The thought of raw food probably won't make your mouth water, but there are a surprising amount of people who swear by eating raw food as part of a healthy diet.

Raw foodism (or rawism as it's known) is one of the lifestyles people lead that promotes eating uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods as a major portion of their diets.  In a nutshell, raw foods are exactly what you'd think: uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains – virtually everything edible that grows from the earth that has not been cooked.

So why would eating more raw food be beneficial for someone? When we are born, we are given a limited reserve of enzymes that are necessary to keep our body's systems in working order throughout the duration of our life. The only additional source of enzymes we can get comes from the food that we eat. Raw-foodists believe that many of the best enzymes and bacteria that aid in the proper digestion of food are destroyed by the process of cooking foods above 44˚C (or 111 degrees Fahrenheit). These bacteria affect the immune system and digestion by populating the digestive tract with beneficial gut flora which in turn are the bare necessities for our tummies and digestive tracts.

Along with the enzymes and bacteria being destroyed, many raw-foodists are big believers in the hygiene hypothesis, a concept which focuses on the health benefits of exposure to harmful bacteria which is believed to build up a natural resistance to diseases and prevent allergic diseases or lessen their effect if you're a long-time sufferer.

So the benefits are obvious, but what kind of foods can you eat in your day-to-day life that will build up your enzymes, without having to overhaul your diet completely?

• More raw fruits such as oranges, apples, bananas which are good sources of vitamins A and C and are high in Potassium. Whole and sliced fruits have more fiber than juice and are better choices.
• More vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumber, which are also good sources of Vitamins A and C, folate, iron, and magnesium. They're also high in fiber and low in saturated and trans fats.
• Various nuts such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, which are good sources of vitamins E and B2 (riboflavin, an antioxidant), and are rich in protein, folate, fiber, and minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
• Non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products such as raw milk, raw milk cheese, and raw milk yoghurt.

There are lots of people following a Raw food diet on EthicalCommunity.com, so to meet like minded people and trade hints and tips head over to the forums.