The effects of a raw vegetarian diet from a clinical perspective; review of the available evidence

Summary: Vegetarianism is defined as a dietary pattern that is based on abstaining from the consumption of animal products. According to this dietary pattern processed foods have been considered unhealthy, and the consumption of raw plant-based diets and un-processed foods has been encouraged, however, these effects have not been fully proven and there are contradictions. The aim of the current study was to conduct a systematic literature review of the available evidence to assess and investigate the effects of a raw vegetarian diet with a review of clinical trial studies. The literature search to find related studies were performed through three scientific databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar with related keywords. Based on our findings from the literature, a raw vegan diet with more than 90% raw food cannot be recommended for a long time due to micronutrient deficiencies as well as related complications. In order to investigate possible advantages and disadvantages, it seems well-designed clinical trials are necessary to clarify these effects.