Nutrition & Tradeshows: Raw Food Vegans are Thin but Healthy

Raw food vegans may be thin but they have surprisingly strong bones, new research has revealed. Scientists at Washington University found that the bones of people who only eat uncooked, plant-derived foods are lighter than normal but appear just as healthy. Raw food vegetarians tend to have a low body mass index and low body fat content—two factors commonly associated with an increased bone-fracture risk and osteoporosis. But Dr Luigi Fontana, who led the study, said: "We think it's possible these people don't have increased risk of fracture but that their low bone mass is related to the fact that they are lighter because they take in fewer calories." Dr Fontana's team ran tests on the bones of 18 strict raw food vegetarians aged between 33 and 85 with an equal number of more average Americans. Nutritionists had previously warned that diets without dairy foods might lead to unhealthy bones and the onset of osteoporosis. Source: http://www.fdin.co.uk