How to Lose Weight With the Raw Food Diet

Eating only raw food in its whole, natural state immediately eliminates much of the unhealthy fats, sugars and refined carbohydrates in your diet that lead to weight gain. Because weight loss is largely a matter of eating fewer calories than you burn each day, the effectiveness of a raw food diet makes sense. There are some risks of a raw diet, however, including potential nutrient deficiencies. If you decide to try a raw diet, speak to your doctor about how to lose weight safely.

Raw Diet Details

Most adherents to a raw diet are vegans, meaning they eat no animal products, according to U.S. News & World Report. Their diet consists of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds that haven't been microwaved, steamed, sauteed, baked, grilled or cooked or processed in any way. Some followers of the raw food lifestyle do include raw animal products such as raw milk, raw milk cheese, raw fish and even raw meat. But the diet is often devoid of processed foods such as chips, cake, cookies, sugary beverages, processed meats and ice cream.

Losing Weight With Raw Food

Eating a raw food diet will make it harder for you to go over your daily calorie budget, but it's not impossible. Nuts are very calorie-dense, with almonds containing 165 calories per 1-ounce serving, for example. Eating several servings of nuts or nut butters each day can up your calorie intake significantly. Avocados are also high in calories, with one avocado providing 320 calories. It's important to stick to proper portion sizes and balance your intake of high-calorie foods with lower-calorie, nonstarchy fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms.

Sample Menu

Start your day with a simple raw food smoothie packed with fruits and vegetables, as suggested by Laura Wilson, author of The Alkaline 5 Diet: Lose Weight, Heal Your Health Problems and Feel Amazing, on the Marie Claire website. Blend five very ripe bananas with a handful of spinach and about 5 ounces of water. For lunch, try Wilson's creamy avocado, kale and tomato salad, which includes chopped kale, mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes and a dressing made with lime juice, a little agave syrup, paprika and black pepper. Indulge your craving for pizza at dinner with a raw pizza with spinach, pesto and marinated vegetables. The crust for this pizza is made from seeds, walnuts, basil, a few dates, and garlic and onions mixed in the food processor, pressed into rounds and dehydrated.

Potential Drawbacks

In some ways, a raw food diet is easier to prepare than a cooked diet. Salads are a snap to throw together. But when you grow tired of salads day after day and want to make something more exciting, the preparation time and complexity increases. A raw food diet can also be more expensive than a regular reduced-calorie diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds, especially if they're organic, can put a dent in your pocketbook. These factors may make it difficult to stick to your diet and lose weight successfully.

Lastly, a raw vegan diet, if not carefully planned, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B-12 isn't found naturally in any unprocessed vegan foods, so many vegans need to take a B-12 supplement. Iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids can also be harder to get. Plan your diet carefully with your doctor's or a nutritionist's help to be sure you're getting all the nutrients you need.