Thought I'd chime in on the whole ow/zero carb thing:
I have experimented with different macronutrient ratios while eating raw foods. I have even been on a pretty much zero carb, all raw meat diet long enough to 'adapt', where my body did not rely on carbs to burn for energy, but it was still impossible for me to do for my level of fitness. I do powerlifting/natural bodybuilding and after a while I was getting weaker and crashing - not to mention I was not able to spike my insulin levels post-workout like I usually do to quickly pull my body out of a catabolic state. I had some great results doing zero carb, but they were largely offset by the negative side effects that I was experiencing. It's just not for me. I cannot powerlift on a diet of zero carbs. I do, however, cycle my carbs, which I find to work best for me. For example, I lift 5 days a week and two days a week I do not lift. I also take a week off every 6-8 months. On my off days, I don't eat many carbs at all. On my lift days, however, I do eat carbs. I think a lot of people get the diets of sedentary/normal raw paleo dieters mixed up with those of raw paleo natural bodybuilders, which is totally different. Just to maintain my strength and LBM, in conjunction with my level of fitness, I need about 3500-3800, sometimes more, calories a day. At the moment, I'd say about 30% of my calories come from protein, 40% come from fat, and 30% come from carbs. Sometimes my carbs will go to 40%. If someone just exercises a few days a week, then perhaps a very low carb diet or a zero carb diet will work best for them, but it would destroy me as far as my fitness goals are concerned. Not to mention, I do not have any bad side effects from eating this way. I do great on fruit and honey as my main carb source. I feel great and I have not been sick for over 7 years. In fact, I haven't even had a cold in over 6 years. I think the most important thing to do is to listen to your body. Once you get rid of the junk food, clean up your diet with raw foods, and clean your body up, so that you're in an environment where you're able to listen to your body and what it needs, you'll usually know right away if a certain food is affecting your health in a bad or good way. Some zero carb, raw paleo dieters may not agree with the fact that, for a post-workout carb source, I eat a good amount of raw honey with a good raw protein source and some wild bananas (I dont' eat seedless fruit), but that's because my dietary needs are completely different than the needs of someone who does not have the same kind of lifestyle and because my body requires an insulin spike after lifting weights. If someone is doing zero carb and it works for them, then great. Keep on doing it. Zero carb/very low carb diets have their place and work for different people, but it is not for me. It would ruin my health and my fitness goals.