Raw food is largely vegan, though some raw foodists do include raw meat and fish in their diet. However, the raw foods diet is typically more health focused than the vegan diet, since it involves allegedly the most healthful kind of food, ie, raw. The vegan diet simply tries to avoid suffering in the production of vegan food, therefore could still potentially be unhealthful for its followers.

Raw and vegan diets are claimed to be less likely to be unhealthful than other diets , which include fish, meat and dairy. Studies have shown unhealthful eating to be implicated in the spread of the diseases of affluence, cancer, heart disease, and obesity. See Eating for Health, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and the China Study, Professor TC Campbell.