Your Questions Answered
Some people think that switching to a raw food diet means a life of carrot sticks, boring food, and starvation. Here is to debunking that myth with some frequently asked questions and answers on why to go raw and what the lifestyle is all about.
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Why Raw?
When we cook food beyond 117F, enzymes, powerful catalysts that help to digest food, begin to be destroyed. Typically, the food we eat has been cooked well beyond 117F, destroying most of the nutrients, and causing that food to become toxic and acidic. When we consume a cooked meal, our body illicits an immune response that triggers white blood cells to fight the foreign substance. Eating mainly cooked, or acidic, foods can lead to the disruption of the delicate Ph balance in our bodies, which should be slightly more alkaline than acidic. Eating a Standard American Diet has compromised the Ph of our bodies to be dangerously in the acidic zone, where disease can can proliferate.
Eating raw involves consuming raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their raw, bio-available and fully-digestible form. Essentially, raw food is the diet of light and abundance! Raw fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming in the body and move quickly, speeding up the metabolic process and helping the body shed excess weight. Most importantly, raw food heals the body naturally by reversing environmental stress and damage and by building a strong foundation for your organs, tissues and bones by flooding the body with nutrients and minerals. When we eat raw food our immune system optimizes, we recover faster from injury, our tissues are nourished so we look more beautiful, and we have more energy and mental clarity.
How do I get my protein and calcium?
Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are loaded with calcium and protein, among other nutrients. Coconuts, dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, and nuts and seeds such as chia are loaded with calcium. By consuming a variety of greens, which should comprise half of your diet (eaten at every meal), the body receives all the essential amino acids (protein) that it needs while also getting many other minerals, plenty of chlorophyll and lots of fiber.
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Is raw expensive?
Eating raw can be as expensive or inexpensive as you make it. If you choose to juice more or indulge in exotic superfoods, this lifestyle can become expensive, but not more so than eating out at restaurants or consuming a lot of expensive meat. There are different ways that you can make the lifestyle affordable to your budget, such as shopping at farmer's market, buying produce in bulk or ripened at a discount, eating seasonally, purchasing dried foods online, and knowing which budget friendly staple foods to always have in your home. Since going raw, I have almost completely eliminated going out to restaurants, which consumes a lot of the average person's monthly food budget.
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How do I stay social and stay raw?
Being social is easy while raw, in fact, most people will come up to me and ask me what I'm eating. I will usually explain whatever tasty dish I have prepared. There are always two different types of reactions, those that will not understand and those that are intrigued. I must say that the majority of those folks that were initially not interested in juicing or eating raw eventually asked me how they could start or transition into a high raw lifestyle. Some things to remember is to always be respectful of others and their different food choices and hopefully that same respect will come right back to you. A great tip for staying connected to friends is to suggest other things to do such as going for a walk or bike ride, or going to the movies, or even going to the gym. Our society tends to focus around food so much that we forget the other great things that we can do together to stay social. If you do find yourself in a restaurant style situation with friends or loved ones, check for salad options or even ask the chef if something high raw or vegetarian can be prepared for you. Nowadays, most restaurants are sensitive to vegetarians and offer alternatives to the standard fare.
Is raw time consuming?
This is where your preparation and training will shine! With the proper planning and just a little bit of inactive soaking, raw can be very quick to prepare. Whether you do fruit mono-meals or prepare chia puddings the night before, raw can be simple and easy. If you ever feel overwhelmed, you are doing too much. Eating raw is the original fast food, it is as simple as peeling a banana or chopping some veggies over lettuce.