Raw Food - The Simplest Natural Diet

More and more people are realizing that the key to health is not just in the exercise that you do but also in the type of food that you eat. The old saying is that you can not out train a bad diet. But a health diet is not just for people looking to get fit. It's also for people that want to cure or prevent illness and disease, to feel better and happier or to slow down the aging process. Eating raw food is one of the ways in which you can provide your body with optimal nutrition. This article will explain the benefits of eating a raw food diet and how you can start following it today.

There are many benefits to a Raw food diet, or just incorporating more raw food into your current diet. Humans were meant to eat natural whole foods not the processed sugar and salt filled foods that are causing so many modern illnesses, diseases and obesity in Western countries. Specific benefits of eating more raw food include losing weight easily and keeping it off, curing heart disease, reducing bad cholesterol in the blood, curing IBS, acne and other allergies. People who start eating more raw food also report having more energy, and increased libido.

The reason that eating raw food makes you feel so much better is because raw food is richer in enzymes and nutrients than processed food or food that has been cooked too much. Our body needs enzymes to function correctly and many processed foods contain little or no enzymes. Cooking food at a temperature higher than 115 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the natural occurring enzymes in food depriving you of the benefits of eating food in the first place.

Further advantages of eating raw food are that your body is able to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from what you are eating, it is cheaper than processed food which isn't giving you any nutrition, helps you lose fat easily, it helps you think more clearly and feel more calm and contains little chemicals or preservatives especially if you get organic produce.

In order to start incorporating more raw food into your diet you must first consult with a doctor, especially if you are suffering from an illness. Start investigating which foods you can safely eat raw. Many fruits and vegetables are naturally raw food. Learn how to broil or otherwise prepare vegetables below 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Also investigate eating different kinds of nuts and sprouts in order to get all the nutrients you need.

When it comes to food such as meats, eggs and fish you must be more cautious. Since many of these foods are raised on an industrial scale there is more potential for diseases to spread and infect the food. There are people that claim that eating raw animal products is a very healthy and natural thing to do and that our early ancestors ate like this. It should be noted that those that eat raw meat prefer their meat to come from pasture or grass fed animals in order to lower the risk of disease. You should thoroughly investigate how you can eat these foods safely if you choose to do this, and again always consult with your doctor before changing your diet in this way.

There are many ways in which you can prepare raw food meals, either as salads, smoothies or sauces. The juicer, broiler and blender are some great pieces of kitchen equipment to get that will help you create delicious raw food meals, juices and smoothies. So educate yourself and start benefiting from raw food immediately.

Organic Raw Foods and Your Family

More and more people are finding that friends and family members are getting diseases like diabetes and cancer. They hear that the only cure is drugs, chemicals or surgery. Can organic raw foods help?

You'll hear things like "your mom had it so you're going to get it" or "it runs in the family." You rarely hear that some of these diseases are caused by the chemicals that you intake through food and environment.

The number of chemicals in your food, water and the air are extremely high. What about typical vegetables and fruits that you get at the grocery store? They are better than processed foods and fast food, right?

Yes and no. A processed chicken nugget is more chemical than meat. Unless vegetables are certified organic then you might want to think twice. Vegetables and fruits that aren't organic have been tested at times to contain up to 20 different pesticide residues.

What about people who claim that pesticide levels are so low they aren't harmful. Is that why there are pesticide residues still present in soil five to 10 years later?

Eating more organic raw foods including vegetables and vegetable juice are going to go a long ways into making you a healthier person and not becoming a disease statistic just because your grandfather had it.

What about the higher cost of organic raw foods? The prices are currently a bit higher but it is well worth it especially compared to paying for high doctor bills and drugs later on. Investing in healthy food is an investment for having a longer, more enjoyable life.

What about the taste? When many people, especially kids, aren't brought up on vegetables and fruits they get the idea that organic raw foods may taste gross. That is completely untrue. My family eats many raw food recipes and we find the food more tasty and flavorful than most other foods.

Do your research and come up with a plan for your family. Start out slow, start out gradually. The most important thing is for you to start!

Raw Food Detox Diet

Detox, or detoxification of the body is a common practice many people use in order to rid the body of toxic substances or lose some weight quickly. There are many different ways and many different diets to detox the body. Some of these are the dieuretic diet, the fat flush diet, an all liquid diet, liver cleansing diet and the raw food diet. Certain detox diets may be better for certain people, so it is important to look at each and decide which one would fit your day to day lifestyle the best. The detox diet that I would like to talk about here is the raw food detox diet, also sometimes called foodism. This detox diet is generally made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruits, herbs and spices that are all eaten raw.

The first thing you will want to do is prepare for the detox. The safest way to do so is to slowly remove the foods that are not allowed during the detox from your day to day diet for a week before you start the full on detox. This means that the first day of preparation you will replace one or two things that you regularly eat during the day with something that is a fruit, vegetable or other food allowed by the detox. By the seventh day, you will have replaced pretty much everything in your regular diet with someone that is allowed in the detox diet. The other thing that you will need to do to prepare is create a menu plan for your detox diet. You will want to make your menu as appetizing as possible for yourself, but don’t expect it to be as good as friend chicken or extra cheesy lasagna. With a little creativity and searching for recipes you can however find some very tasty meals.

Once you have created your menu plan, create a grocery list and go shopping the day before you start the detox. You are now ready to begin your raw food detox diet.

Generally the first couple days of any detox are the hardest days, so it is important to keep any temptations out of sight and as out of mind as possible. It may take a lot of will power but you will find as you are on the detox for longer that it will become easier, and believe me, when you start seeing those results of how much better you feel or how much weight you have lost, you will want to keep the detox going strong.

With the raw food diet it may be a little costly to purchase all of the fruits and vegetables that you will need, but it is important not to skimp or cheat. Some great meals you can make are fresh fruit salads, mixed salads with other various vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, parsley and other dressings, raw mixed vegetable soup, avocado and even raspberry and banana sorbet. You should be able to find these special raw diet recipes as well as many others with just a little searching online. The important thing with a raw food detox diet is that you make a plan and stick with it.

Why Eat Raw Foods Today - natural ?

Eating raw foods is natural. Our bodies thrive on all that is fresh and vital. A raw food diet (or increasing the amount of raw food that you eat) is bound to bring a feeling of increased wellbeing.

Raw food diets are based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, preferably organic, such as a variety of fresh fruits and vegies, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, fresh juices and purified water.

Why Raw Foods?

Basically a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet promotes eating and drinking ‘living’ foods. Living foods and juices contain the maximum amount of fibre found in raw produce, fibre that can be lost in processing. Such foods are easily metabolised and tend to be lower in calories than the average diet.

Heating food above 116°F destroys enzymes in food that aid in digestion and in absorption of food, diminishing its nutritional value.

