http://www.care2.com/greenliving/whats-a-raw-food-diet.html
What’s a Raw Food Diet?
A few years ago I saw my sister after not having seen her for about a year. But was this really my sister? My sister had always been pretty–but this creature was now thin, glowing, vibrant in an otherworldy way. It was like a chorus of angels were following her around and had become her soundtrack. What happened to her, I wondered, and can it happen to me too?!
What happened to her was that she had discovered a raw food diet. In a nutshell, she was eating nothing cooked. No pasta, no rice and beans, no steamed broccoli. Not even tofu (which is made from cooked soybeans). Most raw foodists are also vegan and aim for a high percentage of organic food. No wonder my sister looked so thin and radiant, she had been eating nothing but fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts! I seriously couldn’t imagine this happening to me anytime soon.
The premise behind the raw food lifestyle is that heating food above 116F degrees destroys important living enzymes and other nutrients. Proponents of raw food believe that by preserving the living elements of food that we eat, degenerative disease is prevented, aging is slowed, energy enhanced, and emotional well-being is boosted. On an intuitive level this makes sense to me; by putting nothing but vibrant, pure, living food in your body, your body reflects vibrancy, purity and vitality. But if you are slightly hedonist in your appetite (read: me), can you actually live like this?
Well, I tried it. I wanted to feel like my sister looked. So my husband and I did a Lent of sorts and gave up the heat for 40 days. What a learning curve. While my husband could sit down to a mountain of raw kale for dinner, I just couldn’t. I dug into raw food cookbooks, and I bought a dehydrator–a nifty way to get an almost cooked feeling where you can concentrate the flavor and alter the texture of food, without heat. I was soaking nuts (to activate enzymes and calm down enzyme inhibitors), sprouting grains (to make them digestible), I learned how to make mincemeat out of obstinate young coconuts (one of the staples of raw food cooking for their great dairy fat-mimicking texture). We started fermenting some things (another raw way of “cooking”) and juicing other things. I figured out what vegetables are great raw (beets) and which ones aren’t (potatoes). I lived without coffee (a truly astounding feat), but gleefully realized wine was raw.
The pounds fell of my husband, they just dripped away. For me, not so much. After our 40 days I was at the exact same weight! I think I am probably the only person to have ever gone raw and not lost weight. But then again, I may have been a bit over the top: While my husband was eating piles of greens, I was eating dehydrated macadamia nut “crackers” topped with cashew “cheese” and coconut butter, rich chocolate tarts and ice cream! I managed to consume even more calories than usual. Leave it to me. I also run a lot and was definitely overcompensating for protein and carbs, but still!
The truth is, I didn’t really do it to lose weight. I wanted to glow, feel energized, hear angels. And I have to say, I felt fantastic. My body felt clean, I had energy and I felt strangely refreshed. To be considered a true “raw foodist” you need only consume 75 percent raw food in your daily diet (although many rawists are strictly 100 percent raw). I know many people that have no problem maintaining a high level of raw food diet.
But personally, as much as I enjoyed the challenge and learning a new cuisine, I just love to cook with heat too much. And since I am a distance running enthusiast I couldn’t seem to satisfy my carb love. That said, I definitely eat more raw food now (I never cook beets anymore) and I think everyone should give raw food a try. Don’t believe me? See how Green Girl felt when she discovered raw food. For more about the science behind the lifestyle, visit Raw Food Life, or check out my go-to raw food book, Raw Food, Real World.
You can also start here with some of my favorite raw food recipes right here at Care2:
Jicama & Orange Salad
5 Favorite Raw Vegan Salad Dressings
Raw Corn Salad
Not Tuna Salad
Rich, Delicious Chocolate Tart
Raw Almond Gelato
More from Melissa Breyer (492 articles available)
related stories
-
(35 comments)
-
(51 comments)
-
(8 comments)
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Isha
Susan
Delia
Michelle
Wendy
Megan
Hilary
Ann
Judi
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
24 comments
add your comment »Are we ever going to hear from the other side of this coin? You know even it out a bit, so we people, the one's who choose to eat meat can stop for a few days from getting into ugly, nasty fights and can stop being constantly nit picked at all the time, by the people on care 2 who chose not to eat meat?
