Miami Vegan Blog

But what's wrong with cooking, you ask? Raw foodies argue that major health problems—including diabetes, obesity and heart disease—arrived with the modern, processed, fat-laden diet. Food that has not been cooked is healthier, because it is high in fiber and no vitamins have been lost in cooking, says Natalia Rose, author of The Raw Food Detox Diet.

Raw foodies are essentially vegan, eschewing most animal products. Instead of a hamburger, raw restaurants might serve a nut-meat patty.

Any restrictive diet has a psychological component that's appealing to some, says Madelyn Fernstrom, a nutritional biochemist and director of the University of Pittsburgh Weight Management Center. Raw food is no exception. "Heating instead of cooking is ritualistic, so it helps people latch on to the diet," she says. "Many people feel devoted to this style of eating because it gives them structure."

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