the raw food diet will always mean a drop in kilograms - seeing as fruit and vegetables make up most meals, along with seeds, nuts, pulses and some fermented foods such as olives. Which may be another reason for its popularity.

Yes, that means no more Sunday roast, meat feast pizzas, chicken pasta or cheeseburgers. But it also means banning anything that's cooked - including fruit and veges - from your diet.

The raw food movement started in the 90s in health-conscious California and in the US there is now an abundance of restaurants that follow the raw food philosophy, such as The Raw Truth in Las Vegas which features uncooked lasagne and strawberry pie.

If you don't live in the States you can buy non-cook books to offer eating ideas. The Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon (Alive Books), advises you to try your hand at heat-free recipes for spinach mousse, vegetable nori roll-ups and even pizza pate.

celebrities in the raw

Juliano Brotman, an American raw food chef and author of Raw: The Uncook Book (HarperCollins), became a vegetarian as a teenager, before finally deciding to go raw.
"It's great to have this light feeling from eating raw," he says. "And you get all this energy from it. All you have to do is change your addictions, and you're a healthy person."

Like all eating fads, the raw food diet has celebrity followers. American fashion designer Donna Karan says eating raw food has boosted her health and energy levels and helped her lose 10 kilograms.

And many Australians are following Karan's lead - there are now raw food groups all over the country. Rene Beresford founded the Fruitarian Raw Food Network in Queensland more than 12 years ago.

"We don't set rules and regulations for anyone. Each individual is always free to make a choice of what to eat," says Beresford. "But we prefer to eat our food uncooked, mainly green leafy vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, fruit, and all sorts of vegan foods in the natural form. Like having a piece of carob or using coconut juice and the flesh."
And, he says, science backs him up with concrete reasons to bolster the argument that raw food is simply healthier than cooked food.

For one thing, he says, the heat of cooking kills food. "It not only kills bacteria needed for digestion, but also harms essential digestive enzymes. Really it makes sense that anything of food that is natural is far superior than that which is cooked," he says. "If cooked foods were good for us, we would all be more healthy, but we aren't. Our tastebuds are spoiled from day one."

So does being a raw foodist mean no more meals out, and an end to all those satisfying takeaways?

"It is not as difficult as you'd think. Often I just order a salad when I eat out," says Beresford. "Personally I do not go to restaurants, but in the case of a very special occasion, I can always order a vegetarian meal, even though some cooking may have taken place. It's not an everyday thing and so what if once in a while you have a minor indulgence."

But if you're thinking of joining the ranks of the raw foodists, it's best to ease into it gently. If you've been eating junk food all your life your digestive system may have problems coping. Bloating and wind are just some of the symptoms you could experience.

veggie power

Michele Miles, 40, of Adelaide is in the process of going raw, but says she's doing it slowly.

"I am slowly starting to become a raw foodist. I've given up my nightly cup of tea and cookies and incorporating a lot more salads and veges into my diet," she says. She has also bought a food processor in order to make meals as creative as possible. "I don't want to end up just eating pieces of fruit."

"It's very hard - you get cravings. But I'm not doing it to lose weight, I'm thin already. A lot of people do it for that. I'm doing it so I'm more energetic and to get rid of toxins."

But even though a raw food diet sounds like the healthiest eating plan going, some health professionals warn there are dangers.
People who are prone to eating disorders could find that such a strict diet pushes them into becoming obsessed with food, and it could also lead to some nutrient deficiencies, they say.

"Variety is the most important thing when it comes to a healthy diet," says dietitian Tania Ferraretto. "You need lean meat to get enough iron, zinc and protein, dairy or soy for calcium and grains for fibre. If people enjoy eating raw food, fine. But you couldn't really live on raw fruit and vegetables. For most of us, it's not a reality."