Niki Bezzant: They are vegans, hear them raw

Sweet treats are appealing to new raw foodists, but raw veges are healthier. Pictured is the banoffee cake at Raw Kitchen in Auckland. Photo / Getty Images

Search #rawfood on Instagram and you'll find almost three million posts. They're gorgeous: green smoothies, acai bowls, cacao mousses, decadent slices and bliss balls. It's a huge trend I'm keen on myself. In my recipe writing I know there's a certain popular appeal when you add the word "raw" to the name of a dish.

You'll notice I don't mention savoury dishes. There are, in fact, tons of savoury raw food recipes, but they are not the ones that usually get the attention. What we're drawn to are the sweets; the raw cheesecakes heavy on the coconut and dates.

These are delicious of course. They're what raw foodie Megan May calls the "gateway drugs" to a more balanced, fully raw diet, which she promotes.

The success of Megan's raw food business, and others like it, points to the interest Kiwis have in the idea of raw food.

What are the pros and cons of going raw?

With its healthy and glowing image, it would be easy to assume a raw diet is nothing but health-promoting. And it certainly can be. Eating everything raw, by necessity, will likely mean a true plant-based diet, heavy on vegetables, fruit and nuts.

All very good, and for most of us who are not eating enough plants, this would be a great step in a healthy direction.

But also by necessity, you're likely to eliminate other plants that can't be eaten raw. These include healthy grains and legumes - although some can be eaten sprouted - and potatoes, inedible raw. Fruit like rhubarb and quince would be off the menu, too.

Some raw-foodists also eliminate milk, which is briefly heated during pasteurisation.
That means cheese, yoghurt and other dairy foods are out, too. And animal protein, some of which can be eaten raw (think sushi or tartare) can be on or off the list.

If you're eliminating all animal products, as in a raw vegan diet, it's likely to be tricky to get all the nutrition you need without supplementation. Getting enough protein might be a problem without lots of nuts and seeds. Iron could also run low and as with all vegans, raw vegans need to take vitamin B12 supplements.

What about those of us who might dabble in raw food, rather than going full-on raw vegan?

A visit to a raw food cafe can be a healthy choice. But don't just eat the bliss balls and cakes. You're kidding yourself if you think choosing a raw cheesecake is somehow better than a regular cheesecake. The ingredients are different, but the calories are likely to be similar. Choosing just the sweet stuff from a raw menu isn't likely to make you healthier.

Adding a big raw salad to your day, though, probably will. Loading up on fresh vegetables adds vitamins and fibre, will keep you feeling satisfied and will most likely displace other less healthy foods. Stick to the raw veges rather than the sweets and go for gold.

Niki Bezzant is editor-at-large for Healthy Food Guide www.healthyfood.co.nz