Raw veganism

Raw veganism is a diet which combines veganism and raw foodism. It excludes all food of animal origin, and all food cooked above 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). A raw vegan diet includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut pastes, grain and legume sprouts, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs, and fresh juices. There are many different versions of the diet, including fruitarianism and sproutarianism. Sometimes the definition of a raw vegan diet is loosened to include vegan diets with at least 75% raw foods.

Motivations

In addition to the ethics of eating meat, dairy, eggs and honey, a raw vegan may be motivated by:

Health reasons

Raw vegans believe that cooking foods destroys almost all healthy enzymes (which aid the digestive system), a large part of vitamins and nutrients, approximately half of the protein content of the food and causes fats to become rancid (see trans fat).

Environmental reasons

Some raw vegans are concerned about deforestation and sustainability, believing the use of wood or fossil fuels for cooking is harmful to the environment.

piritual/philosophical reasons

Most dedicated followers of a raw vegan diet place importance on spiritual gain. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_11_64/ai_92801109/pg_2?tag=artBody;col1] Ruthann Russo states, "The raw food movement looks at the way food, living, treatment of the earth, our treatment of each other, and our quest for physical, spiritual, and mental health all fit together. Therefore, it is also a philosophy". [http://www.rawfoodmyth.com/]

Controversies

Raw veganism is yet to be formally studied on a wide enough scale to secure its reputation as a truly healthy diet. However, many raw vegans cite their personal experiences with the diet as proof of its benefits; as well, some believe the theory that humans, as the only animal to eat cooked food, have by far the longest list of degenerative diseases of any animal. However, it has been shown in studies that cooking food makes digestion much easier on the digestive tract, which some believe have lead to the advanced development of the human brain (History Channel, "Evolve" digestion Episode). Also, many medical authorities stress the possible lack of vitamin B12 in the diet, which is naturally present in large quantities in animal foods and is essential for many bodily functions. Raw vegans often supplement vitamin B12, or obtain it from fermented foods or other foods containing small quantities of B12.

External links

* [http://www.runningraw.com/ Tim VanOrden's Raw Veganism project]

ee also

*Fruitarianism
*Veganism
*Raw foodism