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

A diet of at least 75% raw food offers numerous health benefits, such as increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and reduced risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

A raw food diet contains little or no saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre.
Raw food diets are also excellent detox diets. Different combinations of raw, living foods and juices can be used for colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing and skin cleansing.

The Basics of a Raw Food Diet

Any fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes, young coconut milk – even seaweed – can be menu items of a raw food diet. Your choice of foods may depend on your reasons for dieting, for example:

- sprouted brown rice slows glucose absorption and improves the metabolism

- cabbage supports healthy cellular function; radish leaves act as an anti-oxidant, as does Shitake mushroom

-carrots are a great source of vitamin A as well as encouraging healthy vision and a healthy cardio-vascular system

You can use a sprouter such as the Easy Green automatic sprouter to sprout seeds, grains, beans – even wheatgrass. Sprouts could be called a ‘super food’ – organic sprouts contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes, and are the ideal natural supplement.

Sprouts can be used in salads and soups, or can be juiced. Fresh juices are a great ready energy supply and a good quality juicer, such as the Kempo Greenpower juicer, produces living juices that are full of essential nutrients.
A great juicing recipe to complement a raw food diet is carrot juice with potato, fennel and apple. Simply juice 4 medium carrots, 2 apples, 1 small potato and 1 small stalk of fennel.
Fennel has been shown to reduce and control inflammation of arthritis, it evens mood fluctuation and depressive states and has the rare nutrient called manganese, plus zinc and vitamin B complex.
The nutritional value of grains and seeds is impressive. They contain most of the vitamins – particularly A, B, and E. They’re also fantastic natural sources of unsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, and an excellent source of proteins.

You can even use soy milk makers (such as SoyQuick) to make non-dairy drinks from different beans, rice, nuts, seeds and grains to have with breakfast. If you want something a little more substantial than soy milk you can make your tofu (or, of course, visit a good health food shop).

Essentially, the idea of a raw food diet is to eat unprocessed foods for at least 75% of the time. If the idea of raw food isn’t very appetising to you, you can warm the food a little as long as the food isn’t heated above 116°F.

Cautionary Note

As with any major change in diet, it’s wise idea to consult your doctor before beginning a special diet. This is especially true for children, pregnant women, anyone with anemia and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition.

Even natural foods can conflict with certain medications, so please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any medication.

Because a raw food diet is detoxifying some people suffer a mild detox reaction including mild headaches, nausea and cravings. These symptoms may last for several days and you’ll get more enjoyment out of your raw food diet if you cut down on things like meat, sugar and caffeine a week or so before commencing the diet.

Last But Not Least…

A raw food diet is certainly a good way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Like anything worthwhile it takes time, energy and commitment. Because many of the foods for this particular type of diet are made from scratch there is some preparation time involved. There are many great products on the market that can help you prepare your own living food and save you some time as well.

Combined with regular exercise, a raw food diet is also an excellent weight loss method. If you’ve been feeling ‘a little off’, or just need a pick-me-up and some extra energy, then a raw food diet is certainly a good way to go.

Beauty from The Outside In, Know-How on Raw Food

Raw food and beauty

The raw food diet is a very effective way to ensure flawless skin for yourself. Many people have accepted the strict raw food regime mainly because of this extraordinary effect. The raw food diet gives you great skin and makes you look younger than ever before.

Cooking destroys many important enzymes that are present in the food material. Apart from the enzymes, the extremely high temperatures in which cooking is done results in the destruction of many important nutrients as well. Thus, when you consume the cooked food, the enzymes present in your own body are used up. Raw Food does not let this happen. The enzymes present in the raw food help in the process of digestion.

Thus, by consuming raw food, you are getting more enzymes in. papaya and sprouts very rich in enzymes.

Antioxidants are another important thing present in raw food like carrots, apricots and berries. Berries have antioxidants that encourage collagen formation and carrots have beta-carotene antioxidants that protect the skin from sun damage.

The function of the antioxidants is to fight the free radicals that do a lot of damage to the skin, hinder collagen production and result in wrinkles and premature aging. The raw food also protects the skin from harmful rays of the sun. Many citrus fruits, like lemon, grapefruit and orange also help fight the free radicals.

Coenzyme Q10, also called CoQ10, is a great antioxidant that fights open radicals and aging. Raw food like Broccoli, peanuts and spinach are rich in them.

Anti oxidant like alpha lipoic acid, found in spinach, tomatoes, peas and brewer's yeast, is another anti-oxidant that increases the power of Vitamin C and E and encourage the energy production in the body.

Sulfur, a material needed in the production of good skin, tresses and nails, is a mineral. The sulfur present in natural food is said to be destroyed during cooking. The raw food rich in sulfur are asparagus, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion etc.

Silicon, a mineral that decreases in content with age, is required for good skin, hair, nails and bones. Green leafy vegetables and fruits like apples cherries etc are the best source of this mineral.

Different green leafy vegetables, bell pepper etc are rich in a chemical present in plants called Phytochemicals. These are magic chemicals with anti-aging properties.

Vitamin E is also good for the skin and is found aplenty in nuts and seeds.

Selenium is a material, which prevents the skin from sagging. It is present in garlic, onions and shallots.

Skin is an organ. And when the body needs to throw off poison, it passes out throughout the skin. Sticking to a raw food diet and taking in loads of water ensures proper detoxification. Seaweed is very rich in minerals and assists the body in detoxification.

Thus, for great skin, eat a lot of healthy raw food along with at least 8 glasses of water per day!

Water, The Bodies Favorite Raw Food

Most likely all of us have been ill or felt weak at one point or another in our lives and just hoped that the pain and torment would disappear. In many cases sickness and discomfort can be attributed to a lack of proper nutrition and raw food intake. Our health is a complex subject that depends on an expansive array of variables. One of the most vital raw food variables is water. Purified drinking water is one of the most critical elements to staying healthy. Shocking even to me still, medical research claims the brain, our blood and lungs all consist of around 80% or more water. These numbers are pretty staggering and really highlight water as a crucial raw food for the body. Flowing inside of us all over, water in some capacity facilitates almost every action we take. Just reading and processing this article demands your physical and mental systems to have water available. Water is full of redeeming qualities and by viewing it truly as a raw food it becomes easier to appropriately incorporate into our diets. To a raw food enthusiast water must never be the boring drink on the menu. It should be viewed as a food fuel that powers our essence. It would be wise to avoid taking water for granted and to begin embracing it. Now would be a great time to review some of the reasons why water's place in our raw food diets is essential and not as difficult to manage as we may think.

