Friday, April 26, 2013

The Five Elements of a Raw Vegan Diet for Weight Loss

There are two types of raw food diets - one that involves eating raw meat and eggs (gross, I know), and the other that involves eating a diet solely of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and sprouts.

The latter is called the raw vegan diet - which is what I will be talking about in this article. Following a raw vegan diet assists in weight loss and also cures many health problems. Let's see what this diet entails.

Fruits

First of all, let's talk about living fruits. I like to view fruits as a natural dessert given to us by Mother Nature. Fruits are so delicious in their natural raw form, and I really don't see why people have to ruin their lovely flavour and nutrient content by going and cooking them in their high-calorie desserts and cake dishes.

If you compare the taste of a lovely crunchy apple to stewed apples, you will never want to stew your apples again! The flavour is so much poorer. Anyway, the point I'm getting at is - fruits play a vital role in the diet of a raw foodist. They are often consumed for breakfast, in juices and smoothies, and for snacks during the day.

Vegetables

The second component to a raw vegan diet is vegetables. Vegetables come in so many wonderful colours, shapes and varieties - how could you not love them? What's great about vegetables is that they are low in fat and calories, so they can be consumed in larger quantities than most other foods.

Have you ever eaten raw corn? If you have not tried this - you're in for a treat. You will be pleasantly surprised! The taste is absolutely superb! Vegan raw foodists often make raw vegetable dishes for their lunch and dinner. They also value using them in juices. Many raw vegetables can be juiced for a natural energy boost - try this combination: Beetroot, celery, carrots, ginger and apple. It's seriously amazing!

Sprouts

Sprouts are one of nature's best superfoods and help protect our bodies from diseases. They also provide the nutrients that support and strengthen our immune systems. Why not try adding to your next salad some alfalfa sprouts, mungbean sprouts, or chickpea sprouts.

These raw living foods will give your salad a real protein hit and will make you feel fuller longer. I really enjoy the crunchiness of sprouts, and I just can't get enough of them as a side dish, or even just by themselves! Raw foodists are very fond of these powerful minis!

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are also great sources of protein and healthy fats. Raw foodists will often incorporate a small handful of these heavenly beauties into their daily diet - they are an excellent healthy treat for morning or afternoon tea.

But just stick to a small handful! The reason being is that nuts, although very healthy, are rather high in calorie and fat content, and should be limited if a person wishes to lose weight.