The trendy raw vegan diet loved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore may do more harm than good, nutrition expert warns
- Going vegetarian or vegan has become incredibly popular in recent years
- Some people eat only raw plant foods to the extreme
- There are claims that ingredients can lose nutrients during the cooking process
- Dr Laura Brown, a nutrition lecturer at Teesside University, warned against it.
The raw vegan diet loved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore could do more harm than good in the long run, experts warn.
Vegetarians and vegans are all the rage these days, but some people go all out and eat only raw, plant-based foods that don’t need to be cooked.
There are claims that ingredients can lose important nutrients and enzymes during the cooking process – and eating raw plant foods improves energy levels, wards off disease and promotes overall health.
But Dr. Laura Brown, a senior lecturer in nutrition at Teesside University, warned that dieting for an extended period of time can do more harm than good.
The raw vegan diet loved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore could do more harm than good in the long run, experts warn. However, some people take it to the extreme and eat only raw plant foods that can be eaten without cooking.
On The Conversation website, she said some vegetables actually provide more nutrients when cooked. This is because this process helps break down the cell walls, allowing the release of nutrients.
For example, cooking spinach helps your body absorb the calcium it contains.
Asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower are also more nutritious when cooked, she writes.
Dr. Brown said people who adhere to a raw vegan diet are also deficient in important animal-derived vitamins and minerals.
They play an important role in the structure, development and production of brain and nerve cells and support a healthy immune system.
A previous study found that 38% of people who followed a strict low vegan diet were deficient in vitamin B12.
There are claims that ingredients can lose some of their important nutrients and enzymes during the cooking process – eating raw plant foods boosts energy levels, prevents disease and improves overall health. does (stock image)
Another study found that dieting can also lead to unintended weight loss and even stop menstruation in some women.
“While following a plant-based diet can provide many health benefits, a raw vegan diet can be a bit overkill and can pose even greater risks if not followed carefully,” Dr. Brown said. there is.
“If you’re planning a raw vegan diet, it’s important to plan carefully to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need for optimal health.
“It also carries a lot of risks, so I wouldn’t recommend doing it for an extended period of time.”
Her warning echoes that of genetic expert Professor Steve Jones. He argued that a long-term diet of raw foods could have deadly consequences.
At Hay Festival a few years ago, he said:
“The enzymes and absorption mechanisms for digesting raw food are missing.”
Registered dietitian Claire Thornton Wood, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, said, “We do not recommend raw vegan diets as they can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
“Potentially, you may be deficient in many nutrients, including protein, calcium, iron, and B12. You may also be deficient in calories.
“While eating raw foods preserves many nutrients, such as vitamin C, cooking foods makes them easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene, and destroys toxins, such as leptin, in foods such as legumes. .”
Aside from Miss Paltrow and Miss Moore, the likes of Megan Fox and Sting have also previously followed a raw vegan food diet.
What does a balanced diet look like?
According to the NHS, the diet should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.
• Eat five or more servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• A staple of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the equivalent of eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain cereal biscuits, 2 whole grain breads, and a large baked potato with the skin on.
• Provide dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat and low-sugar options.
• Eat legumes, legumes, fish, eggs, meat, and other proteins (2 servings of fish per week, 1 serving of which contains oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small portions.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt per day, less than 20g of saturated fat for women and less than 30g of saturated fat for men.
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
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