| Thinking about, or starting a raw food diet? Here are a | | | | tend to be more familiar to us. Then you can simply |
| few points to consider and help you along the way. | | | | add new, or more exotic, fruits and vegetables as you |
| Raw foodism is the practice of eating a raw food diet | | | | go along |
| and is practiced by people known as raw foodists. | | | | Nutrition is the overall benefit that food imparts to us. |
| Raw food recipes can be found in cookbooks | | | | However this benefit can be severely limited by poor |
| devoted to the category, or hidden away in more | | | | digestion and other health issues. Raw foodism helps |
| traditional cookbooks. When you find a recipe you like, | | | | promote ideal nutrition at all levels. |
| be sure to save it so you can enjoy it any time. | | | | Dried fruits make handy snacks. Be sure the |
| Enzymes are proteins that are made in living cells and | | | | temperature does not go over 116F if you are |
| help certain biochemical processes. Raw food diets | | | | dehydrating at home. If you purchase store bought |
| focus on the enzymes that promote health and aid | | | | dried fruit be sure to check the label to make sure it is |
| digestion. Heating food past 116F kills these beneficial | | | | 100% organic and contains no additives or |
| enzymes, which is why raw food is better. | | | | preservatives. |
| Most raw foodists do eat cooked food, but only | | | | Nuts also make another handy snack and have the |
| sparingly, and even then with an eye on the overall | | | | benefit of being high in protein and fat - the right kind of |
| quality and purity of the food. Cooked food is any food | | | | fat. People that worry about not getting enough fat or |
| that is heated above 116F, this includes pasteurization | | | | protein in a raw food diet need look no further than |
| which is designed to kill micro-organisms. | | | | nuts. One word of caution, be sure to avoid nuts that |
| Sprouts can come from seeds, beans, or grains that | | | | have been roasted, as the temperature at which this is |
| have started to grow - or 'sprout'. This process | | | | done is too high. |
| unlocks more nutritional value and improves the taste. | | | | Beans come in a lot of varieties, and are high in fiber |
| You can do it yourself or buy special sprouters, and | | | | and protein and low in fat. They can be combined in |
| sprouting kits. | | | | many ways. As they are not to be cooked, soaking |
| Weight loss is a natural consequence of eating a raw | | | | and sprouting are two common ways to eat them. |
| food diet. Some people start a raw food lifestyle for | | | | Grains are very versatile and can be eaten any time |
| the purpose of losing weight, but soon find it is about | | | | of the day. You should choose whole grains that are |
| much more than just dropping a few pounds | | | | certified organic. Grains can also be sprouted. |
| Digestion is the process of breaking down food, | | | | The vegan diet causes some confusion. Vegans that |
| absorbing its nutrients, and eliminating the waste. Raw | | | | cook their food are not raw foodists, though it would |
| foodists believe that by leaving naturally occurring food | | | | be fairly easy to make the full switch. Raw foodists |
| enzymes intact that it will aid in digestion - allowing the | | | | are not always vegans, as some do eat dairy |
| body to get the full value of the foods it is taking in. | | | | products, or the occasional piece of fish |
| And because your personal energy is not being used | | | | Health improvements of all kinds are claimed by raw |
| more than needed for digestion, you will have more | | | | foodists. While some of the evidence for a raw food |
| physical energy | | | | diet to cure even the most harmful of diseases is |
| Fruits and vegetables comprise a large portion of most | | | | anecdotal, there is no question that eating better food |
| raw foods diets. For those interested in raw foodism, | | | | than the typical Western diet affords is a smart choice. |
| fruits and vegetables are a good way start as they | | | | |