If you despise cooking, the raw foods diet may be a good option for you. The diet encourages eating only raw foods and avoiding foods that have been cooked, preserved, microwaved, or genetically engineered. Individuals on the raw foods diet primarily consume organic fruits, vegetables, and nuts in either natural or smoothie form. Because meat and dairy products must be cooked or pasteurized before safe for human consumption, these foods are typically not eaten by individuals on the raw foods diet.

While individuals on the raw foods diet tend to lose weight quickly, not all outcomes of this diet are desirable. Keep the following facts in mind when considering whether or not the diet is right for you:

Raw Food Is Not Necessarily Better for Digestion

One of the biggest tenants of the raw foods diet is that cooking food destroys its nutrients, and it also destroys the natural enzymes found in food that promote proper digestion. However, cooking actually makes some foods more digestible. Additionally, cooking food can make food safer for consumption because it kills the bacteria that causes food poisoning.

The Raw Foods Diet Could Cause Malnutrition

While eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, the raw foods diet tends to lack in important nutrients like protein, iron, and calcium. Lack of protein can cause fatigue, depression, and muscle loss; lack of iron can cause anemia; and lack of calcium can cause osteoporosis. All of these can result in serious long term damage to your health, so it’s important to speak with a doctor before starting a raw foods diet for tips on how to get all of the nutrients you need.

The Raw Foods Diet Is Difficult to Maintain

If you’re moving from eating large amounts of meat, sugar, and fast food to eating a diet composed solely of raw foods, you will almost certainly lose weight. However, eating only raw and unprocessed foods is a huge commitment in the long term because it will be very difficult—if not impossible—to enjoy things like having dinner with friends or participating in a cookout or potluck. The diet is really only practical if you’re preparing all of your food for yourself at home. Because of this, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to stay on the diet long-term, and moving from the diet back to a normal eating style may result in quickly regaining the weight you lost.

Rapid Weight Loss Can Cause Stretch Marks

If you’re hoping to lose weight in order to improve your appearance, you’ll want to keep in mind that losing weight rapidly can cause stretch marks. In order to avoid getting stretch marks while on the raw foods diet, you’ll want to apply a stretch mark prevention lotion over your skin each day. Check out of catalog of the best stretch mark prevention products to find one that’s right for you.