Raw FAQ
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What is raw veganism?
Veganism is the practice of not consuming any animals or animal products. This includes pork, beef, lamb, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, stocks made from animals or fish, gelatin, etc., although some people may identify themselves as vegan even though they consume honey. Raw food veganism thus refers to all of the above, but none of the food can have been heated (cooked) to more than 40 degrees C (104 degrees F). This temperature limit is still contested among specialists, so you will likely see different figures quoted in different places. The idea is the same, though: By not heating the food to a temperature higher than the human body itself can withstand, the idea is that the foods' nutritional content, along with its enzymes - the life force in food - will be preserved. True, there are some raw foodists that eat animal products if they are raw, but many more raw foodists tend to be environmentally conscious, hence the popularity of raw veganism.
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What is the difference between RAW and LIVING foods?
Living food is in a form that still has life and is able to grow. Raw food has not been cooked, but is not necessarily in a form that can still grow or produce life. An example is sunflower seeds. Typically, nuts and seeds have enzyme inhibitors to keep them dormant until conditions are proper for growing. They are then exposed to water, which releases the inhibitors and their growth into a plant begins. Sunflower seeds can be raw, but not necessarily living. This means that they have not been exposed to extreme heat and are still able to sprout and become a living food, with their inhibitors intact, carrying both life force and active enzymes. If you take these raw seeds and soak them several days they begin to grow and are now considered a living food. The major difference between raw and living food can be answers with the question, "Is this food able to grow in its present form?" Any food that has NOT been exposed to high heat ("cooked") is considered raw. Not all raw foods are thus necessarily living, but they do carry more healing and enzyme potential than their cooked counterpart. Both living and raw foods are the foods of choice for our health.
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Why do people turn to raw foodism?
Just as with vegetarians, there are a variety of reasons people would start to base their diets on raw foods. The most obvious reason, and the reason that propels people to start a raw food diet is the physical: A raw food diet increases longevity, prevents and even cures disease, helps with weight control, and gives the eater high levels of energy and well being. Following the physical is mental: Eating raw increases mental clarity and concentration. As with regular vegans, there is the moral issue: many people do not believe that we are meant to consume animals, that animals have rights, and that eating them will lead to bad karma. Another reason is environmental: It is now well known that the meat industry is far from friendly to the environment. Cattle farms use precious land, water, and energy for food production. The world's cow farts are far more destructive that CO2! Global warming and deforestation are directly linked to the world's appetite for meat and meat products. By not cooking their foods, individuals eating raw use less energy at home as well. A final reason is spiritual: It is said that inner cleanliness heightens our sensitivity and peace of mind. This is why many religious groups practice sessions of fasting in their rituals. Emptiness and cleanliness can supposedly bring you closer to God in many religious practices.
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What's wrong with cooked foods?
This question is probably best answered by Dr. Bernarr, D.C., D.D: "When food is cooked above 118 degrees F [just over 40 degrees C] for three minutes or longer, its protein has become coagulated, its sugar has become caramelized, its natural fibers have been broken down, which means it will take longer to move through the intestinal tract, 30% to 50% of its vitamins and minerals have been destroyed and 100% of its enzymes have been destroyed. Cooked food depletes our body's enzyme potential and drains the energy we need to maintain and repair our tissues and organ systems and shortens our lifespan."
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What are enzymes?
Enzymes are energized protein molecules that accelerate important chemical reactions in the body. They transform minerals, vitamins, hormones, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into the substances needed to restore, repair, and maintain health and well being. According to some scientists, there are over 3000 different enzymes within each of the 75 trillion cells in the body. The three major types of enzymes include metabolic enzymes, responsible for the chemical reactions needed for energy production and detoxification, digestive enzymes, produced by the pancreas and secreted along the gastrointestinal tract to break down food, and food enzymes, included not in the body, but in raw foods.
If you eat a diet high in raw foods, your food supplies you with the enzymes needed to digest, such that your body can then focus its energies on repair and maintenance, instead of having to activate the creation of digestive enzymes. The human body uses three metabolic enzymes just to produce one digestive enzyme, and nature intended these enzymes as a backup system, not for regular use. Chronic use of the body's own enzymes to digest cooked foods puts pressure on the pancreas and decreases the body's ability to maintain a vital state of health.
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What are the different types of raw food diets?