Drinking a glass of water may not conjure visions of nourishment and empowerment but this seemingly simple compound is often more powerful than we realize. What we usually do not completely comprehend is that water consumption strengthens a large portion of our bodily functions. Even something as simple as PH balance may provide a hint that the contributions of water as a raw food source may be larger than we think. Water is the focal feature of our PH ranges which ties directly into immune stability, energy viability and the handling of oxygen processes. While still on the subject of PH levels and oxygen water injects its powers onto our breathing as well. Water is an oxygen distribution aid and an accumulator of carbon dioxide which lets our air flows flourish. Another water function revolves around our Kidneys. Water dilutes the toxic fluid urea which allows the kidney and other body tissues to perform. Water is also a proven deterrent of kidney stones. I am sure at one time or another we have all found our muscles, bones, joints and limbs to be exhausted. Utilizing water as a raw food can help many of our bodies characteristics to rejuvenate, energize and age slower. Medical issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and continual backaches can in many cases be curbed and contained by increasing our use of water as a raw food. A revealing sign of waters value is its value to pregnant and nursing women. Providing for another life, expecting mothers depend on water to assure the baby has proper nutrient delivery, blood circulation and fetal nourishment. If helping babies stay alive was not enough water personally discourages constipation, heartburn, migraines, ulcers, gastritis, dehydration and fatigue. Water can even prevent such traumas as brain damage, cancer, heart disease and strokes. Water as a raw food resource is one of the quintessential aspects to us feeling good and maximizing our potentials. By drinking more and cooking with it in our raw food recipes we will be securing a sizeable health advantage for ourselves.

Sourcing purified and contaminant free drinking water is nearly a requirement for preserving our bodies and catering to its needs. Water as a significant piece of our cell make up is one of the most important components to our physiological success. We must constantly be looking for new ways to incorporate water into our diets and raw food smoothie and soup recipes are one great way to accomplish this. Here are a few more easy tips to aid our water intake levels. Make water available around the temperature you like. Maybe smoothies if you like cold and soups if you like hot. Teas and even a cold or warm glass of just water with a little lemon are other ways to adjust water temperature to encourage consumption. Drinking through a straw and drinking water at hotter temperatures are some other approaches that have worked when trying to increase results. A safely tested filtration system and clean water accessibility are some further keys to assuring water stays a part of your raw food menus. Regardless of what angle you take if you care about your health and well-being then including water into your life on a more frequent basis should be a goal.

Proponents of raw food should have a passion for drinking water and cooking with it. Water represents a positive tomorrow. Our bodies crave it and it is ideal to satisfy these longings. Without water we can become crippled, confused and confined. With water our fitness and health blossom in new directions. Workouts are more productive with it, our bodies cherish it and almost anybody that has studied its qualities will recommend it. We all should have a great respect for water and by thinking outside the box and really understanding water for the raw food that it is will only enhance our experiences. Drinking more purified water is about becoming a better person and when we can learn how to cook with it we really expand our horizons. Bring more water into your life now and thank me later. Try some of our raw food recipe cookbooks, add more water to your life and educate your mind through some of our raw food research and you will not be disappointed with the result.

5 Know-How Tips For the Raw Food Beginner

Are you new to the raw food diet and finding it hard to maintain? Do you feel like a raw food newbie, surrounded by thriving veteran raw foodists?

Fear not, dear reader! These 5 know how tips will give any raw food beginner the confidence and the know-how to succeed on a low fat, raw vegan diet. You'll be a thriving raw foodist in no time.

#1: Know How to Pick Good Quality Fruit

This is #1 on the list for a reason. Knowing how to choose fresh, ripe, and delicious raw produce - as well as knowing how much food you need for the day and what fruits you enjoy - is a huge factor in your raw success.

My original decision to give low fat, high fruit raw vegan a chance was rather impulsive. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and didn't know where to turn. I had been on what I thought at the time was the healthiest diet in the world: cooked vegan. The anemia, excess weight, and joint pains that plagued me screamed that the diet wasn't working and so raw foods seemed like the next logical step.

Unlike most of the decisions in my life, I just kind of went for it! I started by eating about 75% raw and saw results immediately. I had much more energy, experienced immediate weight loss, had more focus, etc. This got me so excited that I felt I had to go 100% raw right away!

Because I was still a new player in the raw food game, I had to go through a lot of trial and error. It became shockingly clear how little I knew about produce and what a newbie I was at choosing anything close to edible. I can't tell you the number of times I threw away wads of cash on rock hard, never to ripen, out of season, tasteless fruits and turned to cooked foods for sustenance!

My best advice to you is to take it slow. Gradually adding in raw, sweet fruit to your diet will allow you to learn as you go along without worrying about "slipping up" on cooked foods.

#2: Know How to Make Simple (Yet Tasty) Raw Recipes

Many raw food beginners feel that a low fat raw vegan diet is completely tasteless and way too boring. I understand that eating foods in their whole states can seem a little bland at first. Okay, maybe REALLY bland!

Well, that's where raw recipes come in!

To get started, I recommend that you experiment with fruit salads, fruit smoothies and green smoothies. A fruit salad is just a few different varieties of fruits mixed together. For instance, I love equal parts of chopped papaya, orange, and pineapple mixed together in a big bowl. So juicy and refreshing!

A fruit smoothie is a few different fruits blended together. In most cases, the base is a denser fruit like bananas, mangoes, or papayas. Smaller portions of other fruits are then added to the base. My favorite smoothie is 3 bananas, 2 oranges, and 1 cup of wild blueberries. How much water you add to your drink will depend on how thick you like it. I usually start with 1 cup.

A green smoothie is just a fruit smoothie with greens added to it. These are great to help cut the sweetness in your meal and help you get in your greens for the day. An always popular green smoothie is 5 bananas, 1 cup of blueberries, and 2 handfuls of romaine. When adding greens, start with small handfuls. Trust me, a grassy smoothie is not very appetizing.

I also recommend that you have at least one savory recipe that you really, really enjoy. Salsas with lots of tomatoes and celery are great and you can use them as a dressing over greens to give a heartier feel to the dish. You can also make lots of delicious raw soups or blended salads using saltier veggies as your base.

#3: Know How to Eat Enough

Yes, I know I harp on calorie consumption A LOT. That's because it's important! The best quality fruit and the tastiest raw recipes will do NOTHING for your success if you don't eat enough. It becomes all to easy to slip back into cooked food eating habits when you're running on empty.

So how do you make sure you are consuming the right amount of food? First, multiply your ideal weight by 10. This is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the calories you would need if you remained in bed all day. Second, add any calories that you burn during the day to your BMR. This is dependent upon your lifestyle. For instance, someone who works in construction will use many more calories than someone working a desk job. Lastly, add any calories you burn from exercise. Voila! Now you have a rough estimate of how much food you need per day.

It's important to remember that this is just an estimate. If you don't feel satisfied eating this amount, just gradually increase how much sweet fruit you eat during a meal. The general rule is that satiation should last between 3-5 hours after you have eaten.

