raw vs cooked for weight loss

[Bean]

Over the last few days, it has been very hot where I live, so I haven't used the stove or the oven to cook anything because I don't want to heat the place up any more than it is. One day, I bbq'd a chicken breast, but that was the only cooked food that I had in five days. I lost a lot of weight!

Is it possible that eating raw food encourages more weight loss that eating cooked food? Does anybody know about this? I know there is a raw food diet, but I think that's more of a lifestyle than an actual weight loss diet.

If anyone knows this, I'd really appreciate them sharing

[TracyK]

I don't really know for certain, Bean, but I would guess that the reason you lost so much weight is likely not just because you ate a lot of raw veggies but that you probably consumed less than you normally would because you were so hot. I find that when the weather is really hot - especially humid - I'm no where near as hungry as I am when it's cool out (or I'm cool for that matter). Plus, if you are eating things raw, unless you're using salad dressings or using dips, you're not adding any additional ingredients to your food as you likely would when you cook it. Again, that's just my guess. I can't back up any of that with fact, just from my own experience.

[TaraNorth]

Good question, Bean! I've noticed the same thing! I've also been eating a lot of raw stuff cause it's been crazy hot where I live for the past two weeks. I've also heard that there is such a thing as a raw food diet and I'm wondering if maybe that would be worth looking into.

[brightstar]

I think if you eat raw then you're just more likely to eat a lot of things like veggies and salads. Even if you're still eating cooked meat and fish, etc, the focus isn't on that anymore. It's a side and the veggies are the star. That's a fast path to weight loss in my opinion.

[KittyKatt]

I wonder if your body has to work harder to digest raw food so it burns more calories that way. I dunno, just a guess.

[Charlotte]

Hmmm, It didn't even occur to me that eating raw veggies could possibly result in more weight loss. I'm gonna start trying this. It's so much easier to make a meal out of raw veggies than having to cook them. And I love when things are easy lol.

[Tony1968]

Hmmm, I'm no expert, but I'd say that there likely isn't that much of a difference between eating raw or cooked food. I think it's a matter of what you eat with it and how you prepare meals. For instance, you can have an uncooked veggie salad but if you add cheese and bacon and other meats or drown it in high fat dressing, raw veggies aren't going to do much for you. Likewise, I've also heard that cooking some veggies is more beneficial to your health, because some of them like carrots, I believe, are more nutritious when cooked compared to eating them raw. That said...who knows. Maybe raw is better for weight loss.

[MeSarah]

I guess it could be possible to lose more weight eating raw veggies, but honestly, that would so not work for me. I hate to say it, but the idea of sitting down everyday and eating a plate of raw veggies as a meal is depressing. That and it really wouldn't fill me up. I always find that after I eat raw veggies or fruit, within the next hour or two, I'm starving! Knowing my lucky, eating raw veggies would make me gain more weight simply because I'd feel hungry all the time :P