Top 5 myths about eating only raw foods, is beneficial or harmful?

There are several degrees of vegetarianism, veganism and one of them is to eat only raw foods, it is the "natural form" or "cooking the food nutrients vital spirit or be killed". How beneficial is this diet?

The raw food diet eliminates any possibility of cooking. No food should be heated above 40 ° C, but dehydrated or fermented. This is because "the heat decreases nutrients, makes the less digestible or more toxic foods, or eliminates its vital energy." But how true is that? Let's review 5 Myths about this diet.

Myth 1. Fire destroys nutrients

Of course raw food is nutritious, but cooking releases other nutrients that would otherwise not be available to us. Cook spinach releases more iron and calcium. The soups are packed with nutrients that are not found in a salad of carrots, onions and potatoes.

By eating both raw and cooked foods "get the best of both worlds," says Jennifer Nelson, director of the Mayo Clinic.

On the other hand, overcooking, roast or burn the food itself can be a problem, we must be careful not to go fire.

Myth 2. Fire destroys enzymes.

Yes, it's true. But anyway stomach acid destroys enzymes. Moreover, humans have their own enzymes that break down food molecules.

Myth 3. Raw food detoxifies

No food or herbs that can remove toxins from your blood or organs. Most diets that do not introduce more detoxify harmful molecules in your body for a day or two to help your liver and kidneys to process toxins more effectively, says John McDougall, creator of the McDougall program.

Myth 4. crudismo is healthy

Maintaining good health following a raw food diet is a challenge. Many follow a diet and weight loss, but in health much more to shed extra kilos.

Many of the problems of this diet are vitamin deficiencies B12 and D, selenium, zinc, iron and two types of omega fatty acids. Without taking supplements, it would be very difficult or impossible to obtain the necessary amount of these nutrients only raw plants.

Other problems that can occur is heartburn or erosion of the teeth.

However, a raw diet can itself be healthier than the standard diet of processed food.

Myth 5. Raw foods are natural

"No other animal cooks its food," say those who follow this diet. But there is no use blenders animals or animals that need so much energy to the brain can play chess.

Judge what is natural is difficult. human civilizations around the world continue to diets consisting of grains, vegetables and meats that can take you about 70 years. There are diets animals made by natives of Siberia that are as natural as the power of the tribes in the Amazon. On the other hand, there is no human culture that has tried to survive only with raw plants.

Cook opened the doors to a world of nutrients and calories. The human brain, after all, requires a lot of energy.