Your whole food, plant-based life.

Why Eat Raw

Why Eat Raw

Food sustains us,… Yet what we eat may affect our risk for several of the leading causes of death for Americans, notably, coronary heart disease, stroke, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and some types of cancer. These disorders together now account for more than two-thirds of all deaths in the United States.” -former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop

It is estimated that 60% of disease is caused by the SAD diet (Standard American Diet). If food is the culprit, I believe that food can be the answer. As we become mindful about what we eat, we can start to make choices that promote our health over illness. Food is consumed for nutrition but it is also consumed for pleasure. What happens if we learn how to satisfy our pleasure receptors with healthy food? Our lives improve.

veggies

What do our bodies need to eat raw?

What are the building blocks that our bodies need to function? Enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, protein, essential fats and fiber. These are all provided by our food and are involved in growth, repair and maintenance of the body. Let’s take a quick look at each of these and what they do for you.

Enzymes

Enzymes convert the food we eat into chemical structures that can pass though the membranes of the cells lining the digestive tract and into the blood stream. Their job doesn’t end there. Enzymes are the living proteins that direct the life force into our biochemical and metabolic processes. They help transform and store energy, make active hormones, dissolve fiber and prevent clotting. They have anti-inflammatory effects. Enzymes help balance and restore the immune system, and heal many diseases. Enzymes even help repair our DNA and our RNA.

When we cook food, we destroy many of the enzymes that help us naturally digest it.

Vitamins

Without vitamins our cells would not function properly and thus our organs would suffer and eventually we would no longer be able to survive. Vitamins help regulate metabolism, help convert fat and carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue. Guess what happens when you cook food? You got it, a large percentage of the vitamins are destroyed.

Viktoras Kulvinskas in his book, Survival into the 21st Century, estimates that the overall nutrient destruction is as high as 80%. Tests have shown that we will lose 50% of the B vitamins while B1 and B12 can lose up to 96%. 97% of folic acid is destroyed as well as 70-80 % of vitamin C.

Minerals

Seventeen of the thirty elements known to be essential to life are metals. Mineral deficiencies cause disease in humans. Minerals also have a synergistic relationship with vitamins. They help each other help us. When foods are cooked, many of the minerals are destroyed, or altered, rendering them useless and also unable to assist our friends the vitamins.

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are what give fruits and vegetables their color. Phytos protect the body and fight disease. They also fight cancer and help your heart. Phytonutrient are at leading edge of research on nutrition. They provide medicine for cell health. And once again, Phytonutrients in freshly harvested plant foods can be destroyed or removed by cooking.

Why Eat Raw?

It just starts to make sense. If cooking destroys the vital and essential nutrients that we need to stay healthy, eating our food raw does the opposite. It provides us with what we need for our health and well being. I know from experience that when I am eating at least 80% raw, I have more energy, more mental focus, and all of the pesky things that irritate me on a daily basis, like acid reflux and my daily aches and pains, dissipate. I also know that I am feeding my body what it needs to thrive, not just survive.






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125 Comments

  1. Tanya wrote on September 5, 2013

    Hi Susan,

    I have only found your site a few hours ago and as a professional chef that truly loves food, so far your site is the best compared to the 20 ish others I have looked upon the past several weeks. Which is the reason I am seeking Raw out and learning about it. My love affair with food has been taking a toll on my health. I worked for years at an exclusive health spa yet I was not doing what I preached. Unfortunately, I had a work place accident a few years ago and had my right arm/shouldet amputated. I gained a lot of weight since losing my arm and even though I got myself back on skis that wintet and snow shoe and hike. I do yoga and just recently, I mean 3 days ago recent, started at Crossfit. Not sure how that will go as they don’t seem very open to my different but obvious challenges.
    Then again I had to go through 4 different yoga teachers to find the one that wants me in her class and is open to helping me learn. It took me 9 months to pick up my Chef knife and re-learn everything lefty. Raw definetly has it’s challenges but even more so for myself. I was very excited about juicing but that ended very quickly as I could not get it apart or put bck together. So for the time geing I have my dehydrator and my blender. I have used my food processor to help chop up the greens to then put in my blender. The Vitamix is on my list, eventually as it is not in the budget, yet.
    What would be a good substitute for any tree nuts in your recipes? Would tahini work as I am allergic to almost all tree nuts and peanuts. I actually really love the taste of wheatgrass but I see a lot of different info regarding if its considered yay or nay on gluten free. I think it’s GF. Would organic frozen wheatgrass puree from Whole Foods still have health benefits? My biggest obstacle is peeling fruit like, mangos, pineapples, melon, etc. I buy melon from Whole Foods cut up but can I use organic frozen fruit and still get the nutrients?
    Thanks,
    Tanya