#4: Know How to Move Your Body

Exercise can be a lifesaver if you are new to raw foods and struggling with cooked food cravings. Moving your body every day really helps to foster hunger and when your hungry, any food will do. I've never enjoyed my simple fruit meals as much as I do after an intense workout!

If you're new to exercise, don't sweat it (pun intended)! A simple jog around the neighborhood or a game of badminton or a dip in the pool can do wonders for your eating efforts. A little exercise goes a long way!:)

#5: Know How to Have Fun

Just this past month, I had a lot of fun produce shopping. Not only did I visit my favorite farmers market, but I also learned about a Hispanic market a few minutes from my house. I had actually known about this place for quite some time, but was hesitant to go there because it was in a not-so-nice part of town.

Anyway, I headed over there with my Dad and was amazed by the variety and quality of produce available. There were at least 10 different types of greens that I had never heard of!

But the really spectacular part was the produce. Not only did the store have sapodilla, mamey, guava, and my favorite mangoes, they carried JACKFRUIT! I could not believe it.

It really is so much fun to come across foods that you have never seen in person or never even heard of. I am constantly surprised and amused by all the different varieties of produce out there.

And even "normal" produce is exciting! Just look at some of the foods you will be dining on: bananas, oranges, grapes, apples, peaches, strawberries, cantaloupe, pears, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, tangerines, mangoes, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, watermelon, romaine, boston lettuce, bok choy, celery, tomatoes, bell pepper...all of which can be found at your local grocery store!

And don't forget all the fun you can have making (and eating) simple raw recipes with these ingredients. The combinations and taste sensations are truly endless.

4 Raw Food Recipes to Get You Started Today

By far the hardest thing about going raw is figuring out what to eat on a meal-to-meal basis. Even with all the free raw resources available, I know it's still difficult to go raw.

We live in a cooked food world and eating raw just seems so difficult...even preposterous!

The best thing I can do for you is to give you some recipes to get started, raw recipes that are not only tasty and satisfying, but HEALTHY.

Check out this entire day's worth of low fat, high fruit raw vegan recipes!

Breakfast: Banana Blueberry Bonanza

Ingredients:

* 5 bananas
* 1 pint blueberries
* water


Directions:

Blend! The amount of water used is completely up to you. I prefer thinner smoothies so 1.5 cups would be about perfect for me.

Lunch: Papaya Power

Ingredients:

* 6 medium papaya
* Half a lime


Directions:



Cut papayas in half and remove the seeds. Squeeze limejuice over the papaya and devour with a spoon...or your hands.:)

Dinner Fruit Meal: Peaches and Blueberries

Ingredients:

* 8 medium peaches
* 1 pint blueberries


Directions:

Half, pit, and chop up the peaches (I prefer to peel mine first, but it isn't necessary). Mix together with the blueberries in a big (and I mean BIG) bowl.

Dinner Savory Meal: Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

* 1/2 Hass avocado
* 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
* 2 medium tomatoes, diced
* (Optional): lime juice
* (Optional): handful cilantro
* 1 head romaine lettuce


Directions:

Peel and mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in chopped bell pepper, tomatoes, squeeze of lime juice and cilantro (if desired). Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves and down the hatch!

I really hope you enjoy these delicious and healthy raw recipes and that they help you stop procrastinating and go raw TODAY!

And remember, each meal can easily be modified for taste or calories needed. If you don't like blueberries, substitute raspberries or blackberries instead. If you need double the amount of calories for breakfast, don't hesitate to double the recipe.:)

Go raw and be fit,

Organic Raw Food Provides Benefits Of More Nutritional Value

As more people become concerned with the number and types of chemicals they are consuming in commercially grown foods, they are turning to organic foods to eliminate those chemicals. To insure they are receiving all of the natural benefits, organic raw food recipes are being traded for those who want the best from their organic endeavors. Cooking any type of food is known to reduce the amount of vitamins and nutrients within the food and organic raw food is being touted as having the most value without the unwanted chemicals.

Organic is a process in which vegetables and fruits are grown using only natural processes for fertilizers and pesticides. It is also known that the nutritional values in any type of food is lessened through the cooking process with many of the nutrients, enzymes and vitamins being cooked out of the foods. By consuming only organic raw food, people are claiming to have the benefits of getting all of the natural benefits of the uncooked foods.

Many people who only eat a vegetarian diet do so because of their belief that their bodily systems were designed for vegetarian diets, consisting of unrefined and unprocessed whole foods. By eating organic raw food, they receive more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are showing many benefits as a health aid.

Getting the Good Without Sacrificing the Quality

For many, organic raw food is where health concerns meet the natural food concerns and while some on a strictly raw vegetable diet are happy with their choice and those on a strictly organic food diet, have traded information to show the benefits of both areas by using organic raw food. By using only raw vegetables in their meal planning
and insuring they are from organic sources, they do not have to give up the quality of either vegetarian or organic diets.

With several hundreds of recipes available for using organic raw food to whip up some tasty meals and treats, those who choose to eat only vegetables and naturally grown food products, usually prefer to limit their food intake as well.

The claim is that healthy living requires a three-prong approach in eating only living vegetables that are grown in strict organic conditions and only consuming as much as the body needs to provide a healthier body. By limiting the intake of organic raw food a lot of the work is taken from the digestive track allowing it to do its job more completely and efficiently.

Raw Food Diet - An Option For Effective Fast Weight Loss

The increasing popularity of a raw food diet is contributed to its benefit - effective but natural and swift weight loss. On top of that, it is known to boost the energy level and to prevent illness such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and so on.

This type of diet is no doubt beneficial to your health because you are consuming foods in its purest condition possible. It means the nutrients of the green leafy vegetables and fruits are still intact.

All raw and living foods contain enzymes which aid the digestion and absorption of the food nutrients in your body. These enzymes are responsible also for securing the vitamins and nutrients content of the food. Unfortunately, enzymes are destroyed in any cooking process that has a temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit and above that leads to its degradation. More so, further cooking procedures can break the original molecular structure of the food and in return can be toxic to your body.

So, imagine the food you are eating every day. It is fried, baked, steamed, grilled or broiled, right? These cooking methods involve heat which definitely depletes not only the nutrients but the enzymes content of the food. If you wish that your body will get the maximum health-giving benefits in what you eat, then opt for raw food diet.

Not only that you gain the health benefits of adapting this lifestyle, you are also being kind to animals because most of the raw foods are vegan. The diet is mainly comprised of fresh vegetables, fruits, unprocessed nuts and seeds, sea vegetable like seaweeds, and natural oils such as olive oil.

Therefore, there are no alcohol, caffeine and sugar products which are also beneficial to your health.

It is no doubt that raw food diet is good to your health and an effective way to lose weight however it is not an easy journey to embark also. You live in a modern world where you are bombarded with processed foods items and wide range of dining options offering delectable dishes. Hence, adapting this kind of diet will be a real challenge.

