A friend, who is a “raw foodie,” is encouraging me to join the trend. Is it safe?
The short answer: It depends.
The explanation: Although “raw foodism” has become a trend often advocated on TikTok and other social media sites, care must be taken if embarking on such a diet because many raw foods pose high risk and the lack of balance in the diet can be unhealthy.
A completely dedicated raw foodie eats only food that has had no processing, including any heating above about 118°F. If you are following a purely raw vegan diet, eating only plant-based foods, the diet is likely to be relatively safe, though not necessarily healthy. Raw vegetarian and omnivorous diets will pose more risk, as they can include raw eggs and dairy products (vegetarian) and raw animal products and meats (omnivore).
Raw eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella during the laying process or from bird droppings or the bird itself, and consuming raw/unpasteurized milk and milk products can expose consumers to bacteria such as Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella, and Salmonella. Thus, consuming these foods can pose serious health risks. Raw meat poses a hazard because bacteria, such as E. coli from the intestines of cattle, can survive for months, posing a significant risk when transmitted to humans through uncooked or undercooked meat.
Although food processing often gets a bad rep, methods such as pasteurization, cooking to temperatures of 145-165°F (depending on the food), dehydration, fermentation, and even the addition of certain preservatives not only help mitigate bacterial contamination but can extend the shelf life of a food.
So, while a raw food diet is viable, integrating some processing or processed foods into the diet is generally a healthier, safer option.
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