In the age of fast food take outs and food on the go, we are taking risks with our health because of what we eat. Actually it is not always what we eat that is the problem; it is how we prepare our food. It is though that twenty five percent of people are over weight, and many are obese. Maintaining an active lifestyle is very important to your general health, but what you eat is extremely important to keeping your body healthy. Even thought many people do not regularly include raw food in their diet.
When raw food is mentioned, people tend to think of meat, fish and other foods that you would not normally eat raw. Fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, nuts etc, are raw foods, basically anything that is can be consumed without being cooked. If you give it some thought and add some Creativity you will be surprised what you can come up with.
This however does not mean that a well prepared home cooked meal is not nutritious; meals made with the right ingredients can be healthy, especially if they are prepared and cooked correctly.
It is a well known fact that if people ate more uncooked foods in their diets, their well being and overall health and fitness would be greatly improved. They are many people who do not think about eating food that has not been cooked first, and they do not realize the many benefits this could have.
One good thing about uncooked food, you can generally eat as much as your want without weight gain. This is because it is low in calories, and you will probably eat less than you would cooked food, and it helps increase metabolism. Uncooked foods are full of fibers called cellulose which helps the body lose weight. Eating raw foods also increases the energy levels in the body making you feel more lively and active.
When fresh plant foods are cooked in a temperature above 115 degrees they lose much needed nutrients and enzymes that are important in digestion and general health. The heat applied to cook food removes many vitamins and proteins that the body needs to stay healthy.
Another great benefit of eating uncooked food is the reduction of saturated fats. Uncooked foods contain high levels of fiber, vitamins and potassium. Phytochemical also found in raw products are thought to help keep the risk of heart disease at a low. There are also high levels of antioxidants in uncooked foods, these antioxidants help your body keep its youthful, and are also known to inhibit the formation of plaque, a cause of heart disease.
If you include more raw food into your daily diet, you will feel the benefit in a surprisingly short time. Your skin will look and feel healthier, if you are over weight you will soon start to notice weight loss. Your general health will improve and you will feel much fit than before. The toxins in your body from eating a diet full of cooked food will disperse, and your risk of heart problems and other related health issues will be drastically reduced.
