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.
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.
125 Comments
Post a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Jacque wrote on March 30, 2014
Susan,
I have been exploring your website and it is absolutely beautiful. You are so talented in making raw food look delicious and more appealing than cooked foods. Would it be possible if you could add any beef tartare or fish and beef ceviche recipes?
Thanks again for your hard work and dedication!
Jacque
Susan wrote on March 30, 2014
Hi, Jacque, Since my site is vegan, you probably won’t be finding any of that here. 🙂 Cheers!
Ariane wrote on March 5, 2014
Hi Suzan,
I am with my second attempt to eat raw. The first time I had to give up because of a massive bloating, cramping, and weight gain. Since a week I eat 95% raw. It happened again I feel more and more miserable instead of better Have you had this too in de beginning? Is it an initial phase that passes? Could it be that my body does not function well on raw food? Help, I want so much more energy, no pain etc
Thanks a lot
Marsha wrote on January 12, 2015
To Ariane-
I’ve found that even a green smoothie for breakfast will cause diarrhea, cramps and bloating for me. Raw foods are full of fiber and wondrous nutrients that begin to detox the body. But not all bodies are ready to adopt this way of eating ‘cold turkey’ (sorry to bring in a reference to meat). I found out that from an Ayurvedic perspective, I have a damp system (others well informed on this should feel free to correct/elaborate on my elementary understanding), and therefore need foods just slightly heated-1 or 2 tosses in the pan and then eaten, so that the heat has begun the digestive process for my system, especially in the winter. But this does not mean that I cannot eat raw. I encourage you to seek an Ayurvedic practitioner and consult about what will best suit your body. My husband was recently diagnosed with a cancer of the plasma, so I am no longer delaying changing to purified water and making smoothies as well as at least 1 raw meal a day and raw treats. I’ve noticed that my body craves wonderful raw veggies and I can’t get enough. I hope Jim’s will too. Namaste
Susan wrote on March 15, 2014
I would start slowly. Don’t try to do it all at once. Incorporate raw food. Cheers!
Tammy wrote on March 2, 2014
I recently started eating raw and it is simply amazing. The recipes are wonderful and I think the foods taste just as delicious as traditional cooked food
Susan Jenkins wrote on January 2, 2014
I just started eating raw and just found your website!!!! I am beyond thrilled!! Thank you for being here!!!
Jess wrote on November 21, 2013
Hi 🙂 When you say you eat 80% raw is that per day? and what exactly is 80%? I eat mostly raw and will occasionally eat eggs, chicken and steamed veggies but I am not sure how you calculate the percentage. Can you clarify? Also, made your simple almond cheese and rosemary almond crackers today and they are both SO delicious. Thank you so much for putting your time and energy into this website to help others. I am very grateful! ~*Many blessings*~
Yvonne C. wrote on November 11, 2013
I absolutely LOVE your site and so glad I found it! You are amazing, and the recipes are delightful with the photos! If there is one thing i hate, its making a recipe without knowing what its supposed to look like, or I order something at restaurants and all the ingredients aren’t listed so I think I am going to like it, and then it comes out completely different with more or less of something. I think it’s sooo frustrating. Great job! I am a plant based diet, and raw as much as I can, but I just eat things raw, so it will be nice to make some cool recipes of yours. Thanks again, keep up the amazing yummy creations.
Menzi Nkosi wrote on October 21, 2013
Eating Raw alone will make one go insane! Smoothies and Juicing are the best way to get your raw dose of nutrients and foods. I normally have two fruit smoothies and one veg juice per day, and I Saute` my stir fry veggies for 5 min Max! in avo or olive oil, or sometimes I’ll steam them. All extremes are never good, just like eating Meat alone will not benefit you, eating raw will make one go crazy, humans need to balance out their diets. Salad Sandwiches are also a good way of getting a raw dose of nutrients and minerals. wonderful site by the way
Susan wrote on October 21, 2013
There are many people who eat 100% raw and are just fine. 🙂 What is important is to find out what works for you. Cheers!
W. Ying wrote on November 6, 2014
Susan:
You are right.
Our instincts control our health for millions of years.
The instincts are our ancestors’ successful experiences saved in our DNA.
The instincts tell us:
(1) eat raw;
(2) do not eat cooked or processed.
So, a child of several years old eats instinctively a raw food but not processed one..
Dana wrote on January 18, 2015
I’m on week 3 of RAW. Most days I feel pretty great because of it. I have had Chronic Migraines for 15+ years. If I wasn’t so sick I wouldn’t even be trying to eat this way, which I think says a lot about people in general and our addictions. I’ve tried everything and I’ve gone on food elimination diets to determine if I can’t have dairy or wheat etc. After many months I usually give up out of complete frustration and just keep taking the pills. I have read so much lately about RAW and in 15 years I’ve never tried it. I have been beside myself that I somehow missed this logical step in trying to determine how to get better. I have seen a noticeable drop in my migraines. They have not completely gone, but again its been 3 weeks. The main thing I’ve noticed is that in 16 days I’ve only had to take half of a tripan (migraine prescription pill). Typically my insurance gives me 8 pills a month and that is usually not enough, and I split them in half which make 16 doses. They felt like they happened over night, but while they did, they also got worse over the years. I’m sure if this is to work its going to be a process in my body repairing itself and me learning exactly how to do that with the right foods. Not everyone is trying the hottest trend and some of us really are doing this for our health. If its not you today, someday it either will be or it will be too late. I keep looking at this as a blessing to be forced to do most won’t do until forced. I can’t put into words how important health is, but again how can most of us be healthy when we are constantly under educated on what we really need to do to be healthy. I just know if you are chronic and something works, regardless of what anyone says you will believe your body.