Diet Byte: The Raw-Vegan Diet and The Calorie Restriction (CR) Diet Compared

The Raw-Vegan Diet has become a popular trend adopted by such celebrities as Sting, Demi Moore, Alicia Silverstone, Carol Alt, Angela Bassett, Donna Karan, Anthony Kiedis, Woody Harrelson, famous chef Charlie Trotter and others. The diet is based on the principle that heating foods changes its molecular structure to a form that is less vital than in its natural state.

The CR Diet or Calorie Restriction Diet is also becoming more widely practiced. The CR Diet is based on scientific studies on various animals which showed that test groups who were fed a restricted calorie diet lived much longer. Those practicing CR seek to eat food that packs the highest nutritional content. The CR Diet consists of consuming about 1200 calories per day. (Federal guidelines recommend a range of 1600 calories per day for inactive women to 2800 for active men).

The two diets are very similar. The Raw-Vegan Diet is often low-calorie because it eliminates dairy and meat completely. It is also nutrient-dense as it consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their unheated state, eliminating the vitamin and nutrient loss and damage associated with cooking. Many people on the CR diet eat a large amount of raw food because of its low-calorie nutritional punch. CR practitioners are not restricted from eating any kind of food whereas Raw-Vegans can eat as much as they want from their outlined food groups. Perhaps ideally a "Raw-Vegan CR Diet" would provide the best of both nutrition and living light!

A Report from The Ekaya Institute of Living Food Education (E.I.L.F.E)