Three Reasons Raw Foods are Superfoods
When thinking of superfoods, you might not think of a raw food diet. Raw foods, however, contain nutrients that are beneficial to your body in a variety of ways. Not only can raw foods help cleanse the body, but they can also protect the body from diseases. Whether it’s a vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, or a carnivorous raw food diet, it is bound to contain a great variety of superfoods with beneficial nutrients.
Full of Nutrients
Raw foods contain all of nature’s intended vitamins and nutrients. Heating and cooking food actually changes the chemical composition, thus changing what nutrients it has to offer. Fresh fruits and vegetables have vitamins that will benefit you in the long-term.
The high amounts of fiber in raw foods will help with digestion. They add bulk to your stools and help food move much more quickly through your gut. This lessens the chances of constipation and toxins remaining in your body for too long. Soluble fiber, found in raw foods, also helps feed the good bacteria in your intestines.
Cleanse Your Blood and Gut
Raw foods have high water content. They help cleanse toxins from your blood and gut. They give your body stable calories, lessening the chance of crashing and feeling foggy. This consistent energy means you’re more likely to feel motivated to exercise. Exercising regularly helps cleanse your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system cannot function properly without staying active, making exercise very important.
Raw food diets are great at aiding in weight loss, as well as keeping weight off. One study shows that people who followed a raw diet for over 3 years lost 22 to 26 pounds. The participants with the highest amounts of raw foods in their diet had the lowest body mass indexes. Another study showed that those following a raw vegan diet had a total body fat percentage of between 7 and 9%.
Protect the Body From Disease
A raw food diet is rich in nutrients, fibers, and water. There are essential elements the body needs to fend off diseases. Fruits and vegetables will not only help prevent diabetes and disease but even certain types of cancer. Eating raw foods avoids the dangers of processed foods, meaning that your body is only taking in fresh, natural food.
With diabetes, in particular, the high amounts of fiber have greatly helped lower blood sugar levels and increased insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown that raw vegetarian and vegan diets have lead to a 12% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains have also helped to lower blood sugar levels.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds may also greatly improve heart health. These foods will improve blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Raw vegan diets, in particular, have lowered the risk of developing high blood pressure by 75%.
Meals Rich With Superfoods
At Z.E.N Foods, we offer a variety of programs that are full of superfoods. These meals will be delivered straight to you and require next to no preparation. At most, you will need to heat your meal up. From Weight Loss plans to Vegetarian plans, we offer a wide variety of programs to fit your needs. Head over to our website to learn more.