

This is particularly concerning for young women. May lead to loss of periods If not planned correctly, the raw vegan diet may lead to unintentional weight loss if you aren’t consuming the number of calories your body needs to function. This is a concern as increased homocysteine levels can potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The same study also found that a strict, raw vegan diet increased levels of homocysteine (an amino acid broken down by vitamin B12) because of B12 deficiency. This is concerning, especially given vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with a range of problems, including jaundice, mouth ulcers, vision problems, depression and other mood changes. A study on people who followed strict raw food diets found that 38% of participants were deficient in vitamin B12. Of particular concern are vitamin B12 levels. These vitamins all play a key role in the structure, development and production of brain and nerve cells, alongside supporting a healthy immune system. This is because many of the foods that contain high levels of these vitamins and minerals come from animals – such as meat and eggs. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are likely Raw vegan diets are likely to lack many important vitamins and minerals – namely vitamins B12 and D, selenium, zinc, iron and two types of omega-3 fatty acids.

Some vegetables (including asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and broccoli) contain higher levels of the antioxidants beta-carotene (which the body turns into vitamin A), lutein and lycopene when cooked than they do when raw.
