Raw food. Just the thought conjures savage cavemen ripping up the bloody flesh of a wild pig they've just captured. For majority of the population who are used to cooked meals, consuming raw food is unthinkable.

What exactly is a raw food diet? What does it do to the body?

A raw food diet, as its name suggests, is one where the fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and even some meat sources are consumed in its most natural state. What falls under the definition of "raw food" are uncooked foods and those that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Those who follow the raw food diet believe that cooking food destroys its nutritional value. Heating food above the said temperature is also believed to be harmful for the body.

Aside from this, proponents also believe that ingestion of food closest to its natural or "unfired state" is better for the body. Not only are the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other enzymes kept intact, the "life force" in these unaltered foods is capable of cleansing our systems of toxins and giving renewed vigor and vitality to our cells and tissues.

Practitioners of the raw food diet report feelings of increased energy, weight loss and improved digestion. Because it's low in trans fatty acids and saturated fats, a raw food diet decreases the risk of heart disease compared to a traditional Western diet that features a great deal of frying. Moreover, its high-fiber, low-sodium, high-phytochemical content has also been known to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer.

Switching to a raw food diet, however, is not for the faint-of-heart. For the first few days to a couple of weeks while on the raw food diet, a person may experience, lethargy, nausea and cravings. Some even report skin breakouts and headaches so severe that it causes them to abandon the diet and switch back to cooked foods. According to raw food diet advocates, these are merely detoxification reactions. It's the body's way of eliminating all the waste and garbage that have been deposited in all its cells, tissues and organs. Fat deposits, food preservatives and all sorts of harmful substances that are the result of being on processed foods for long are weeded out and cleaned. Because of the process of elimination, weight loss is the tangible result. If you can get through this very trying process, then a stable, healthier system results. This is one in which less food is needed to sustain life but, ironically, the small amount consumed is able to give more energy than what was once thought possible. This is because raw food is said to be higher in quality compared to cooked food because it remains in its most natural form.

The raw food diet is not without its share of critics, however. Those against it cite the nutritional deficiencies that subsisting on nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and seaweed can bring. A raw food diet can be inadequate when it comes to meeting the body's demands of calcium, protein, iron and some vitamins like vitamin B12. Besides, it is also not suitable for children, pregnant and nursing women or those with certain diseases like anemia and osteoporosis because of its low iron and calcium content.