What is the diet where you don't eat cooked food? A Guide to Raw Foodism

December 12, 2025 •

5 min read

Dating back to the 1800s, the raw food diet or raw foodism is a dietary practice that involves consuming mostly or entirely uncooked and unprocessed foods. This guide explores the different types of raw food diets, the health claims associated with them, and the critical risks to consider before adopting this eating pattern.

Quick Summary

Raw foodism is a diet comprising mostly or entirely uncooked, unprocessed foods, often plant-based, though some versions include raw animal products. It is associated with potential benefits like weight loss and high nutrient intake, but also poses significant risks, including foodborne illness and nutrient deficiencies.

Key Points

What is the diet where you don't eat cooked food?: The diet where you don't eat cooked food is called raw foodism, also known as a raw food diet or rawism.
Core Principle: Raw foodism is based on the belief that consuming uncooked, unprocessed foods preserves vital enzymes and nutrients destroyed by heat, although this isn't scientifically proven.
Dietary Variations: Raw foodism can be raw vegan (plant-based), raw vegetarian (includes raw eggs/dairy), or raw omnivorous (includes raw meat/fish).
Key Foods: Staples include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts, soaked grains/legumes, cold-pressed oils, and fermented foods.
Serious Risks: Major concerns include a high risk of foodborne illness (especially from raw animal products), nutrient deficiencies (like B12), and insufficient calorie intake.
Benefits of Cooking: Cooking kills harmful bacteria and can increase the bioavailability of certain antioxidants, such as lycopene in tomatoes and beta-carotene in carrots.
Balanced Approach: For optimal health, a balanced diet combining both raw and cooked nutritious foods is recommended over a strictly raw diet, which can be restrictive and difficult to sustain.

Understanding the Raw Food Diet: A Deeper Look

Raw foodism is based on the belief that heating food above a certain temperature (typically 104–118°F) destroys its natural enzymes and nutritional content. This philosophy posits that consuming foods in their most natural, uncooked state is optimal for human health. While advocates cite benefits such as improved digestion and increased energy, nutrition experts and dietitians often point to the significant drawbacks and health risks. The raw food diet is not a one-size-fits-all approach and comes in several distinct forms, catering to different dietary preferences and ethical beliefs.

The Core Principle of Raw Foodism

The central tenet of raw foodism revolves around consuming foods in their natural state, untouched by modern processing methods that involve heat. This includes avoiding pasteurization, homogenization, and the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Supporters claim that this practice helps the body maximize its intake of vital nutrients and enzymes. However, this theory is challenged by mainstream science, which notes that the stomach's acidic environment denatures these food enzymes anyway, and the body produces its own to facilitate digestion.

Varieties of Raw Foodism

Raw food diets are not all the same. They vary significantly depending on which food groups are included and to what extent cooked foods are restricted.

Raw Vegan: This is the most common form, composed exclusively of uncooked, plant-based foods. It includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains and legumes.
Raw Vegetarian: This variation is also plant-based but allows for the consumption of raw eggs and unpasteurized dairy products.
Raw Omnivorous: The least common and most controversial version, this diet includes raw plant foods as well as raw animal products such as uncooked meat, fish (like sashimi), eggs, and unpasteurized dairy.

Foods to Enjoy and Avoid

An individual following a raw food diet will find that their pantry and shopping list look dramatically different from someone on a standard diet. The focus is on whole, unprocessed ingredients that can be enjoyed raw or prepared using methods that do not involve heat.

Foods to enjoy:

Fresh fruits and vegetables
Raw nuts and seeds
Soaked and sprouted grains and legumes
Dried fruits
Cold-pressed oils (olive, coconut)
Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi)
Nut milks
Seaweed and sprouts

Foods to avoid:

Any food heated above 118°F
All cooked foods
Pasteurized dairy or juices
Roasted nuts and seeds
Refined sugars and flour
Processed foods and snacks
Coffee, tea, and alcohol

Comparison of Raw vs. Cooked Foods

To understand the claims and criticisms of raw foodism, it is helpful to compare the nutritional effects of eating food raw versus cooked. The table below highlights some key differences.


