When you hear the term 'raw food' what do you think of? Fresh fruit and vegies, or the trendy raw desserts? There is no legal binding definition of 'raw', so it can actually be interpreted differently.
Raw desserts such raw cacao balls and raw cheesecakes may sound healthy because the name implies it has been made from minimally processed ingredients. While it contains dried fruit and nuts, these desserts also contain large amounts of coconut oil and sugar in the form of rice malt syrup. A slice of raw chocolate raspberry cheesecake has a whopping 2770kJ, an energy content greater than a typical dinner of steak, potatoes and salad! Not exactly healthy is it?! You're probably better off eating a regular chocolate raspberry cheesecake which is 1430kJ in comparison, and arguably tastes much better.
The bottom line? Raw foods are not always as healthy as promoted to be as they are often loaded with saturated fat and sugar. Stick with what you already know when it comes to healthy eating, don't be swayed by the hype of food trends.