The best way to get started is to slowly incorporating raw food menu in your day to day life. Then progress gradually by increasing from 20% to 40% the ratio of raw food in your meals until you get used to eating totally on raw food diet.

Remember that if others did it, why can't you?

A Raw Food Menu Often Brings Healing

Can a diet that is based on a raw food menu actually reverse disease? The premise behind eating a diet that consists of mostly raw vegetables and fruits is fairly simple. Consuming the right kinds of foods -- and shunning the wrong ones -- can pave the way to health and possibly even help the body heal itself from chronic, severe or debilitating diseases.

Holding to this notion doesn't mean food itself brings direct healing. It means the right foods offer your body the materials it needs for incredible self-healing properties to function at peak performance.

Many people would probably say this idea, in and of itself, sounds reasonable to some extent. But most people have no idea how powerful this concept actually is. Nor do most individuals know the full extent to which thousands of people have applied it to find relief from pain, suffering, debilitating conditions and even escape the clutches of physical death itself.

Living foods enable your body's God-given immune system to function at an incredibly high level. They also provide the building blocks required for healthy new cells to replace diseased or dying ones in the body's constant cell-regeneration process.

Nutritional cure or healing isn't direct -- it's indirect. Food isn't medicine per se. But it may be better than conventional medicine at certain times.

While the exact proportions of how these foods are consumed may be a little different among those who've experienced dramatic health recovery, the general rule is that the more food consumed in raw form the better. Foods taken ripe from the garden always offer higher nutritional content than processed foods. And raw foods that were grown organically are best.

If you're open to this idea then it's not hard to understand why many raw-foodists have experienced miraculous healing in their bodies simply by changing their diet. It also becomes easy to understand why many people in the "whole foods" and "macrobiotic" food communities have experienced similar health results.

The biggest key to approaching diet as a vehicle for health seems to be the avoidance of animal-based products in favor of plant-based food products. When plant-based foods are consumed in a state that is as unprocessed, or "natural" as possible, then incredible things can happen if either a sick person is trying to get well or a healthy person is trying to enjoy optimal health.

This is often the case even when an individual doesn't embrace 100% veganism. Many practitioners of a macrobiotic diet approach, for example, consume very few animal-based products in favor of mostly whole foods and high quantities of a raw vegetables and fruits. That is often enough to enable recovery from serious illness.

The point here is that there are common "raw food factors" associated with diet and healing. They reflect what I currently think is the "best" nutritional approach to health and wellness. This understanding of things is also based upon sound research by many leaders in the field of science and medicine.

Spice Up Your Health With Raw Food Recipes

If you are interested in eating tasty food and still watching your weight then you probably realize that eating fast food everyday is not such a good idea. Stop and think about it for a second. Imagine eating burgers, pizza, pasta, cookies, cakes and pies everyday. They taste great but come on, is it such a good idea? I say that as a joke, but more people than you think actually do it.

Often when people plan out a diet they have to weigh out their food and eat only a prescribed amount of each food, but this is not the case when you are following a raw food diet plan. Not only can you eat as much raw food as you want but you can have foods that are tasty to eat and that will provide your body with plenty of nutrition. You can reduce your weight, improve your health and feel younger within days of starting to eat a raw food diet.

Many people have not considered using a raw food diet plan to improve their health or lose weight. The media has not given much attention to the raw food way of life but the information on the internet, numerous books and personal testimonies have created a new awareness of the raw food lifestyle. Many people think its difficult to change the way they eat, but with a well planned out raw food diet plan, eating well can not only be convenient but affordable. This is especially true when you analyze how much time it takes to cook a traditional cooked meal.

Breakfast with a Raw Food Diet Plan

A quick breakfast can be composed of two cups of green vegetables spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. This is basically a quick salad that has your preferred flavor added by either a salad dressing or yogurt to add flavor. Place them in the blender; possibly you may want to add a squeeze of lemon or lime and a sliced fruit. Mix for twenty seconds, pour and enjoy. This is a delicious smoothie that will give you plenty of energy every day, as well as provide you with plenty important nutrients. This takes about 5 minutes to prepare and drink, if you want more substance to this quick breakfast consider adding soy protein powder or oats.

Lunch with a Raw Food Diet Plan

A raw food lunch could be made of lettuce wraps stuffed with carrot slices, banana and avocado combined with a small bag of mixed unsalted nuts. For your drink, try a carrot or tomato vegetable juice. You could even make the juice yourself in about 10 minutes and this includes clean up. Another great idea is a bag of 3-4 different types of vegetable slices. Choose the ones you like and do not be afraid to venture out a little. The variety will keep things interesting. Personally, I have tried things I have only seen in whole-foods-type grocery stores that I could barely keep down. They had me running for the sink to spit it out, but that is all part of the experience when you try out a raw food diet plan.

Dinner with a Raw Food Diet Plan

Dinner could consist of zucchini pasta together with pesto sauce accompanied by a side dish made of almond flour garlic bread and then for dessert, banana ice cream. For the zucchini pasta, simply peel the zucchini and mix it in with your noodles. This pesto sauce is usually a quick mix of garlic, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil. An easy way to make banana ice cream is to freeze a couple of bananas then peel them and puree through the blender. This surprisingly gives you very much the same consistency as ice cream; just make sure to eat it while it is still cold.

I love to eat. No doubt about it. So when I made the commitment to switch to a raw food diet plan, I took into consideration all of the things I used to like to eat like, burgers and fries, sandwiches and any kind of chips and dip and some kind of thick pasta sauce with fettuccine noodles. In place of these, through trial and error, I created my own veggie burger recipe and oven baked a potato cut into the shape of fries and sprinkled with a little sea salt. My favorite sandwich now is several kinds of leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and whatever other veggie I can fit on two slices of whole wheat bread accompanied with thinly sliced, oven baked and slightly sea salted potato slices that are surprisingly crisp when baked just long enough and I now use vegetable based pasta with a little olive oil and tomatoes in place of the heavier traditional thick sauces.

So be creative and use your imagination. You will be surprised at what raw foods can do for you not only for the health benefits but you will also enjoy the true tastes that Mother Nature intended them to have.

Some Information About The Raw Food Detox Diet

Most of the information about the raw food detox diet can be found on the Internet or in published form in a book of the same name published by author Natalia Rose. This diet, as defined by Rose, consists of five levels of food with variations in the percentage of raw food that is consumed at each level. Dieters can decide at which level to begin and progress through the stages as desired.

A dieter can enter the program at Level 5 which is the most lenient. In this phase, you eat approximately 3/4 of your food choices from raw foods. This level includes foods that are cooked in one meal each day. A typical choice is a vegetarian dish such as pasta. Level five allows moderate animal products which might be selected from fish, chicken or eggs, but goat cheese is the only dairy product permitted.

