We’re big fans of a raw foods diet.  Our daily goal is to keep 75-80% of our diet raw.  Why?  Raw foods offer unparalleled nutrition and extraordinary health benefits.

That’s why it saddens us when some people argue for steering clear of a raw diet because they think it doesn’t provide enough of the key nutrients a body needs.  Some fear a raw diet will come up short in calcium, iron or B12.

This simply isn’t true.  Let’s take a closer look:

Calcium

Calcium is an important mineral involved in building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. For optimal absorption, consume adequate amounts of vitamin D and magnesium. Many wonderful raw food sources provide calcium.

Good plant sources of calcium, which is absorb-able by the body, are the following:

• Vegetables such as kale, dandelion greens, garlic, arugula, collard greens, parsley, and watercress
• Nuts and seeds such as flax seeds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and pumpkin seeds
• Fruits such as oranges, dates, limes, figs, and persimmons, and berries (including raspberries)
• Dried/dehydrated fruits such as figs, apricots, prunes, and dates
• Sprouted grains such as quinoa and wheat berries
• Sea vegetables such as kelp, kombu, and wakame

Many vegetables contain calcium in high quantities, but the levels of oxalate and phytates present in some vegetables (spinach, beet greens, and Swiss chard, for example) prevent the body from absorbing much of the calcium present.

NOTE: People prone to kidney stones or gallstones should be mindful of their oxalate intake from fresh foods.

Iron

Now to address the myth that people on a raw food diet cannot get enough iron. Iron is an important mineral in the blood that is incorporated in hemoglobin – the protein responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is essential in the structural binding site for oxygen. If blood iron levels are low, fatigue normally results due to lowered oxygen transport.

Plant-based foods contain a form of iron (a.k.a. nonheme). The body is less able to absorb when compared to heme iron found in animal proteins, the incidence of iron deficiency in vegetarians is the same as nonvegetarians.

A wide range of raw foods contain iron. Check out these iron-rich raw foods:

• Dried fruits – apricots, raisins, dates, prunes, peaches, and more
• Vegetables – spinach, broccoli, lettuce, Jerusalem artichokes, Swiss chard, asparagus, and green bell peppers
• Nuts – peanuts, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios
• Fruits – lemons, limes, and persimmons
• Seeds – sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin

While the iron from plant sources is harder to absorb because of the presence of phytates in the food, iron absorption is enhanced by consuming foods/drinks high in vitamin C (i.e., fruit juices, citrus fruits) at the same meal. This bodes well for those eating raw because fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin C.

Vitamin B₁₂

Vitamin B₁₂ is necessary for the formation of red blood cells and the health of the nervous system. It’s found in bacteria and other microorganisms in the soil, but mostly in animal products. It’s also stored in the body. The amount of B₁₂ you need is very small, and the body can store it for years.

Because vitamin B₁₂ can be present in bacteria in the soil, some recommend eating vegetables from an organic garden with fertile, nutrient-rich soil. This may not be reliable as a sole source of B₁₂, so supplementation is often recommended.

There is great debate on how best to meet your vitamin B₁₂ needs on a raw diet, because the vitamin is limited in plant foods. Trace amounts of B₁₂ are present in foods such as sea vegetables, blue-green algae and in other fermented products, but further study is needed to determine whether this is in a form the body can use.

One of our favorite ways to increase your B12 levels is nutritional yeast, which is rich in amino acids and vitamin B₁₂. When transitioning to a raw food diet, you might want to consult with a nutritionist who can evaluate your diet and make a recommendation for a natural supplement if necessary.

This blog post was derived from a chapter of our forthcoming book, The Raw Lifestyle Guide.

Got any good raw recipes incorporating any of these nutrient-rich options?  Please share with us on Facebook!