Definition of Raw Veganism:
"Raw veganism is a diet which combines veganism and raw foodism. It excludes all food of animal origin, and all food cooked above 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). A raw vegan diet includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut pastes, grain and legume sprouts, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs, and fresh juices. There are many different versions of the diet, including fruitarianism, juicearianism, and sproutarianism. Sometimes the definition of a raw vegan diet is loosened to include vegan diets with at least 75% raw foods."
Motivations:
"In addition to the ethics of eating meat, dairy, eggs and honey, a raw vegan may be motivated by:
Health reasons
"Raw vegans believe that cooking foods destroys the complex balance of micronutrients. They also believe that, in the cooking process, dangerous chemicals are produced due to the heat interaction with fat, protein, and carbohydrates."
Environmental reasons
"Some raw vegans are concerned about deforestation and sustainability, believing the use of wood or fossil fuels for cooking is harmful to the environment."
Spiritual and/or philosophical reasons
"Most dedicated followers of a raw vegan diet place importance on spiritual gain. Ruthann Russo states, "The raw food movement looks at the way food, living, treatment of the earth, our treatment of each other, and our quest for physical, spiritual, and mental health all fit together. Therefore, it is also a philosophy"."
Controversies
"Raw veganism is yet to be formally studied on a wide enough scale to secure its reputation as a truly healthy diet. However, many raw vegans cite their personal experiences with the diet as proof of its benefits; as well, some believe the theory that humans, as the only animal to eat cooked food, have by far the longest list of degenerative diseases of any animal. However, it has been shown in studies that cooking food makes digestion much easier on the digestive tract, which some believe have lead to the advanced development of the human brain (History Channel, Evolve digestion Episode)."
"Like all vegans, raw vegans must ensure that their intake of vitamin B12 is adequate, since it is produced by bacteria and does not occur reliably in plant foods. Vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious consequences such as anemia and neurodegenerative disease. The Vegan Society and Vegan Outreach, among others, recommend that vegans either consistently eat foods fortified with B12 or take a B12 supplement. Tempeh, seaweed, spirulina, organic produce, soil on unwashed vegetables, and intestinal bacteria have not been shown to be reliable sources of B12 for the dietary needs of vegans."
See also
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