The Raw Food Diet is one where at least 75% of a person’s diet consists of uncooked and unprocessed food from primarily organic sources. Most raw foodists tend to be vegetarians consuming raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Some people following this diet plan will include non-pasteurized dairy products and raw meat such as beef carpaccio and raw fish such as sashimi.

Health Claims of the Raw Food Diet

Since heating food can destroy some of the nutrients in food, raw foodists choose to consume their food raw in order to consume the highest amount of nutrients possible. Raw foods contain higher amounts of digestive enzymes that aid in digestion and bacteria that can provide the digestive tract beneficial bacteria. Therefore the Raw Food Diet claims that this diet plan provides more nutrients and is void of processed food in order to help prevent degenerative diseases, slow the aging process, provide better energy, and aid in overall health.

Criticisms of the Raw Food Diet

As with all alternatives diets, there are criticisms to the claims of the Raw Food Diet. For one, raw food increases the risk of food poisoning. It can lead to nutritional deficiencies, low in critical nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D and vitamin B12. It is also true that cooking certain foods actually increases the bioavailability of nutrients. And although it claims many health benefits, recent studies have shown that a strict raw food diet leads to low bone density and amenorrhea among women. Lastly, the sustainability of this diet plan can be a challenge. Certain recipes are challenging to prepare, and social situations such as dinner parties and eating out create a lack of options.

Compatibility of the Hauser Diet and the Raw Food Diet

Occasionally we will have a patient who wishes to follow a Raw Food Diet AND the Hauser Diet. There are some components of the Raw Food Diet that fit into the Hauser Diet with the Giraffe Diet Type being the closest match. Similar to the Raw Food Diet, the Hauser Diet encourages fresh organic foods in order to obtain adequate nutrients and eliminate processed ingredients. The Hauser Diet however recognizes that everyone’s body has unique physiological needs. Therefore we use Diet Typing as a way to discover what foods will best support a person’s physiology. Some people require a vegetarian diet and therefore could follow a Raw Food Diet if they choose. However, some people require a diet with a moderate to high amount of protein, such as the Bear, Otter, and Lion Diet Types. The amount of protein found on the Raw Food Diet would not be enough to support these Diet Types, hence, the health claims of the raw food diet would not be achieved.

With Diet Typing, a person’s unique physiology is supported through the correct healthy diet plan enabling the body to fight disease, slow the aging process, create better energy, improve digestion and improve overall health. A central tenet of the Hauser Diet is that there is not one healthy diet plan for all people. Once a Diet Type is prescribed, certain components of other diets can be incorporated to create a further individualized diet plan, such as consuming some, but not all raw foods. But the foundation of the diet plan must be one that supports healthy blood sugars and a balanced blood pH, which are the fundamentals of Hauser Diet Typing. Therefore, we believe that everyone should have Diet Typing done to determine what foods will best achieve optimal health. If you are wondering what Diet Type you are, give us a call and make an appointment today!