Keir Bristol

Are you sick of eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Tired of feeling tired, cranky and bloated? Doesn’t this sound like a weight loss commercial?

Well, we here at Today’s Teen Online are not here to sell you any gimmicks.

For all of those girls out there who are looking for a healthier, delicious way to eat, there are plenty of options out there. This generation is becoming more conscious of what they are putting into their bodies, and are making smarter decisions about their health, despite reports on the rise in obesity in the United States.

Some people don’t eat any red meat; they get their protein from chicken, fish, and leafy greens. Some people don’t eat meat at all. People who still eat fish are called pescatarians. If they don’t eat fish, they are called vegetarians. There are vegans, who don’t eat any animal based products at all. And there is another diet that is gaining popularity, the raw food diet.

Like vegetarianism and veganism, many people have questions about the raw food diet. Where do you get your protein? Are you always hungry? Do you get enough nutrients? Is it a temporary diet plan or a full out lifestyle?

Well, contrary to popular belief, a raw food diet, although very specific, is a very healthy way to get nutrients into your body without a lot of additional processed ingredients. In fact, a raw food diet would actually supply you with more nutrients, because a lot of nutrients are cooked out of foods that are boiled, broiled, grilled or baked (and definitely fried.)

Most people also believe that diets like the raw food diet don’t provide us without enough protein. What most people do not know is that we actually need a very limited amount of protein- only three to four ounces a day. You can get plenty of protein from leafy green vegetables, flaxseed, and nuts. Same goes for healthy fats, which can be found in coconut butter, avocado, nuts and seeds. Carbohydrates, which typically get a bad rep for turning into sugar immediately if not burned, come from fruits, starchy vegetables, and grains. Carbs are necessary to everyone’s diet.

Many people who eat meat tease vegetarians, vegans and raw food eaters, saying that they “eat like rabbits.” Well, they may eat more fruits and vegetables, but that doesn’t mean that they are always hungry. The fruits and vegetables that they eat often contain high amounts of fiber, which fills you up faster while you’re eating less. This is also why people on such diets tend to lose weight more easily.

For those who are considering a raw food diet but want some more information on how to adapt their lifestyle, there are plenty of websites that outline the basics of raw food dieting. Try www.thebestofrawfoods.com or www.rawguru.com.