The Raw Food diet

The diet:

Raw Food

The low-down:

The idea behind this back-to-nature diet is to eat as much food raw and uncooked as possible. As it's hard to totally achieve this it's recommended that 75% of food you eat shouldn't be heated over 116 degrees F. It is at this point that nutritional value and enzymes, which help digestion, are destroyed.

The how-to:

- It's pretty self explanatory really; you have to eat as much as your food raw as possible. Most followers of the raw food diet are vegetarian or vegan, but some eat raw fish and meat.
- For a little variety raw foodists prepare food by chopping, blending, juicing, soaking or sprouting.

The good:

Weight loss is highly likely on this diet - mainly because of the limited intake of food because of the obvious restrictions. As you'd eat plenty of fruit and veg - rich in antioxidants - the diet will protect against certain diseases and cancers. Dieters have also reported having more energy, healthier skin and better digestion.

The bad:

- In the early days you could experience nausea, dizziness, or cravings.
- Due to the limited food groups being consumed you may also develop some nutritional deficiencies including calcium, protein and iron, which can be dangerous.

The followers:

Actresses Demi Moore and Alicia Silverstone allegedly follow the diet religiously.