| | | | | not have more than ten percent of your diet |
| Many people see the raw food diet as being | | | | made up of polyunsaturated fats. Instead, get |
| healthier and giving them more energy, despite | | | | monounsaturated fats in there. By eating olives, |
| the lack of any long-term analyses of the | | | | avocados, almonds, hazelnuts and macadamias |
| successes of a raw vegan diet as compared to | | | | you can get the fats you need. Depending on |
| other types of raw food diets. To try a raw | | | | how much energy you need each day, you can |
| vegan diet for yourself and see what it can do | | | | make up to forty percent of your diet from |
| for you, these are the three food groups you can | | | | these foods. Also, you need to include omega-3 |
| partake of: high-fat plants, sweet fruit and leafy | | | | fats; they’re very good for you. So, eat |
| green vegetables. As to the portions of each, | | | | things like crushed flax seed. Flax seed oil is also |
| opinions vary. Some say as little as two percent | | | | great for salad dressings. There are soils in the |
| of your daily calories should be from leafy green | | | | world that are low on selenium, and you can’t |
| vegetables; others think it should be as high as | | | | be sure where your foods were grown. So, an |
| around thirty. With the high-fat foods, eat things | | | | easy way to get around that issue is to include |
| like olives, nuts, avocados, seeds and cold-pressed | | | | even just Brazil nut a day. |
| oils. Again, some recommend anything from a tiny | | | | In terms of what sorts of fruits to eat, you |
| amount to as high as forty per cent. | | | | don’t have to go with ones that are unusual |
| To be honest, it’s unlikely you can get as high | | | | or exotic. The banana has energy; it’s rather |
| as thirty percent of your daily calories from green | | | | low in fiber, and plenty of potassium. Oranges are |
| vegetables. That would require eating a lot of big | | | | great to get calcium, folate, potassium and |
| salads! Fortunately, such a massive intake is not | | | | vitamin C into your body. One of the real pluses |
| necessary to derive the benefits of a raw food | | | | of a raw vegan diet is that it reduces calcium loss, |
| diet. The green leafy vegetables have plenty of | | | | and thus reduces your blood pressure; it will also |
| calcium, protein, vitamin K and zinc. All you need | | | | reduce your risk of having a stroke. |
| to do is eat around 500 g a day to get the | | | | Finally, there is vitamin B12. Some health experts |
| recommended amount. If you’re sure to get | | | | recommend that you don’t take vitamin B12 |
| things like carrots and peas in your meals, | | | | supplements unless symptoms of a deficiency |
| you’ll get plenty of calcium, zinc and protein. | | | | manifest themselves. And even then, some |
| Now, when it comes to striking the correct | | | | further say you should avoid taking any pills. |
| proportions between sweet fruit and fatty foods, | | | | Instead, there are some excellent natural sources |
| that’s where your personal tastes and health | | | | such as wild plants, nori and spirulina. Now, if those |
| come into play. It’s common for people to | | | | are not available, eat fermented foods or a |
| have troubles with their teeth if they eat a lot of | | | | probiotic, and just be sure to include a B12 |
| fruit, especially young children. On the other hand, | | | | supplement. |
| if you have a high metabolic rate, you may need | | | | Follow these steps, and you can eat a healthy |
| more high-fat foods in order to maintain your | | | | diet that is in keeping with the vegan dietary |
| weight in the optimum range. Just one caveat: do | | | | guidelines. |