On Friday night, I was watching progrme about people who follow the raw food diet, they don't eat mean, dairy wheat which means that they cut out major food groups from their diet.

What worried me was that they were subjecting their children to this fad, fair enough if they want to follow it, but putting your children through it, 'no'. Worse still, when I looked it up on the internet, people are putting their babies through this without consulting proper medical opinion first. I know that first a baby on a raw food diet is breast fed, but what if the woman is not able to than they have to rely on formula which goes against raw foodists.

A babies diet consists of mainly milk, so by cutting this out they are doing something very dangerous. I understand that they feed babies something like hemp and other raw type food, however is there research to support this in a babies diet. I read of a couple of stories on the web of babies being malnourised as a result to having a raw food diet.

If my husband or myself wanted to follow such a diet, I would never enforce it on my children, but allow them to make the choice later on. Babies cannot answer back or tell their parents they do not like it, I think that it is wrong to expect children to follow such a diet, what do you all think?

I have heard of this before, but haven't looked into it.

All I know is that my son doesn't eat meat, he doesn't like it, especially red meat.

He has dairy, and plenty fruit and veg, but he has never had any health problems. Yet.

That is fine, there are lots of vegetarian children/babies there that are perfectly healthy, its when you cut other major food groups from the baby/child's diet e.g. dairy, carbs how is the child going to get a balanced diet. I personally don't feel that supplements are enough, the child's body needs certain foods to help it to grown and give them energy.

Hi Piglet - I think the raw food diet is really interesting as certainly a lot of people seem to like it and benefit from it. It is quite extreme but probably more so because we are not used to it here – many people around the world live a healthy lifestyle without any of our illnesses and only have raw food. They would think that cooking it seems madness and strips us of valuable ‘food groups’. It is the same argument with many things – nappies, vaccines, medications, politics! We are told certain things by people who are supposed to know what they are talking about and many people don’t question it and just follow what they say. But if you do question things and ask why we do it like that or why we need this or that then often you find out a different picture. It is up to you to make an INFORMED choice for you and your family after questioning things and looking at all the facts. If you don’t want to fair enough, take the ‘advice’ of those ‘in the know’.

For instance, many of the worlds babies don’t wear nappies – because they choose not to, not because they can’t afford them. They listen to their babies signaling to them about when they want to go to the toilet. It may seem mad to you (not to me as I have been practicing it too!) but again only because we are not used to it and the big nappy manufacturers tell us WE MUST put baby in a nappy. Anyway t hat is a different subject – sorry to go off on one!

As for Dairy - once again we are being misled by the people who are supposed to have an interest in our health and wellbeing. Pasteurised milk is a big no-no for many people and we don’t get the calcium from it we are told we do because the body can’t absorb it in this form. Some people drink raw milk - that is another controversial issue but again it works for many. Milk contains casein - one of the key ingredients they use in superglue to make things stick together. That is why many people report that they get all mucous-y if they drink milk. Look at this website for more info http://www.milkmyths.org.uk/health/index.php it is quite interesting.

Malnourishment - well you only have to look in the high street to see a wealth of malnourished kids - they survive on processed microwave meals. Certainly the cooked food diet is clearly not meeting all of our needs. Microwaving food kills any goodness it has in it - they are death machines in my opinion! Many people use this as the only way of cooking their food. You say that a babies diet consists of mainly milk – ideally as you will know this should be breast milk – they are not cutting that milk out of the diet, only Cows milk which is nowhere near the same nutritional value.

To play devils advocate, some would argue that you are forcing your diet on your children – they don’t have a choice as they have to eat cooked food – do you see what I am saying? If you believe in something then you are bound to do what you feel is best for your child. Many people still have their children circumcised – a totally barbaric act in my opinion but in theirs they are doing it for the good of their child! It is all about personal opinion at the end of the day – you are your child’s parents therefore you are bound to ‘inflict’ is too harsh a word, but impress your beliefs upon them I think, be that religious, health, food whatever.

I guess my point is that don’t necessarily believe everything that ‘the establishment’ tells you! Just because we have been brought up cooking food, doesn’t mean that it is the only way – I am not saying it is bad either but that there are other ways. For me, it is about a balance – the totally raw is too extreme, as is totally continuum concept, but to take some of what they are saying and fit it into your life works great. I use e a combination of the two. I challenge everything though because I have found out that we have been duped by so many institutions that I don’t trust any of them! http://www.detoxyourworld.com/acatalog/dyw.html this is quite a good site about one lady who has made the raw food diet work for her.

have a good day x

Thank you LouA for the very interesting and informative reply. Yes I do agree with you in what you say, but surely if you want your baby or child to have this diet you should either consult a dietician or doctor as you are cutting major food groups out of the child's diet. You really have to do your research and get professional advice.

I personally would not do it, but hey like you said not everyone will do the same as you, does not make it wrong.

Hi again Piglet - that does not seem a very polite way of addressing you - sorry!! - anyway, no I guess we are all different - and we all do different thigns. It makes the world go around - somehow!

I think you are right - you need professional advice if you are going to do this as you need to make sure you are getting everything you need and eating the right raw food, otherwise it could turn into the raw biscuit diet!! They are raw aren;t they??!

However, I am not sure the local GP would ne any wiser than you or me on it really - a nutritionalist would be better or as you said a dietician.

I guess maybe the thing to take from it is to realise that there are other ways from those that we have been brought up with and they may well have merits - maybe we should be open minded to them? What do you think?

Hi Lou A

Don't worry, I quite liken myself to Piglet in Winnie the Pooh he he he!

As long as a dietician, or medical expert is consulted and advice and suggestions given than it could be ok, though I personally would not like to do it myself. I do steam some of my food as that keeps nutrients in.

With babies you have to be very careful if doing this diet as they are the most vulnerable, that is why you have to consult an expert before undertaking this diet in babies and children.