The raw food diet favored by Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore may do more harm than good

The vegetarian diet has become popular in recent years, but taken to an extreme it can be harmful, Dr Laura Brown, lecturer in dietetics at Teesside University, explains to DailyMail.

Nutritionists worry that ingredients may lose important nutrients and enzymes during the cooking process, and eating raw plant foods will boost energy levels, prevent disease and improve overall health.

Expert Laura Brown has warned that the raw food diet favored by Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore could do more harm than good in the long run. While the vegetarian or vegan diet has become popular in recent years, some people take it to the extreme and only eat raw plant foods that can be eaten without cooking.

Some vegetables provide more nutrients when cooked.

She said on The Conversation website that some vegetables actually provide higher nutritional content when cooked because the process helps break down cell walls and allows the nutrients to be released.

For example, cooking spinach makes it easier for the body to absorb the calcium contained in the plant. She wrote that asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are also more nutritious when cooked.

Dr Brown said people on a raw food diet also lacked important vitamins and minerals that came from animals. They play an important role in the structure, development and production of brain and nerve cells and support a healthy immune system.

A previous study found that 38% of people following a strict raw food diet were deficient in vitamin B12.

There is also scientific evidence that ingredients can lose some important nutrients and enzymes during the cooking process, although in general, eating raw plant foods increases energy levels, prevents disease, and improves overall health.

The diet can also lead to unintentional weight loss and even cause early menopause in some women, according to the study.

Dr Brown said: “While following a plant-based diet can provide many health benefits, a raw food diet can go too far and pose even greater risks if not followed carefully. If you are planning on following a raw vegan diet, it is important to plan your diet carefully to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need for optimal health. I would also not recommend these diets for a long period of time due to the many risks they may have."

Her warning is complemented by genetics expert Professor Steve Jones, who has argued that long-term raw food diets can have deadly consequences.

“We are the only animal that ever lived that would starve to death if we ate only raw food. We have lost the enzymes and absorption mechanism to digest raw food,” said genetics expert Professor Steve Jones.

Dietitian Claire Thornton-Wood, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, also said: “I would not recommend a raw food diet as it can lead to nutrient deficiencies including protein, calcium, iron and B12. While eating raw foods provides nutrients like vitamin C, cooking makes it easier to absorb nutrients like beta-carotene and breaks down toxins like leptin that are present in legumes."

Paltrow, Moore and other stars such as Megan Fox and Sting followed a raw vegan diet.