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There is no need to be extreme with eating raw, unprocessed foods. Strive for a happy medium between eating only raw foods and only processed foods.

Eating raw foods signifies eating fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables. This includes whole, ripe, raw fruits and vegetables, and sprouted nuts and seeds.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests eating “five raw foods a day.” Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds is an important component of achieving a  balanced diet.

There are many frequent questions regarding the consumption of these foods and their benefits. Here we provide you with the answers to some of these questions, so you can decide whether to incorporate them into your diet.

Does eating raw foods produce weight loss?

There is no direct association between eating raw foods and calorie intake. For example, while lettuce has very few calories, nuts have many. However, including raw foods frequently in your diet can help you to reduce total calories, since most of these foods are high in fiber and help make you feel full faster and longer.

Do raw foods have healing properties?

Eating raw foods is healthy for everyone and their daily consumption is recommended. The correct response to this question would be that, any foods with a variety of nutrients have preventive effects, but they do not have specific healing properties.

Are raw foods good for the body’s defenses?

There are conflicting opinions regarding this issue. Some experts indicate that it is not that raw foods improve one’s defenses, but that cooked foods decrease them. This is because in some methods of cooking, key nutrients are leached from the food, thus making it less nutritious. For this reason, the best thing to do is to take advantage of the nutrition content that raw foods contain, to help keep your immune system strong.

Should raw foods be eaten more frequently during the summer?

The recommended number of servings of raw foods doesn’t change from one season to another. What does change is the kind of raw foods available. With each change of season you will notice that the prices of fruits and vegetable change, as well as the quality of product. So you can benefit from choosing items that are “in season.”  Not only will their flavor be better, but their taste will be too! Fruits and vegetables that have a higher water content can also contribute to helping you stay well hydrated.

How can we eat more raw foods?

Making different kinds of salads is a good way to include a wide variety of vegetables and even fruits (fresh or dried) and nuts in your diet.   Another way is to plan for incorporating them at each meal and snack. For example, be sure to include them as a part of your breakfast, snacks, desserts and side dishes.

Does cooking remove the nutritional value of foods?

Many significant changes occur in the original composition of foods when they are cooked. In some cases, these modifications are positive. For example, cooking makes some foods edible, like meats. However, some effects are negative, like the loss of many nutrients that are destroyed during this process.