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