At the other end or the levels is Level 1. It is the most severe. It consists only of juices, raw vegetables and raw fruits until the evening meal. On most days the dinner meal is also a raw vegan repast, but salmon is permitted once per week.

The raw food diet is a totally different way of eating for most people. You may find that you can't progress to the more strict levels comfortably, but that's acceptable, since the program is meant to be used at your own comfort level. Because the body naturally cleanses and detoxifies itself over time, you will usually find that you feel better and lose weight at the same time, but it may be a more gentle pace than with other types of eating regimens.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to eat 100 percent raw foods in order to benefit from the diet. Keeping some cooked food helps to prevent detoxification that is overly rapid. Cooked foods are also helpful to maintain emotional satisfaction in the foods you eat. Getting bored with a meal choice too quickly will be detrimental in staying on the diet.

There are some disadvantages to the raw food diet. This is not a diet for those people who must eat out often, Meals are prepared fresh and from scratch in most instances. If you are sensitive to carbohydrates or to grains, the diet is not for you. The early phases of the diet include large amounts of grain and pasta. There are numerous rules to follow in order to avoid combining foods incorrectly. In many instances, you must purchase a juicer or other kitchen equipment, which can be costly. Finally, the diet doesn't recommend exercise, so it is unbalanced in one sense.

On the other side of the equation, there are many good features about the diet. The wide variety of foods included means it is better balanced nutritionally than many other weight loss or detox diets. Desserts are allowed on all levels with certain restrictions. A specific kind of chocolate is allowed as a treat. Dieters can proceed at their own pace.

The raw food detox diet is healthy eating at its best, but it is not for everyone. You don't have to be a vegetarian or vegan to enjoy the diet, but it helps. Even though there is little cooking in the later levels of the diet, you have the opportunity to eat a wide variety of nutritious and delicious foods.

The Joy Of Raw Food Diet Weight Loss

The raw food diet is rapidly gaining popularity and awareness among knowledgeable health conscious consumers. As we enter the 21st century people are becoming more diet conscious due to an increase in understanding about how the body works. When people pursue raw food diet weight loss and abandon modern processed foods they quickly see a change in the way they feel and an increase in their energy levels. The benefits of turning from soda pop and processed food to more healthy things like uncooked vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and even seaweed are bringing millions of people benefits like increased energy, better skin tone and even reduced illnesses.

Raw food diet weight loss revolves around cutting out foods that are not readily processed by the body. By replacing these processed foods with natural foods that are not cooked at excessive temperature many enzymes and nutrients are left intact. Studies have shown that heating food above 115 degrees F can destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. At least 75% of the diet must be uncooked or raw food in order for the diet to be a true raw food diet.
If you are thinking about pursuing raw food diet weight loss you need to make sure that your body's PH is not moving towards being more acidic than alkaline. An acidic body is a fat body as the metabolism will be slowed down and more inefficient. When an unhealthy diet of processed foods is consumed this will create an acidic condition in the body. To test the body's acidity you can use PH test strips, these are inexpensive and they can be used to help determine not only your PH but the right diet schedule needed to meet your weight loss goals. By eating an alkaline diet you will find weight loss is more effective. This is the major tip in achieving long term weight loss. Fruits, vegetables and herbs will help assist you in your efforts to maintain a more alkaline body.

Eat Fresh and Organic
Eating organic foods can help as they contain higher nutrient levels. Organic foods have more alkalizing minerals than conventionally grown foods and eating organic will speed up your weight loss efforts. Make sure to buy the highest quality and most delicious food. It may cost more but the great taste and higher quality will ensure that your raw food diet weight loss plans are successful. The lowest calorie count per ounce will be found with raw greens and vegetables. Fruits are next in line. In general, fruits have a slightly higher calorie count because of their naturally occurring sugars which will help with weight loss due to the fact that this will raise the body's blood sugar and reduce hunger levels. People will often eat a piece of fruit before their meal to reduce over eating. If you eat a piece of sweet fruit like some pineapple or an apple 30 minutes before your main meal this can significantly reduce your hunger cravings so that when you do finally eat you will want to eat less. Raw food diet weight loss is usually successful when a complete lifestyle change is made. This change is typically rewarded with a higher energy level and possibly a reduction in illness.

Beauty And Raw Food

One of the best ways to improve the appearance of your skin is by incorporating raw food into your diet. Beautiful skin starts from the inside out. People who switch to eating mostly raw food often see an improvement in their skin and look younger.

Heating food above 105 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the enzymes as well as up to 50% of the protein and 70-90% of the vitamins and minerals. Eating cooked food overtaxes the body’s enzyme reserves. Eating more raw food decreases the amount of digestive enzymes your body has to produce. Raw foods are foods in their natural state with the enzymes left intact. Enzymes are needed to perform many functions in the body including digestion, assimilation and elimination of food. A drained enzyme supply can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, premature aging and low energy. Raw foods high in enzymes include sprouts, papaya and pineapple.

Free radicals damage your skin and interfere with collagen production causing premature aging. Antioxidants counteract free radicals that age the skin. Berries, especially blueberries, are potent antioxidants that promote collagen which reduces wrinkles. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit help rid the body of free radicals keeping the skin looking young. Foods high in the antioxidant beta carotene including carrots and apricots protect the skin against sun damage.

CoenzymeQ10 is an effective antioxidant involved in the energy process and present in every cell in the body. CoQ10 levels in the body diminish with age. CoQ10 destroys free radicals and slows aging. Spinach, broccoli and peanuts are foods high in CoQ10.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the strength of other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, and assists the body’s energy production. Alpha-lipoic acid can be found in spinach, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, tomatoes and peas.

Sulfur is a mineral present in every cell in your body. It is needed in collagen production and for healthy skin, hair and nails. Organic sulfur levels in food are lost when processed, heated or dried. Sulfur is known to help improve skin conditions such as acne. High sulfur content foods include asparagus, broccoli, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion, watercress and kale.

Silicon is an essential trace mineral needed for healthy skin, hair, nails and bones. Silicon levels decrease with age. Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of silicon including apples, oranges, cherries, grapes, strawberries, beets, cucumber, carrots and green leafy vegetables.

Phytochemicals are plant chemicals that help the body defend against damage and are said to have anti-aging properties. Phytochemicals can be found in berries, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach, carrots, cocoa and bell pepper.

Raw nuts and seeds are high in Vitamin E which is beneficial to the skin. Selenium keeps the skin elastic and can be found in garlic, onions and shallots.

When the body rids itself of toxins, it passes through the skin which is the largest elimination organ. Raw food increases your detoxification rate. Drinking water helps the body rid itself of toxins. Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals beneficial to the skin and also helps rid the body of toxins.

To achieve a healthy complexion, drink plenty of water and eat plenty of raw food. What goes into your body is reflective in your overall appearance.

