7-day Meal Plan For Raw Food Diet (2024)

FAQs

What is a raw diet once a week? ›

How to follow the raw food diet. To follow the raw food diet, ensure at least 75% of your food is raw. Most raw food diets are made primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Grains and legumes are often permitted but usually need to be soaked or sprouted before eating.

A raw food diet may be deficient in certain nutrients including vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids that are usually found in cooked meals. People who follow a raw food diet run the danger of developing vitamin deficiencies if they don't plan beforehand.

You'll probably lose weight on this diet, since most of its foods are low in calories, fat, and sodium, and high in fiber. One study found that people who followed a raw foods diet lost a significant amount of weight. You'll also get nutritional perks.

Foods to Avoid (or Limit)

Processed foods, like pasta, baked goods, chips and pastries. Processed drinks, including store-bought fruit juice, soda, powdered drink mixes and other processed beverages. Refined sugars and flours. Table salt.

A raw food diet involves eating mainly unprocessed whole, plant-based foods. It can help with weight loss and has other benefits as well. Some sources say that when following a raw food diet, raw food should make up three-quarters of the diet.

Raw diets are high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates. They are naturally anti-inflammatory, support your dog's immune system, and make the perfect diet for dogs with allergies.

Some raw foodists eliminate milk, which is briefly heated during pasteurization. That means cheese, yoghurt and other dairy foods are out too. And animal protein, some of which can be eaten raw (think sushi or tartare) can be on or off the list.

Food items like cucumbers, carrots, radishes, beetroot and tomatoes can be eaten raw in the form of salads.

How do you introduce a raw diet? ›

Getting Started Feeding Raw - Weekly Guide

Feed a mixture of their old food and Raw each day, gradually increase the Raw meals and decrease the old food. After about 7 days you can feed 100% Raw.

Steaks, pork chops, and other whole-muscle meats are the safest bet. That's because the cooking process can easily kill off bacteria on the cut's surface, while the inside of the meat is essentially sterile, protected from any potential pathogens—in theory.

Raw foods include some cheeses, eggs, fish, fresh herbs, fruits, meats, nuts, fresh spices, seaweeds, seeds, sprouts, vegetables and yogurt.

Raw meat, fish, eggs and dairy often contain bacteria that can make you sick ( 27 , 29 ). E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter are some of the most common bacteria that may be found in raw foods ( 30 ). Most bacteria cannot survive at temperatures over 140°F (60°C).

The most successful slow transition method to a raw food diet is to begin switching your dog gradually over 7 day period. You may find your dog may need anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to make the full transition, depending on age, weight and activity level.

A protein deficiency may cause muscle loss, make it harder for wounds to heal and make you more likely to get sick. It may also trigger mental confusion, digestive issues and skin and hair problems. Other nutrient deficiencies from an all-vegetable diet can affect you skin, hair, bones, hormone levels and blood.

Going raw vegan even for just a week is a great way to tap back into what your body needs and doesn't need, and it's a good exercise in learning new recipes and experimenting with new foods. I'm grateful to raw veganism for reminding me to drink water, eat more fruit and veg and nuts and seeds.