Indeed, it is rare that any type of diet is clear-cut, and with raw veganism too, there are a number of different eating styles. A vegan raw foodist consumes raw fruits, vegetable, nuts, and seeds, as well as condiments, combinations, and derivatives of these foods. A natural hygienist consumes raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and spouts, but not condiments. In addition, natural hygienists practice strict food combining (see below) and believe that there are other facets to maintaining perfect health (see below). Frutarians, like the name says, consume primarily sweet and non-sweet fruits, as wells as some greens, nuts, and seeds. A sproutarian consumes mainly sprouts. (You may also hear of other raw diets as you read more about the topic, such as the Hippoctates Diet, the Essene Diet, the Macrobiotic-Raw Diet, and the Hunza Diet. Each have their own set of differing guidelines and philosophies.) A liquitarian consumes fruit and vegetable juices which have had the fiber extracted from them, as well as broths, teas, nut mylks, and water. Finally, the breatharian lives off, you guessed it, air! And water and sunshine.
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What are the physical benefits of eating a vegan, raw food diet?
This question can be answered by offering a list that is seemingly endless! Even by adding raw foods in your diet without completely eliminating cooked foods, there is much to be gained. Most notably is weight loss, clearer and younger-looking skin, decreased sleep requirements, increased energy and vitality, eradication of allergies, aches and pains, and addictions, etc. Many individuals with severe health issues from diabetes to even certain cancers have managed to heal themselves with a raw food diet. The media touts the diet as a cure, but in fact it is our body that heals itself. When we eat well we nourish our bodies, we allow them do what they were designed to do. With the SAD (Standard American Diet, now not only in America!), we are doing just the opposite. The body has to devote so much time to processing the junk that we put into it that it is no longer able to heal and revitalize us. Here is a summation of the benefits of raw foods:
a) As noted earlier, raw foods contain enzymes, the "Sparks of Life." These are catalysts to all reactions that happen in the body and work together with minerals and some vitamins.
b) Raw foods provide an alkaline ash to the body. The majority of raw and living foods are alkaline forming. This means when they are burned, or oxidized by the body the ash remaining contains minerals that give important building materials to the body. Acid foods leave no minerals behind and actually rob the body of minerals during the process of digestion.
c) Raw foods are naturally hydrating. Water not only is a great conductor of electrical current, but also carries valuable information to the DNA of the cells. This, in turn, rejuvenates the body. Water found untouched in raw or living vegan foods is pure and structured by nature, and therefore easily utilized at the cellular level.
d) Raw foods are easy to digest. Living and raw vegan foods are very easy to digest because their protein bonds are not strengthened by heat, leaving the body with a large amount of available energy for other pursuits. Made by nature, they come with all the enzymes needed for their digestion, ensuring they are fully broken down and available for use by the body. During the digestive process, the trapped life force is released to the body, giving it energy and the ability to heal.
e) Raw foods release life force, vitamins, minerals and enzymes to the body. Raw and living vegan foods carry in them vitamins and minerals of the type the body readily recognizes and can use. This induces an alkaline and anabolic environment that creates health and vitality, versus sickness, disease and death.
f) Raw foods normalize weight. Eating raw vegan provides the grounds for your body to normalize weight. Properly following the acid / alkaline guidelines of this lifestyle provides an environment in which your body is free to release toxins and thus the fat they are stored in. Consumption of fresh organic versus packaged processed foods also provides the necessary amino acids for building and maintaining proper muscle tone. The combination of eating fresh, unadulterated foods along with eating foods that are 90% alkaline ash, provide the body with the environment needed to release fat and build muscle.
g) Raw foods support mental functions. Many find increased mental clarity as well as heightened awareness when following a raw vegan diet. The alkaline nature of living vegan foods provides increased enzyme and mineral availability. This decreases both mucus and inflammation throughout the body, allowing for more efficient functioning of the brain and neurotransmitters. Food falls into 2 categories with regard to its effect on consciousness: expansive and contractive. Fruits, vegetables, and other alkaline foods are expansive. Meats, nuts, and other acid foods are contractive. When you consume a diet of 90% or more alkaline foods, you naturally feel more expansive and enjoy a heightened awareness of your body and surroundings.
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What foods should not be eaten on a vegan, raw food diet?
First, all animal products should not be consumed (meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy) Second, any processed, packaged, or fried foods are off the checklist. All these foods are usually full of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemicals, flavorings, preservatives, additives, colorings, and enhancers of different sorts. Moreover, these foods are usually eaten in the cooked state; they are pasteurized, processed, or refined using various processes that include the use of heat, thus destroying naturally-occurring enzymes and instead introducing disease-causing pathogens and compounds to form in our bodies. Eating organic is preferable, but not always possible for raw foodists, due to lack of availability or financial constraints. Some foods, though seen by many as healthy (brown rice, chick peas, lentils, starchy vegetables like potatoes, etc.), are not meant to be consumed in their natural, raw state, as they are too hard to digest. If consumed, then, they should be sprouted in order to aid in digestibility. It is in this area where some raw foodists will very occasionally do some cooking. For optimum health, however, these foods should either be sprouted or completely avoided.