Eating meat isn't the worst thing ever, we get many vitamins and our proteins from them and do not need to take a supplement that was tested on the animal we are eating, so to get what is good and healthy for us from what is in the meat...
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I'd be interested in hearing more about the oregano and turmeric and how it helped you with cravings. I have been on raw foods for three weeks as of today. I'm amazed that I'm not craving sugar at all! But cheese and carbs, that's another story. I miss digging my teeth into hearty stuff. I'm staying on track but it's hard. And it is not only expensive, but in my small rural town, it's hard to find food that is both raw and organic. So I have to drive out of town to buy food. I have started my own garden of greens; I've been growing herbs for years anyway, and I can't afford a raised garden bed, but the half-barrel style containers look good.
Also you can get those big rubbermaid-type totes with rope handles, drill holes in them, and use them for container planting. I'd love to talk with other people who are succeeding at this lifestyler, particularly if you are the only person in your house eating this way, as I am.
Thanks!
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
It should work now. Sorry about that!
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Can someone fix the link to the 5 dressings?
It's not working : (
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
the link for the 5 dressings does not work :(
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
A while ago, I had the pleasure of being offered a raw food meal. It was delicious, but unfortunately I am not very handy and can't see myself taking the time to prepare meals like that!
I do feed my dog and cats a raw food diet, though...
A few months ago there was a brave woman (mother of 4 children) on tv in a talkshow. She fed her children a raw food diet. She was attacked by a physician and a psychiatrist during the show. They said she was abusing her children and that the authorities should take the children away from her. I was appalled by this reaction from people who are supposed to know what would be good for children!
I thought the woman was very brave and I hope she can continue feeding her children the best ever, biologically appropriate raw food!
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
For Kelli,
I loved Hilary's comment about starting gardening!
I agree on your organic dilemma. I bought two bunches of organic celerty (7 bucks!). One organic seedless watermelon (15 bucks!). I buy pesticide free and organic when I can but, if the store (where I shop) would rather throw away the less than beautiful stuff instead of offering us the opportunity to buy it and save a little money - screw 'em. At least at our Safeway I have the conventional vs. organic choices and work within my budget.
I am composting right now for a future garden spot where I live.
Don't beat yourself up. Do what you can with what you have. I am working on recipes and ideas right now to help the groups and people around me save money and eat better.
It comes back to community. How can we find ways to do it together? Hmmmmmmm
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I, too, struggled with the higher cost of going organic- but what I did the past few years has offset those costs- I GROW veggies and fruits that thrive in my area- I don't have a large plot-but I still have 7 types of tomatoes, 5 pepeers and more. I also use terra cotta pots for more tomatoes, onions, peppers-especially bell and pablanos-YUM, carrots, different lettuces and HERBS- I also belive in juicing- I only have time on the weekends- but WOW do I feel great even if I don't jiuce everyday
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Count me among the raw fooders and I love it. Most raw people eat very high fat though and I'm not in that camp. I also do not ferment or dehydrate any of my food. A key factor that some who tried raw and didn't do well on it may be that they were missing eating enough fruit. I'd suggest to anyone interested in going raw that they look for low fat high carb raw vegan info. Its literally changed my life. I'm nearly 50 and people stop me and ask me what I'm doing. I'm glowing and I have the body of a slim teenager.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Count me among the raw fooders and I love it. Most raw people eat very high fat though and I'm not in that camp. I also do not ferment or dehydrate any of my food. A key factor that some who tried raw and didn't do well on it may be that they were missing eating enough fruit. I'd suggest to anyone interested in going raw that they look for low fat high carb raw vegan info. Its literally changed my life. I'm nearly 50 and people stop me and ask me what I'm doing. I'm glowing and I have the body of a slim teenager.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account: