Why eat raw?

Eating raw foods does more than keep you fresh: it is also an effective method of strengthening your abs! A recent study from Harvard University reveals that cooking food can increase the number of calories your body absorbs.

Why eat raw?

1) You will chew more

All crunchy foods give your jaw the opportunity to exercise, which is an advantage when looking to shed pounds. In a 2011 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, men who chewed each bite 40 times consumed 12% fewer calories than when they chewed it only 15 times. It turns out that longer chewing releases more of a satiety hormone called “cholecystokinin”; it also lowers the level of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates the appetite. In addition, chewing more makes you eat more slowly, which a New Zealand study has linked to weight loss.

Your tactics:

Start your meals with some raw fruit or a salad garnished with crunchy vegetables. In a study by the University of Pennsylvania, people who ate a 100 kcal salad 20 minutes before a pasta cut reduced their calorie consumption by 11%. The same laboratory found that eating a raw apple 15 minutes before a meal helped diners cut their total calorie consumption by 15%. (Cooked applesauce has less effect). To make raw vegetables more appetizing and stimulate masticatory function without having the impression of being put on the Bugs Bunny diet, equip yourself with a kitchen mandolin (you will find many models on amazon.fr), a multi slicer -use which can transform into crunchy vegetables like julienne beets, carrots, and celery root.

2) You will be full by eating less

In winter, the tasteless imported red fruits, the floury apples stored in the cold and the chalky root vegetables do not make a big impression on your palate. Come summer, and the intense taste of seasonal local fruits and vegetables can help you feel full by eating less. For maximum effect, stick to the raw versions of these fruits and vegetables, since cooking them softens their spicy flavor.

Your tactics

Introduce flavorful fruits and vegetables into your meals. The more often you eat them raw, the more their biting character will become bearable to your palate. Place on your burgers peppercorn or watercress leaves instead of the usual lettuce leaf, stir in sour cherries in your plain yogurt, add raw radishes to your sandwiches, mix the minced red onion with green bean salads and mix kale in your smoothies. Don’t forget to include ripe and juicy summer fruits in your meals. Even if they are not spicy, their intense aroma will give you satisfaction. And to get the most flavorful products, go to your local farmers market. (You will see below the clever tricks to find them).

3) You will absorb more water

We all know that we need to stay hydrated in the summer. But fruits and vegetables rich in water do not just compensate for sweating: they also help to fill you up without accumulating too many calories. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, obese people who increased their consumption of water-rich fruits and vegetables while removing some of their dietary fat lost about 8 kg per year and were less hungry than those who only reduced their fat intake. The early vegetables contain more water (and have more volume) when they are not cooked, you thus maximize these benefits: 125g of raw spinach, for example, has only 7 kcal, against 41 kcal for 125 cooked spinach. According to a German study, more water can even help you stimulate fat loss, because of the energy needed to raise the water temperature to that of the body. Research also shows that staying well hydrated can speed up metabolism.

Your tactics

Fill your meals and snacks with juicy vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, watermelons, and berries. For an appetite suppressant and hydrating snack, concoct smoothies with water-soaked fruits (melons, peaches or apricots, for example) or mix cold soups based on raw vegetables, such as a cucumber and yogurt soup or gazpacho. You can also use the ingredients of classic gazpacho to make a salad.

4) You can decrease carbohydrates

Tipping the balance of your plate in favor of vegetables and at the expense of refined sugars can help you keep your insulin levels at a satisfactory and stable level. Thus, you will be able to keep a weight compatible with good health. And you don’t have to listen to the rumblings from your stomach to make this change. A study from the University of Pennsylvania has shown that substituting a low-calorie vegetable for a little cereal and meat on your plate can help decrease your calorie intake while leaving you full. According to the researchers, as long as you eat the same amount of food, you can feel just as full, despite the decrease in calories. With raw vegetables, you are even more likely to lower your carbohydrate intake. Since vegetables have a firmer and more substantial consistency when raw, you can even use them to replace bread, pasta, and tortillas. Just be patient: try several times to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Your tactics

Replace the tortillas with large lettuce leaves in the tacos, and serve the frying in lettuce cups rather than on rice. Alternate layers of branched kale or chard leave with hummus and turkey for a healthier sandwich or mix grated raw zucchini with garlic pasta sauce and a handful of Parmesan cheese for a quick “pasta” dinner.

5) You will increase your fiber consumption

Filling your plate with raw fruits and vegetables is a quick way to absorb more fiber, an essential nutrient for weight loss. ”  Fiber slows digestion and minimizes fluctuations in blood sugar levels, so you feel full longer, “ says Brian Zehetner, a senior member of the board of directors of Anytime Fitness. In fact, a study from Brigham Young University has shown that each gram of fiber you add to 1000 kcal of food can help you lose about 225g of body weight over a period of twenty less. Therefore, use raw vegetables to increase your fiber intake 10g per day (which most people should do anyway) can help you lose about 2.3kg over the same period.

Your tactics

Aim for a total of 38g of fiber per day, the amount recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. To achieve this goal, enrich your meals with vegetables and fruits containing the most fiber – ripe raspberries, corn, green beans, and dark green leafy vegetables. If you’re a fan of pancakes for breakfast, mix some red fruit with the dough. You can also add raw mashed corn (yes, you can eat it raw) to pasta, Mexican dishes like tacos and to your sauces, soups or scrambled eggs. You can make pesto with high-fiber kale instead of basil and spread it on your sandwiches. ”  Increase the amount of fiber in your frozen pizzas or breakfasts by adding broccoli or raw red bell peppers” suggests Brian Zehetner.