McKnight 1

Aubrey McKnight
Professor Nathan Cole
English 1010-039
13 December 2015
IEP Final Draft
The Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is a way of eating that has recently gained in popularity. There are
celebrities and health gurus that spout the benefits of this diet in the media and across the
internet. Celebrities such as Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Sting, Uma Thurman, David Bowie,
and Alicia Silverstone have been said to be followers of the raw food diet (Best of Raw Food).
People who follow the diet believe that eating uncooked food is healthier than eating
cooked food because cooking kills the enzymes in food and decreases its nutritional value. Over
time, a lack of enzymes from food could cause weight gain, nutrient deficiency, accelerated
aging, or possible digestive problems. There are several different ways that people follow this
diet. Some people do not eat any animal products, some people will eat some raw animal
products like raw milk and cheese (made from raw milk), and some people will include some
cooked foods for variety and convenience, still eating at least 70% of their food raw (Wong).
People who support using this diet believe that it has such health benefits as increased
energy, clearer skin, weight loss, and reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and
cancer. When starting this diet some people may experience a detoxification period because their
previous diet was heavily laden with sugar, caffeine, and meat. They may experience headaches,

McKnight 2

nausea, and cravings that should decrease in frequency and duration after the initial first few
days on the diet (Wong). The claims made by followers of this diet have led to questions about
the long-term sustainability of eating a raw food diet. What, if any, are the long-term effects?
Can this diet do all the things that people claim that it can? Is it healthier to eat raw food, cooked
food, or a mixture of both? The research suggests that there are benefits to both raw and cooked
food, depending on the particular food; a diet made up of both cooked and raw food seems to be
the healthiest choice.
Positive Effects of Raw Foods
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who
adhered to a long-term uncooked vegan food diet had significantly lower body weights than their
omnivorous counterparts, and lower Body Mass Indexes (BMI). That same study also indicated
that the raw food diet provides significantly more dietary antioxidants than the cooked,
omnivorous diet does (Rauma et al). Eating raw food obviously has significant impact on weight
loss and increased antioxidants in the body.
Another study published by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association looked at
the relationship between fruits, vegetables, and cancer prevention. The study showed that greater
consumption of fruits and vegetables had a protective effect on cancers of the stomach, lungs,
esophagus, oral cavity, pancreas, pharynx, endometrium, and colon. Raw vegetables were found
to be the number one protector against cancer, followed by allium vegetables, carrots, green
vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and tomatoes (Steinmetz/Potter). This research supports the
claim that eating raw food can help prevent cancer.
Negative Effects of Raw Foods

McKnight 3

According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, long-term use of the raw food
diet will lower LDL cholesterol but also increases the likelihood of a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Vitamin B-12 deficiencies can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The present study suggests that a strict raw food diet is accompanied by a high
risk of elevated total homocysteine due to functional vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Recent studies suggest that even a mild elevation of plasma total homocysteine
concentrations . . . is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease
and stroke. (Koebnick et al 4)
Another study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism showed that people
consuming the raw food diet long-term experienced high amounts of weight loss, being
underweight, and amenorrhea. The BMI for both men and women was below the normal weight
range. Of the men, 14.7% were below the normal weight range and 25% of the women were
below normal. In the study, 30% of the women who were under age 45 had either partial or
complete amenorrhea, which is an absence or cessation of menstruation (Koebnick et al).
Cooked Foods
Studies are showing that cooking has been necessary for our survival and evolution.
Cooking food makes it easier for our bodies to digest and to absorb calories faster. An article
published in Science Magazine states that humans were only able to evolve from primates
because our ancestor Homo Erectus began to roast meat and vegetables over a fire. The article
claims that cooked food allowed for more energy to be extracted from the food, allowing for
brain development. In the wild, apes cannot evolve larger brains because they cannot consume
enough energy from the raw food diet they consume (Gibbons).

McKnight 4

There are other benefits to eating cooked foods. Some research has shown that eating raw
food is not always the healthiest. There are some fruits and vegetables that yield more nutrition
when they are cooked, like tomatoes. The level of lycopene found in tomatoes will increase when
cooked. Vegetables such as carrots, spinach, mushrooms, cabbage, peppers, and asparagus supply
more antioxidants to the body when they are steamed (cooked). Beta-carotene levels in carrots
are also increased by cooking (Subramanian).
Conclusion
Several of the research studies presented here shows that the raw food diet may be very
effective for weight loss. The other studies present conflicting information about the
sustainability of this diet. While the diet appears to be beneficial in terms of losing weight, the
long-term effects of just eating a diet of raw food seem to be more negative, especially for
women who may want to become pregnant.
My sister has been a strong supporter and follower of this diet off-and-on for the last few
years. I became curious about what the long-term effects may be when I was deciding whether or
not to start eating completely raw. I had assumed that this diet would be a much healthier way to
eat and that all of the research would support that theory. Some of the research results were quite
surprising. Especially the study that showed that eating a raw food diet long-term could actually
increase the risk of cardiovascular disease rather than decrease it. I had also not taken the
benefits of cooked food into consideration. It was interesting to learn that some foods have more
nutritional value after cooking them. My opinion of this diet changed after looking at the
research, I no longer think that this is the healthiest way to eat. I agree that eating more raw fruits
and vegetables is necessary but I do not agree that all of them need to be raw. Depending on the

McKnight 5

food item in question, I think a diet made up of both cooked and raw food would be the most
beneficial and would be more sustainable.

Works Cited

McKnight 6

"Demi Moore's Raw Food Diet." The Best of Raw Food. The Best of Raw Food. Web. 11 Dec.
2015.
Gibbons, Ann. "Raw Food Not Enough to Feed Big Brains." Science Magazine. Science
Magazine, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Koebnick, C., C. Strassner, I. Hoffmann, and C. Leitzmann. "Consequences of a Long-term Raw
Food Diet on Body Weight and Menstruation." Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers.
Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 1 Mar. 1999. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Koebnick, Corinna, Ada L. Garcia, Pieter C. Dagnelie, Carola Strassner, Jan Lindemans, Norbert
Katz, Claus Leitzmann, and Ingrid Hoffmann. "Long-term Consumption of a Raw Food
Diet Is Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol." The Journal of Nutrition.
The Journal of Nutrition, 1 Oct. 2005. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Rauma, Anna-Liisa, Riita Torronen, Osmo Hanninen, Hans Verhagen, and Hannu Mykkanen.
"Antioxidant Status in Long-term Adherents to a Strict Uncooked Vegan Diet." The
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1
Dec. 1995. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Steinmetz, K. A., and J. D. Potter. "Vegetables, Fruit, and Cancer Prevention: A Review."
National Center for Biotechnology Information. Journal of the American Dietetic
Association, 1 Oct. 1996. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Subramanian, Sushma. "Fact or Fiction: Raw Veggies Are Healthier than Cooked Ones."
Scientific American. Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.

McKnight 7

Wong, ND, Cathy. "The Raw Food Diet." About.com Health. About.com, 7 Jan. 2015. Web. 11
Dec. 2015.