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What's wrong with milk and dairy products?
We are the only species to drink the milk of other animals. How natural is that, when you think about it? Cow's milk is wonderful food.... for calves! Likewise, breast milk is perfect food for human babies. Then, once we reach a certain age, we no longer require it. In fact, the enzymes needed to properly digest even our own mother's milk disappear by the age of 3. The milk from each species is designed to nourish and protect their own young by providing them with nutrition in just the right amounts. Cow's milk is designed to help baby cows put on a great deal of weight in a short amount of time. It is no wonder that dairy consuming nations are among the most obese in the world. In addition, cow's milk, under today's manufacturing norms, is infested with hormones, chemicals, fat, and even pus! Many people believe there is a lot of calcium in milk, but in fact, there are better sources in plant food. Not only that, but we can only absorb 25% of the calcium it contains, whereas we can digest 50% from plant sources. Furthermore, digestion of cow's milk actually takes calcium from our bodies! It has been noted, ironically, that countries consuming the most milk also have the highest rates of osteoperosis. Too many people are lactose intolerant to ignore, and recent research is linking much disease with dairy intake. Check out www.notmilk.com for more information.
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Why is organic better?
a) no pesticides: Exposure to synthetic pesticides has been linked to a number or serious huan diseases. Conventional farming (factory farming) allows use of these pesticides whereas organic farming does not.
b) no genetic engineering: Organic standards prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) for feed and livestock, whereas conventional forming does not. Unfortunately, GMO’s often find their way into our environment and food system anyway.
c) no growth hormones: Growth hormones are used to increase the size and growth rate of animals raised for meat and to stimulate the production of animal products, such as milk. Wide-scale use of such hormones is permitted by most governments, but organic farming prohibits it. This is of great concern to those who still consume meat and meat products in their diets. We know, after all, of the terrible effects of hormones on humans (used by athletes)…
d) no antibiotics: When drugs are administered to previously organic animals, they can no longer be labeled as such. In factory farming, however, where animals survive in extremely cramped conditions, sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics are routinely fed to animals to keep the animals from getting sick and to promote growth.
e) no irradiation: Irradiation is used to kill microbes, which may spoil food and cause human illness. However, it also impacts foods’ enzymes, vitamins, and healthfulness of food. The use of ionizing radiation to preserve food is prohibited in organic farming. Instead of irradiation, it is suggested that feedlots and industrial food-processing operations be cleaned up. Again, in conventional farming, such practices are accepted for both produce and meat.
f) no sludge: In conventional farming, sewage sludge and dioxins and other chemicals are permitted to fertilize crops, despite concerns of contamination by high levels of heavy minerals. Composted manure, crops residuals, cover crops, and rock powders are the fertilizers of choice in organic farming.
g) no animal cannibalism: Even though this practice has been associated with diseases such as Mad Cow Disease, rendered animal products are still allowed by some governments to be fed to cattle, sheep, and other herbivores as a protein supplement. This is taboo in organic farming, of course.
h) healthy soil and water: Organic farmers believe that healthy soil promotes active soil life that in turn breaks down minerals and makes a complex meal array of nutrients available to plants. Organic farming therefore sticks to a program of soil building in order to protect the soil from erosion and water pollution. Synthetic fertilizers used in conventional farming leave out the many diverse macronutrients that lead to plant vigor and health.
i) free range: Organically raised animals have access to fresh air, sunshine, and space in which to run freely around. This not only promotes animal health and welfare, but also contributes to maintaining large areas of open land in developing communities. Organic standards prohibit confinement and feedlot-style operations that are common in conventional farming.
j) humane conditions: Finally, to be labeled as organic, it is required that animals be treated humanely. This covers areas such as space requirements, ventilation, manure accumulation, and access to pasture, healthcare, care for young, food, water, etc. The thinking is that ethical agriculture leads to thriving plant and animal life and healthy life cycles.
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What are SUPERFOODS?
