Proponents of a raw food diet swear its benefits make it worth the switch from cooked food. However, if you’re eating a traditional diet you’re probably wondering what’s so bad about cooked food?

Well, raw foodists say that this is not a new way of eating, but the original way of eating for humans and animals. They say that food cooked above a temperature of about 118 degrees loses its nutritional benefit, and that humans are the only animals on the planet that cook their food, and we are the sickest.

While the vitamins, fats, and other nutrients remain in food after it is cooked, they are in a greatly altered state that the body cannot use as easily as when the food is raw. The molecular structure of the food has changed. In addition, enzymes in the foods are killed when the food is cooked. Enzymes are the catalysts that enable the body to use minerals and vitamins.

In the past it was believed that cellulose was unnecessary to the body because it contained no nutrition. Now we know that this is fiber and needed for digestion. Raw foodists believe that cooked fiber loses its ability to transport food through our digestive tract.

People who eat a totally raw diet have certain staples in their kitchens. A mainstay of the raw food lifestyle is a blender to grind seeds, grains, and other ingredients. Fresh spices and herbs are liberally used to give food more flavor. Another staple in the raw food kitchen is a juicer. Many foods are juiced for nutritious drinks. The pulp that’s left from these fruits and vegetables is used in other recipes. Lastly, a dehydrator is necessary for fruits and vegetables. A dehydrator is necessary to preserve food in its raw state and use later in various recipes.

Not all proponents of raw food eat raw food 100 percent of the time. Many adopt the Hallelujah Diet which is 85 percent raw and 15 percent cooked. In social situations, raw foodists tend to eat what’s being served or they offer to bring a raw dish. While most people agree organic food is better because it’s free of toxins, feeding a family can be expensive. People find a mix between organic and foods grown with traditional pesticides that they feel comfortable with.

Evidently the raw food trend is becoming popular with celebrities as well. Such people as Carol Alt, Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Donna Karan, and Lisa Bonet have all sung the praises of raw food. When interviewed, they all stated that the raw food diet helped them lose weight. Other benefits noted were a general feeling of well being, clear headedness, fewer illnesses, clear skin, more energy, and less need for medication.

Many times people with chronic illnesses or allergies say their health problems disappear after a month or two of eating raw. Others say they experience improved vision. Health professionals say that this is due to getting the daily requirement of fruit and vegetables—not because they’re raw. Nevertheless, proponents of the raw food diet believe their health is derived from eating food in its natural state.