What IS Raw Eating?

A raw diet, very basically, is the eating of only raw, uncooked (past about 115 degrees), natural or sprouted food. This usually includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and seaweed and of course, water!

There are many ways to eat raw food besides cooking it! Lots of people make smoothies.. adding greens and fruit and often things like flax or hemp seeds for extra nutrition. Things like cold pressed (not heated) olive oil, vinegar, Braggs Liquid Aminos, raw apple (with mother) vinegar..etc. can be used to spice things up, use as dressings and more. The idea behind not cooking the food is that you want to preserve the live food properties as much as possible. Food contains enzymes that can be (and are) destroyed in the heating/cooking process. Without these live enzymes, food is not digested as well..thus making portions of the nutritional content unavailable for digestion and unavailable for the body to utilize the benefits of said food!

Also, it is pretty well known in the scientific world that the closer we get to the energy giving life source: the sun, the more of that energy we take into our bodies ourselves. For instance, the plant that grows out of the ground, it is full of that life-giving energy and minerals from the soil (if it is in good soil!). If we eat this plant source, we directly take in that energy! If another animal comes along and eats the plant, it assimilates this energy. If we then eat that animal (say a chicken), then we are removed from that energy source by not being the "first" on the scene! Though many feel that animal protein is important, indeed, vital, to our health, there are many that believe the opposite: that eating meat/dairy is unhealthy and not the best choice!

There is a LOT of data out there for both sides... so I encourage you to do your research about this! I am no expert, so I do not claim to have the answers! The fact is, fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds ARE healthy, so eating them is never a bad thing. That being said, if you choose to try eating raw, remember that it is often said that it is not WHAT you choose to eat, but what you DO NOT choose to eat that makes the difference! Staying away from processed, high sugar content, low nutritional value foods is a great idea and can improve your health immediately! I encourage you to look online (or check my resource page for lots of great links) and see for yourself. Don't be turned off by the moral views of people who tend to be in the Raw camp if they are not "your" views. To each their own. Just focus on the eating principles, the many health benefits and the great recipe ideas and give it a shot! Maybe, like me, you will try it for 30 days to see how you feel!

Thanks for taking the time to learn more and to think about your health.

Blessings!
Tracey