Superfood is a term used to describe foods that have very condensed amounts of nutrition; it is used to describe foods with high phytonutrient content, believed to confer health benefits as a result. For example, blueberries are often considered a superfood (or superfruit) because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants, anthocyanins, vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber. However, many dietitians and nutritional scientists dispute the claims made that consuming particular foodstuffs can have a health benefit. There is no legal definition of the term and some say that it over-used as a marketing tool. In addition to lesser known superfoods like acai berries, gojo berries (wolfberries), maca, kimchi, natto, spirulina, yacon root, and noni, less exotic foods like pumpkin, spinach, walnuts, papaya, and yes, raw chocolate (cacao) are also labeled as superfoods.
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What causes disease?
There are two types of disease. The first type is constructive disease, often called acute disease. This is the most common and the most easily reversible. The second type of disease is degenerative. This results from organic impairment in which organs, tissues, bones, or other faculties have undergone destruction, distortion, or irreversible impairment. There are exceptions, however, such as arthritis, which sees an improvement with a change in diet. Disease can only take root and thrive in the presence of toxicity in the body, so bacteria and viruses cannot be blamed for disease. Raw foods are easy for your body to digest and assimilate, which means the body does not have to work so hard. Eating raw is a way to constantly detoxify your body, as a) you are not putting as many toxins into your body to begin with, and b) your body has a lot of free time and energy to devote to the task of maintenance. On a raw food diet, waste and any diseased cells slowly but surely leave the body as new cells form with healthy, nutrient-rich blood. A strong immune system made possible with a good diet is also the body’s best defense against the bacteria that is all around us. Bad bacteria and viruses cannot penetrate healthy cells in order thrive. Stress, pollution, and lack of exercise also have a roll to play in keeping out bodies healthy, so it’s important to maintain health in all areas of our lives.
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When is the best time to eat?
The human body has three natural, 24-hour body cycles called “circadian rhythms,” during which several body functions take place. These cycles occur continuously throughout the day, but each one predominates at a certain time of the day. Our different lifestyles (going to bed and waking up at different times) may differ from individual to individual, and our lifestyles may influence these circadian rhythms somewhat, but the rhythms are based primarily on the rotation of the earth, and therefore are more or less set. We should sleep and eat according to these cycles for optimum health.
1) Appropriation: 12:00 to 20:00
This is when the body is best able to efficiently ingest and digest food.
2) Assimilation: 20:00 to 4:00
This is most intense when we are asleep, and is the time when the most nutrients are taken from the food, absorbed by the digestive tract, and used by the body.
3) Elimination: 4:00 to 12:00
This is when the body has finished its other tastes and can now rid the body of waste from all the cells and tissues in the body (Elimination is not limited to bowel movements!).
This is why is actually best to put off eating earlier in the day, or at least stick to foods that are easily digestible, such as fruit. In doing so, we can prolong the detox time we give our bodies every day during sleep. It is ironic how we have been trained to start the day with a big breakfast!
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What's wrong with overeating?
The Japanese have a great saying, hara hachi-bu, which means you should eat only until you are 80% full. Longevity studies have noted that this practice does indeed lead to a longer life span. Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so that actually does not leave much room left. Also, it is not the amount of food you eat that keeps you alive and healthy, it’s the food that your body is actually able to use to turn into cells that’s important (and the higher the quality, the better). Unnecessary food will just be discarded and chucked into your intestines to ferment, creating gas and bloating, eventually eliminated after putting your body through much stress. Some of this food remains in your gut and becomes impacted along the sides of the colon, leading to lethargy, acne, allergies, excess weight, etc.
People with digestive problems often find that after eating just raw fruits and vegetables for a few days, their stomach will properly empty and they will start eliminating more regularly (ideally at least 3 times daily) Subsequently just eating less without making huge dietary changes yields notable results in health. Getting enemas or colonic irrigation is also beneficial to one’s health. After getting rid of the impacted mucus that lines your intestinal wall, you can feel fantastic, like a new person. Fasting sessions with psyllium husk drinks and colonics are a powerful way to cleanse the colon and detoxify the body.
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What is food combining?
Food combining is the chemistry-based science of eating certain foods together or separately in order to optimize digestion and assimilation into the body. Different foods digest differently. Simply carbohydrates start digesting right away in the mouth (this means sugars such as honey, fruit, starchy vegetables) with the alkaline enzyme called ptyalin, while protein foods require hydrochloric acid and begin digestion only in the stomach. As alkalis and acids neutralize each other, the result is poor digestion if they are mixed. And improperly digested foods can be disastrous to health. Top tips for food combining:
a) Eat fruits first and alone.
b) East raw foods before cooked foods.
c) Eat juicy food before dry food.
d) Eat easy to digest foods before foods that require more time to digest.
e) Do not combine carbohydrates with proteins.
f) Do not eat more than one kind of fat of protein at the same time.
g) Do not eat too much fat at one time.