Feature	Raw Food	Cooked Food
Nutrient Retention	Higher levels of water-soluble vitamins (B and C), as they are sensitive to heat.	Lower levels of water-soluble vitamins due to degradation during heating.
Antioxidant Levels	Bioavailability of some antioxidants, like lycopene in tomatoes, is lower.	Bioavailability of some antioxidants, like lycopene and beta-carotene, is often increased.
Digestibility	Can be harder to digest due to intact fiber and plant cell walls.	Easier for the body to break down and absorb nutrients due to weakened cell structures.
Anti-nutrients	Contains higher levels of anti-nutrients (e.g., phytic acid in grains), which can hinder mineral absorption.	Cooking can inactivate or reduce anti-nutrients, improving mineral absorption.
Food Safety	Higher risk of foodborne illness from bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella, especially with raw animal products.	Significantly reduced risk of foodborne illness as cooking kills harmful bacteria and parasites.

Potential Benefits and Serious Risks

The decision to pursue a raw food diet requires a thorough understanding of its potential benefits alongside the considerable health risks.

Potential Benefits

Higher Nutrient Intake: With cooking eliminated, water-soluble vitamins and certain phytochemicals remain intact. Many followers report increased energy and clearer skin.
Emphasis on Whole Foods: The diet naturally excludes highly processed, high-sugar, and high-sodium foods, which is beneficial for overall health and weight management.
Weight Loss: Raw foods are typically lower in calories and higher in fiber, promoting a feeling of fullness and leading to a reduction in overall calorie intake.
Improved Digestion (for some): The high fiber content and focus on natural, whole foods can support a healthy digestive system.

Significant Risks

Foodborne Illness: The most serious risk, especially for diets including raw meat, fish, eggs, and unpasteurized dairy, is contamination with dangerous bacteria and parasites. Vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems should never consume raw animal products.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Long-term adherence can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients like vitamin B12 (found almost exclusively in animal products), calcium, iron, and vitamin D. Careful planning and supplementation are crucial, especially for raw vegan diets.
Insufficient Calories and Protein: Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, making it challenging to consume enough calories and protein to meet the body's needs, potentially leading to unintended weight loss and muscle mass loss.
Dental Erosion: The high intake of acidic fruits and the extensive chewing of hard, fibrous foods can increase the risk of dental erosion.
Limited Food Choices and Social Challenges: The restrictiveness of the diet can make it socially isolating and difficult to maintain long-term, particularly when dining out or eating with others.

Conclusion: Finding a Balanced Approach

While the raw food diet's emphasis on whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables has merit, a strictly raw approach is not scientifically proven to be superior to a balanced diet incorporating both cooked and raw foods. Cooking makes some foods safer to eat by killing harmful pathogens and can increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients, such as lycopene and beta-carotene. The most sustainable and health-conscious strategy for most people is to embrace a balanced diet that includes a mix of both raw and cooked nutritious foods, ensuring a diverse and sufficient intake of all necessary nutrients, while mitigating the serious risks associated with eating raw animal products. This way, you can enjoy the vibrant flavors and nutrients of fresh, raw produce without compromising your health or facing the pitfalls of an overly restrictive diet.

For more information on food safety best practices, consult reliable sources like the FDA or the CDC.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary food safety risk of a raw food diet is foodborne illness, caused by harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, especially when consuming raw animal products like meat, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy.

No, raw food is not always more nutritious. While some nutrients, like water-soluble vitamins B and C, are reduced by cooking, other compounds, such as the antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene, become more bioavailable when cooked.

It can be difficult to get all necessary nutrients on a raw food diet, particularly for long-term followers. Deficiencies in vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and protein are common, especially on raw vegan diets, and often require supplementation.

Yes, there are several types, including raw vegan (plant-based only), raw vegetarian (includes raw eggs and dairy), and raw omnivorous (includes raw meat and fish).

No, a raw food diet is not recommended for everyone. High-risk individuals, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, should avoid raw animal products due to the risk of foodborne illness.

Preparation methods for a raw food diet include blending, juicing, soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and dehydrating foods at low temperatures (typically below 118°F).

While the high fiber content can aid digestion for some, others may experience digestive issues like gas and bloating due to the difficulty of breaking down large amounts of raw, fibrous plant matter.