The Benefits and Challenges of a Raw Food Lifestyle

This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's Renegade Roundtable, which can be found at http://www.RenegadeRoundtable.com. In this excerpt, Dhrumil Purohit shares on his journey to a raw food lifestyle, including the benefits and the challenges.

Renegade Water Secrets with Dhrumil Purohit, the lead contributory, visionary and creator of welikeitraw.com and giveittomeraw.com.

Kevin: Well, let’s get right into it. For those people who have never heard of you, they soon will, and why don’t you just tell us a little bit about how you started into
this and how you got to where you are now.

Dhru: Sure. First of all, again, thank you for having me here. And everybody who’s listening in, it’s an honor to be here. The thing that I enjoy the most is connecting with other individuals, and that drives everything that I do. So to connect and build communities, that’s been such an important part of my journey and that’s actually how I got started.

My dietary journey started where at a conference I heard Ingrid Newkirk. She’s the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She was talking about milk, blah, blah, blah this, and dairy cows blah, blah, blah, that and at that time my level of consciousness wasn’t hip to maybe the plight of certain animals. But she mentioned something that really hit me, she said, “Blah, blah, blah, if you get rid of milk then you might see your acne go away.” I was in high school at the time, I’m trying to talk to girls, I’m trying to be a more social individual, but even though I had been raised vegetarian, coming from an Indian background, I always dealt with acne. So when she said that I said, “Ok, you know what, she say’s that in about a month’s time you can start to see a major difference, so let me get rid of the dairy in my diet.” So when I got rid of the diary in my diet, naturally people ask you, “What the heck are you doing?” So you have to read up on it and you have to get educated a little bit and that’s when I finally started to understand and make the connection, that even though I was brought up vegetarian I had never really understood fully the connection between food and health.

Then once that started, for a year and a half, as many people there have kind of gotten their start, I was a processed vegan. I was eating soy burgers and tofutti and carbitarian totally all the way. The finally one day at a health food store, in the aisle, I’m shopping for my produce and I see this guy who I’ve seen like a hundred times before shopping at the same organic co-op. And I always noticed that the whites of his eyes are really white, he was a very fit gentleman, he looked fairly young as well.

So I went up to him and I finally said, “Hey bro, what is it that you actually do? What is it that you eat?” And he was like, “Oh, man I’m into raw food.” And I was like, “Raw food, what is that?” And over the next 40 minutes, this gentleman, who’s name is actually Nature Love, kind of over the next 45 minutes gave me a full breakdown of the relationship between food and why raw food matters and how it can improve the health. And from that day, which was the year 2001, that’s when my journey really began. It was on that day.

Kevin: Wow, that’s pretty nice. Let’s just get right into it here. What are some of the biggest challenges that you encountered from that day till now that really stand out in you head, that say, “This is what happened, here’s how I dealt with it and here’s how I’m better because of it?”

Dhru: Sure, absolutely. Well one of the things that I talk about a lot is the physiological challenges and I noticed that... I’ll give you a specific example, when I first started my journey after meeting Nature, the next day Nature, after I met up with him in the aisle, he came over to my place to show me and my roommate a little bit about raw foods. And when Nature told me that he was 40, and this guy literally, like... there’s photos of him on our website, welikeitraw.com, you can see how fit he is, how young he looks. When he told me he was 40-years-old I totally flipped. I was like, “OK, I’m doing this today.”

So that was the first biggest challenge that I faced, I went 100 percent overnight embarking on raw foods. And what kept me going solid 100 percent for the first 8 months was discipline and excitement. Sheer excitement because I was looking forward to the future. I kept on thinking that in the future this will all be worth it and I’ll be at some place where my health and everything else will click and it won’t be as tough as it is now. And then discipline, which is simply one desire that’s trumping another desire. I had this desire to look fit, to be energetic, to be healthy, and then I also had this desire to eat a donut or eat this, or eat that.

But my desire for being fit and healthy was strongest. But the challenge with discipline is, after a certain time, because discipline comes from a place of desire, discipline will always fail you. At some point in time discipline will always fail you because resisting your desires is... well it’s resisting your desires. It’s still a desire that’s inside of you. So for eight months solid I was going through the physiological challenges of wanting to stick to this thing, I felt good, but I had all these desires inside to try different foods, to eat different things.

And it was right around that point, that after I, at the time I considered it “‘failing.” I failed on my raw food diet by yo-yoing back and forth; I realized that there was a better way, a smarter way, a more intelligent way to approach diet. And, yes there were some very practical things that I did to improve my relationship with food. Having more green smoothies, having some transitional foods, things like that.

But overall I saw that the biggest shift, the thing that benefited me the most, and now I’m seeing that it’s benefiting so many other people as well too, is that to actually ask yourself, “Why am I doing this in the first place? Am I waiting for the future to be better than the present moment? Am I doing this because someday I think things will be better?” It’s all right to have goals, it’s all right to have health goals, it’s all right to build a foundation, but the biggest challenge that I see is that a lot of people have, regardless of whatever dietary regimen they’re trying to follow, if they’re trying to just eat healthier, or exercise more, they are their biggest enemy because of these physiological battles they play with themselves back and forth.

It’s easy to open up a book and know what to do. There are so many nutrition books and websites that are out there that give you great information now, especially with things like Goggle. And you can see what you can do.

The same thing goes with exercise. But when you look at it, it’s not that people have a problem with information they have this physiological battle with identifying themselves with certain goals and living in the future instead of bringing their attention back into the present moment.

Kevin: So you said in that first eight months you were living in the future, correct?

Dhru: Yeah, I was living in the future. I was just constantly thinking that things will be better, it’ll be easier. I’m eating towards some future goal; I’m eating towards some future goal of being fit in my ideal version of what I had as fitness in my head. And then also along with that I was identifying with something, my ego was identifying with the concept of being 100 percent raw.

Which, I’m sure Kevin, you’ve seen with the excellent work that you do, a lot of people probably write in to you that say they need to be 100 percent raw but they can’t. And that’s just some arbitrary goal. That doesn’t mean that I was actually any healthier, I was just fixated on this concept of being 100 percent raw.

So instead of being 100 percent healthy and just enjoying and having a beautiful relationship with food, I was focused on this arbitrary idea of being 100 percent raw because I thought that it would bring me something that wasn’t something that I had with me right then and there at that moment. I was looking to diet as a way to fulfill me, which is an exact example of people that have really bad challenges with food. They’re looking to food for fulfillment. People that go through, I don’t want to speak personally, because I haven’t gone through this, but from what I’ve read, individuals that suffer through bulimia and other eating disorders, often what they’re looking for in certain ways is that they treat food as a vehicle to fulfillment, to fulfill them even if they don’t want to eat it. They’re rejecting food as a way to fulfillment with something to fulfill themselves with something that isn’t with them right then and there.

