Who ever heard of eating raw foods to overcome food addiction?

The eating of raw foods is becoming more and more popular as a way of combating food addiction. Raw foods are supposedly plentiful with regard to life-improving enzymes, vitamins and minerals, all of which can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Enzymes play an important role in keeping one healthy; they can break down significant amounts of sugar and fat. Foods lacking in enzymes are considered detrimental to one’s health, and the cooking of food is said to destroy these positive enzymes, along with the beneficial vitamins and minerals. Theory

The idea behind a raw-food diet is that one can eat as much as one wants and as often as one desires. Eating raw food is said to result in immediate weight loss when the diet is first adopted, although many would say that this weight loss is merely a result of the body returning to its optimum levels. There is, apparently, no need to count calorie intake while undertaking the raw food diet, since merely being on the diet will suffice to reduce one’s weight.

Benefits

There are other benefits of a raw-food diet beyond mere weight loss. This diet is said to increased alkaline levels in the body, thus increasing resistance to diseases. Raw food dieting may contribute to a reduced need for long periods of sleep, while it may also increase mental clarity. This mental clarity can often help one achieved a clearer and even better state of mind; some say one may experience an elevated sense of well being or even a natural high. Other benefits that are said to result from a raw food diet are healthier skin, hair and nails as well as heightened energy levels.

Those who believe in the raw food diet believe that the cooking of food deprives the body of the natural nutrients inherent in these foods. There is a belief that this deprivation of nutrients can cause one to become addicted to food, which eating raw foods may alleviate.

Further to this, many processed or manufactured foods contain high levels of chemicals - such as MSG - which can cause cravings for food. By including these chemicals in their products, manufacturers are ensuring their customers will come back again and buy more of their goods.

Factors such as those indicated above can surely contribute to food addiction, but it is ultimately the decision of each individual as to which is the most effective way to combat food addiction. However, perhaps a raw food diet should be given some consideration by those wishing to embark on a substantial change of diet.