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What kitchen appliances or equipment are needed to follow a raw diet?
You don’t have to spend a fortune on kitchen appliances conducive to a raw food diet. In fact, you can easily get away with a good knife and cutting board. However, if you’d like to make a bigger variety of meals, the following is recommended, and they are ordered in importance. The price range for each item varies dramatically, so do your research:
a) a blender to mix wet ingredients (smoothies, dressings, soups, and drinks)
b) a food processor to chop or mix dry or wet ingredients (nut pates, cookies, pie crusts, veggies)
c) a spiral slicer to slice veggies into “pasta” or other shapes that change the texture of your food (pretty vegetables, “pasta,” “lasagna”)
d) a juicer to extract juice from it’s origin (fresh juice, coups, dressings)
e) a dehydrator to remove liquid at a low temperature (raw crackers, dried fruit and veggies, raw bread, raw cookies, sun burgers)
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What does "Raw Lifestyle" refer to?
Being raw, or following a raw lifestyle can mean several things. To some it means eating only 100% uncooked vegan foods. As mentioned above, others believe eating between 75-100% uncooked food is considered being raw. There are also non-vegan raw foodists who believe you need animal protein. They eat their food uncooked, adding animal protein in the form of raw meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and cheeses. The raw lifestyle also includes living with respect for the earth and your own body. This can be witnessed in the practice of kitchen composting, using only products that you could eat, out on your skin and hair, and use for general house cleaning and laundry. Using non-toxic products for your pool, jaccuzi, aquarium, lawn fertilizer, paint, car and other normal activities could be considered by many as part of their "raw lifestyle." It could also include purchasing wind energy credits for your electricity or running your car on bio-diesel.
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What are some guidelines I should follow to have a "Raw Lifestyle?"
a) Eat as close to nature as possible. (Pick fruit and vegetables and eat then immediately!)
b) Eat organic whenever possible.
c) Eat 80%-90% alkaline forming foods.
d) Eat often, and as much as you desire of the food.
e) Think loving thoughts as you prepare and eat the food.
f) Eat foods that are as mineral and nutrient dense as possible. (Superfoods such as spirulina, sea vegetables, maca, goji berries, raw chocolate, wheatgrass, and suma are great!)
g) practice food-combining principles.
h) Drink pure water, or freshly made distilled water.
i) Replace cleaning items in your environment with ones that are non- toxic.
j) Replace soaps, shampoos, lotions, and hair products with pure herbal, non-toxic ones.
k) If you can’t eat it, try not to use it on your body. Your skin is highly absorbable and what you put on it goes directly into the blood stream, traveling throughout the entire body.
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What are other important aspects to health aside from my diet?
Adequate sleep, exercise, sunshine, rest, water, well-managed stress levels, and positive human relationships are all essential components of health in addition to diet. Every person is different, so the correct formula for optimal health is impossible to prescribe. So-called experts say to get 8 hours sleep, 8 glasses of water, 1 hour of exercise, etc., but ultimately your body will tell you what it needs, and these needs will change as your diet improves. Generally speaking, on a raw diet you will need less sleep, water, and rest, and have more energy to exercise, enjoy nature, and seek out positive relationships.
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How should I start going about transforming to a raw foods diet?
Although many people are able to succeed my making sudden overhauls in order to change their lives (take quitting smoking cold-turkey as an example), others end up reverting to old, ingrained habits when attempting to do too much too fast. Although I personally have had success following the complete overhaul approach, experts advocate the following as a better recipe for success for the majority of people:
First, begin with healthy additions without depriving yourself of the foods your currently love. Try adding a green smoothie to your morning meal 3-4 times a week, for example.
Second, substitute healthy alternatives for less desirable food choices, such as mineral-rich sweeteners instead of sugar; homemade soups instead of canned ones; freshly cooked grains and vegetables instead of processed meals, high-quality meats and fish instead of conventional super-market foods; buy organic instead of conventionally-produced produce.
Third, eliminate some unhealthy foods and addictions, such as processed sugar and items with corn syrup, meat and meat products, etc. This is easier if you’re already done the steps above and are feeling the benefits. Fourth, avoid extremism. Once in a while, it’s fine to indulge in foods if you normally eat reasonably well. Lastly, try eating many small meals or snacks throughout the day- about every 2 hours.
Remember: Focus on progress, not perfection, in all you do. It is better to make continual progress than to create stress trying to be too perfect and eventually fail. Stress causes acidity and is a precursor to disease.
