Are You Getting Enough Fat, Salt, and Sugar On Your Raw Food Diet?
By Nathalie Lussier
It’s a question you might have heard from suspicious strangers when you explain that you started to eat a raw food diet. But it’s a question that you may not have asked yourself quite this way: are you getting enough fat, salt, and sugar in your daily diet? This article will go through each one in detail and provide tips and suggestions for you to review your food and find out what you may be missing!
Your Cravings For Fat, Salt, and Sugar
Why this question is important comes down to one thing: cravings!
Research has shown that the reason we are so obese as a nation is because we crave fat, salt, and sugar biologically. Out in the wild there isn’t an overabundance of these substances. You might need to search long and hard to find sugar in the wild, or to or compete with other animals to get your fair share of berries.
Similarly, there aren’t a ton of sources of fat, or salt. Yet, we do need all three to survive, otherwise we wouldn’t have been wired to want them so badly.
One of the things that I hear the most from aspiring raw foodies is the fear of feeling restricted on a raw food diet.
That’s why we all have such a severe cravings when we change our diet, and start eliminating certain foods to lean more towards a raw food diet.
Suddenly, our body isn’t getting the amounts of fat, salt, and sugar that it is used to. This leads to more temptation, and maybe even an obsession with food.
I think it’s really important to understand where these cravings are coming from. That sudden need to have a slice of bacon when you get a whiff from your neighbor’s window. Or the urge to scarf down an entire pie when you smell it at the bakery down the road.
It’s not that you’re a bad person if you’re having a lot of cravings when you first go raw. And it’s not that these foods are necessarily good for you, it might just be that you need a little more fat, salt, and sugar… or you’re still in the adjustment period.
Now I’m not giving you free reign to run to the store and add a ton of fat, salt, and sugar to everything you’re eating. The fact is, you just need to understand this chemistry as you begin to dive deeper into the world of raw food.
Understanding Your Cravings
Once you understand what your body is craving, you can tame it without going overboard and indulging in too many unhealthy foods.
Take for example a craving for fat. You could do give yourself a nice piece of durian fruit, or some avocado on your next salad. There are other sources of healthy fat, too. The idea here is to educate yourself on what your body is telling you it needs, as you field cravings.
Similarly if you have a sweet tooth like I do, you might make a batch of raw brownies, or some raw banana ice cream. All of these little indulgences send a signal to your body that you are taking care of yourself, and that you’re getting enough fat, salt, or sugar.
If you’re craving salt, try sprinkling some sea salt on a cucumber or making some salty kale chips. You want to replace unhealthy sources with healthy ones that will nourish your a body.
So the next time that you’re wondering how to stop yourself from over indulging in not so healthy foods, look at whether you’re satisfying your needs for fat, salt, and sugar before you look any further, or berate yourself.
If you enjoyed this article, you might like to take a look at my program called cure cravings forever, it’s all about the physiology behind cravings, as well as the emotional components that we sometimes overlook, too.
About Nathalie Lussier
Nathalie Lussier is the creator of Raw Foods Witch, a resource for aspiring raw foodies, and the author of a healthy desserts book called “30 Healthy Desserts You Can Eat Every Day”. She’s also a digital strategist at Nathalie Lussier Media.