Problems with Raw Vegan Diets

Many people believe raw vegan diets are healthier than cooked vegan diets. Their main reason is that cooking food above certain temperatures destroys vital nutrients, including essential enzymes needed to digest food properly. The cooking process also creates a wide number of toxic byproducts that are detrimental to the human body. Some of these toxins include acrylamides, ally aldehyde, butyric acid, nitrobenzene and nitropyrene. (1)

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, research by Dr. Paul Kouchakoff presented the phenomenon of “digestive leukocytosis”. This reaction reflects an increase and mobilization of white blood cells, in response to ingesting cooked foods. Conversely raw foods failed to cause digestive leukocytosis, instead, raw foods proved effective on preventing cooked foods from causing a leukocytosis response, when consumed in the same meal. (1)

Unfortunately, Dr. Kouchakoff’s experiments are still ridiculed by many scholars and scientists. According to the latter, these experiments haven’t been replicated with satisfactory results, hurting their credibility. This doesn’t wave off the possibility that Dr. Kouchakoff was onto something. We must remember that all research can be of questionable validity, and subject to criticism, due to experimental mistakes, erroneous interpretations, bias positions, and rivalries between scientists.

Looking at this from an anthropological perspective might shine light on the debate. Most “raw foodist” believe that humans ate raw fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, long before they learned to cook any food. That is why they see raw veganism as human’s natural diet. They are convinced that a raw vegan diet increases energy levels, strengthens the immune system, and improves health at every level. In most cases, such as in my own, our faith in raw vegan diets is reinforced by the results obtained from personal experience.

All that being said, thousands of humans surviving on raw vegan diets doesn’t necessarily prove their superiority. It’s hard to compare our current overall health, when compared to the health of our ancestors. We lived in different times, with different environmental and social stressors.

Similarly, it is challenging to prove that the benefits reported by explorers of raw vegan diets result from their dietary choices. Results could be a byproduct of other physiological changes, psychological changes, environmental changes, chance, or the placebo affect.

The truth is that we don’t know yet if raw vegan diets are the best options for all humans. We can consider raw veganism as a simpler, more environmentally friendly approach to nutrition. We may also see how raw foods are cleaner in terms of how they are produced, processed, packaged, and prepared. None of this is truly useful, unless we experience it for ourselves. That is why it is important for you to Give Fruit a Chance.

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Problems with the Vegan Diet

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