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From:	C. Dove (64.12.116.9)
Subject:	Re: Detrimental Health Effects - Lower Bone Density
Date:	January 7, 2009 at 1:33 pm PST

In Reply to: Detrimental Health Effects - Lower Bone Density posted by Heidi on December 9, 2008 at 6:43 am:

Raw Food Vegetarians Have Strong Bones and Better Heath

Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegetarian diet by Luigi Fontana in the March 28, 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine found, “A raw food vegetarian diet is associated with low bone mass at clinically important skeletal regions but is without evidence of increased bone turnover or impaired vitamin D status.” They studied 18 vegetarians, average age of 54 years, 7 women and 11 men, who restricted their diet to raw foods. The vegetarians were found to be much trimmer than a control group of non-vegetarians. The bone mineral density (BMD) was lower, but there was no indication of poor bone health with no evidence of bone loss based on biochemical markers. The vegetarians also had lower levels of Vitamin D, C-reactive protein (meaning less risk of heart disease), and lower IGF-1 levels (indicating less risk of future cancer).

These people’s diets focused on raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, cereals and olive oil. Their diet was 9.1% protein, 43.2% fat and 47.7% carbohydrate.

COMMENT:

Raw food vegetarians eat only plant-derived foods that have not been cooked and are largely unprocessed. Their lower BMD was because they were trimmer (not overweight). Heavier people make more estrogen in their body and must carry around more weight – both conditions make the bones look thicker (greater BMD). This study reiterates the message that BMD is not necessarily a valid sign for strong, fracture-resistant bones, and that a diet that avoids animal products, and instead focuses on plant foods, results in robust health.

The reason I recommend a starch-based diet of mostly cooked foods rather than a raw food diet is because the main ingredients of a raw food diet (as this example illustrates) are fat (nuts, seeds, and olive oil) and sugar (fruits and juices). Here, the diet was reported to be almost half fat. Don’t misunderstand me; a raw food diet is much preferable to the usual American diet.

I believe most people accustomed to the American diet would find the transition to a starch-based diet easier because the dishes are so familiar (oatmeal, pancakes, soups, spaghetti, burritos, mu shu vegetables, etc.). A cooked food diet is tastier (subjective opinion), less expensive, more varied, and more easily digested. Most importantly, a diet based on familiar starches (potatoes, rice, corn, beans, whole wheat flour) will be much lower in fats and simple sugars, and ultimately will be more likely to allow people to regain lost health and appearance. I believe it is easy to maintain this way of eating for a lifetime; and much easier than maintaining a raw foods diet.

I do encourage people to add plenty of uncooked fruits, and green and yellow vegetables, to their diet, and I often take advantage of the fact that raw vegetables encourage greater weight loss, and lower insulin and blood sugar levels than can be achieved with cooked foods.

Fontana L, Shew JL, Holloszy JO, Villareal DT. Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegetarian diet. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Mar 28;165(6):684-9.

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