    Reply
    • Bella wrote on December 8, 2014

      Tanya- I know you wrote this post last year… but I just want to cheer you on! I hope you are still eating raw and working out. You are inspiring to me. Keep it up!!!
      Bella

      Reply
  2. Anne wrote on May 29, 2013

    Hi
    I am on my 7th week of a total raw diet, I am finding it easier as time goes on, I keep it simple most days and follow recipes when I have a little more time, i feel fantastic for it. My only problem is I still have to cook healthy meals for my non raw family 5 adult meals and 1 child meal, this I find very challenging,
    I am enjoying this site as none of my friends eat raw, it’s nice to get idea’s and recipes from other people.

    Reply
  3. Aslana wrote on May 13, 2013

    Umm that BMi not BMW dang spell check.

    Reply
  4. Aslana wrote on May 13, 2013

    Ok here’s a way to look at raw prep. I am a 47 mother of 2, one small, and one teen. I work, go to school, practice violin, teach yoga and pilates, and managing three websites, and training for that as well as, creating a holistic pilates program. I’m pretty sure if I have time to raw it, I think no one is busier than I.
    First plan your meals. I did this when I cooked, I have to plan the week. This is the first step into not running into the junk fast food trap. So ask what do you need to soak, sprout etc. What days do you work more or less on and figure your food plan around that. You have to do this, it’s for you health! many times we fall into bad eating habits because we can not say no to other peoples needing us to do something for or with them. we get too busy and thats why were in a problem with food to begin with. so make it a point to do this for you! Those people who are requiring your “yes” to their every requests Only wnt/need you to do something for them, but when you need their help ( make time to sprout or dehydrate) they’ll throw a fit and not honor you. We live in a culture and are ill with the disease to please. Women do this, so when you feel better, you can go back to yessing everyone and being as busy and lively as you want.
    Second, there is less time than cooking really. Compare cook dishes with raw and comparatively there is more steps for raw but less time for prep. For cooked food there is sometimes less prep time and more cook time. Unless you use processed box foods to speed things up.
    Sure I’d love to make that mango kiwi raw cheesecake but today no time. Perhaps tomorrow, but I have find time to squeeze in sprouting dehydrating and blending I have reduced my BMW 4 points in one month and reduced weight. It’s worth it for me.

    Reply
    • judy ann wrote on May 8, 2015

      Absolutely! You cant look after others if you don’t look after yourself

      Reply
  5. Larissa Consolagio wrote on May 10, 2013

    I have had a few raw meals from a friend into holistic healing and this way of life. Do you know of any week camps where one can stay and learn everything from fermenting to dehydrating and the health benefits of different foods? I am extremely interested and willing if possible exchange labor help for learning and cooking and a place to stay. Please let me know your thoughts on this.
    Thank you

    Reply
  6. Diana wrote on April 21, 2013

    Hi Susan,

    Congratulations you are Helping so many people!! I’m so happy to find your Web by accident, I’m been vegetarian for 2 years and now I had a lack of Vitamins deficient specially with all the Bs. So I start trying some of your amazing recipes.

    I also would want to ask you if changing to a raw diet will help my sister she has Thyroid problems for 10 years and I really want to help her she is suffering for many things with this disease. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Susan wrote on April 22, 2013

      I would recommend searching on google. I can not give any medical advice here nor would I as I am not an expert in that area. Everyone’s situation is different and everyone’s bodies are different.

      Reply
  7. Janet Greenhalgh wrote on March 19, 2013

    I’m glad your website cam across my path. So many raw food recipes look like something the dog threw up, but most of these actually look nice enough to present to my family and other foodies I know. I realize the nutritional value is the most important thing, but I also look for basic ingredients, quick preparation and attractiveness on the plate. As the western Germans say, Maltzeit!

    Reply
  8. Shannon wrote on March 10, 2013

    Hi Susan, Your website and recipes are amazing. I always look to your site for healthy, well tested/researched recipes. Thank you for sharing your passion and skills.

    Do you teach or mentor? I am impressed with your professionalism (website, skills/talents).

    Thanks again!

    Shannon

    Reply

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