I know it starts to become really abstract, but the easiest way to say it is that just take a look at anything that you’re doing in your life right now. And if you’re running off of shear discipline, if you’re running off the hope that someday in the future that you’ll make it, the chances are that you’re going to face so many more struggles along your journey.

As opposed to the flip side is, everybody wants a challenge, everybody is down for a good challenge and the difference between a challenge and a struggle is the added dimension of resistance. When you go through a struggle, when you’re yo-yoing in your diet, when you can’t stick to your exercise plan, when you’re having a hard time doing something that you want to do, that’s a struggle.

And what accompanies a struggle is resistance. You’re resisting something; you’re resisting something that you’re not ready to be at a level that you want to be at. Maybe you need to go slower. Whatever it is that you’re resisting, because you’re resisting it you’re using discipline as a way to kind of mask that, to kind of keep your eyes not focused on the total picture. And then you end up sending yourself back further because you haven’t actually taken baby steps to build a proper foundation in whatever journey you’re trying to make progress in.

Five Reasons To Eat Raw Foods

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and seaweed. The eating of meat or fish raw is not something that the majority of raw foodies advocate.


It is a scientific fact that heating food above 116 degrees Fahrenheit is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Once the enzymes are dead then your organs have to work harder and they become overworked and for many they no longer function as they should. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and life of food, often rendering the food toxic to your body. I don't advocate a complete raw food diet, but I do recommend incorporating 50% or more raw foods into your lifestyle.


There is no denying that there are many reasons why one should incorporate more raw foods in their diet. Here are 5 possible benefits when eating a raw food diet, or at least incorporating more raw foods in your diet.


1. Lowers Free Radicals and formation of Disease

The reversal or elimination of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer can be accomplished through a raw food diet. When food is cooked it creates free radicals; a major cause of cancer. When you lower the number of free radicals in your cells, you lower your risk of cancer. A diet that is mostly raw eliminates the need for over cooking foods which in turns lowers the creation of free radicals in the body.


2. Saves Money

When you eat raw foods you save money. This is because when you eat raw your body is getting more of the necessary nutrients than it needs so there is no need for all the supplements and vitamins that those who eat more cooked food tend to consume. Also with raw food you eliminate many of the pots, pans, and appliances needed for cooking because you prepare it as opposed to cooking it. Another way you save money is because a diet that is high in raw foods eliminates many of the illnesses that are caused by over cooked foods so you are not bothered with many medical expenses.


3. Saves Time

Raw foods take very little preparation so you spend less time in the kitchen. Most raw food meals that even your children can help in the preparation and some can do the preparation alone.


4. Normalizes Body Weight

Consuming raw foods will help you achieve your ideal body weight. With raw foods you won't feel fat and if you are too thin, you will actually start to look healthier. And a huge plus is that you won't have to worry about counting calories.


5. More Energy

An excellent benefit of raw food is that most people feel more energy. With raw foods your metabolic rate is higher and you feel like actually doing something. Cooked foods load your body down making it feel tired and you are not as active as you would like to be.

Overall raw food consumption is a great way to create a body that is healthy and looks great inside and out. If you are thinking of adopting a raw food idea make it an aim to have a diet that is 50% to 75% raw.

Raw Food Health-Achieve Good Health Through Raw Food Starting Today

Is raw food really good for your health? Many people want to know the answer to this question, as the raw food diet getting a lot of attention of the last several years.

Quite simply, the diet most people eat today does not lend itself to get long-term health. Many people eat a diet rich in meat and dairy products, and therefore don't achieve good health later in life.

The reason that raw food diet is so good for your health is that they contain enzymes, what your body needs to digest its' food well. Quite simply, the only foods where enzymes are found is raw food because anytime you cook foods, the enzymes are cooked right out of it.

Only way to get enzymes is to eat your food raw and unooked; anytime you can cook food over a certain temperature, the enzymes are cooked out of it. This is why eating at a diet rich in raw food is so good for you.

Most raw food health advocates suggest you eat a diet with about 75% of your food being raw. Another great tip when eating raw food is to eat only raw food in the morning and at night. Quite simply, these times are the times that your body likes best to digest its food and cleanse its' system.

When you put cooked food in your body, it has to spend that time trying to digest this food, and that's why often times wake up more tired when you get up then when you went to bed; your body just spent the whole night digesting the cooked food, and had to work extremely hard to achieve this.

When you eat foods without enzymes the body has to manufacture its' own digestive enzymes to aid in the digestion process because it's not receiving it through it's foods; when you get get it through your foods naturally, the body doesn't have to work nearly as hard.

When you spend a lifetime eating cooked food, the pancreas wells up to at least twice its normal size. Hopefully these raw food health tips will help you get on the road to good health starting today. You are about to embark on an incredible adventure; good luck with your new raw food ways.

Know The Difference Between Raw Food and Vegetarian Diet

Most people do not know the difference between raw food diet and vegetarian diet. In order to first know the difference among the two, we must first take a closer look on their similarities. True, a person who is on a strict raw food diet can be considered as a vegetarian. However, unlike a vegetarian who can eat cooked vegetables, a raw foodist only consumes foods that are uncooked and unprocessed. A vegetarian is a person who eats cooked and uncooked, processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables. A vegetarian can eat onion rings in a restaurant but a raw foodist can only eat raw fruits and vegetables and drink fruit juices. If you think it is hard for vegetarians to find something to eat, how much more for the raw foodist.


There are several different types of vegetarians – vegans, fruitarians, etc. – and a raw foodist is a type of vegetarianism. Unlike that of a vegetarian, a raw foodist can include sushi on their diet. As long as the food is not cooked and unprocessed. A vegetarian may eat steamed broccoli, however, a raw foodist only consumes it in its raw form. A vegetarian’s diet do not include meat, fish, or any kinds of animal product while a raw foodist – as mentioned above – can include it in its diet as long as it is in its raw form. Meaning, a person who is on a raw food diet is also considered a vegan who consumes uncooked, unprocessed raw foods.



Raw only?

If you are on a diet that only consumes foods that are at least 75% raw, or uncooked fruits and vegetables, then you are one of the many people who are on a raw food diet. Raw foods contain the necessary food enzymes that our body needs. As a matter of fact, raw foods have high levels of enzyme than that of cooked foods. Studies show that cooking foods (especially above 116°F) is can reduce the enzymes of the food.


Those who are on a raw food diet have a meticulous method in preparing their food such as sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and dried fruits; and extract juice from fruits and vegetables.


Consuming organic foods is the best way to have a healthy diet. Lots of supermarkets and grocery stores are now offering packed fruits and vegetables. As a matter of fact, more and more fruits and vegetable retailers have been popping up these days. It is now much easier purchase bags of fruits and vegetables.