A New Inspiration Everyone Can Benefit from

July 31, 2009 - Toronto, ON - For the past week now, I have taken on the challenge of living a RAW lifestyle. That's right. Raw vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts. Nothing is cooked, organic is preferred and devoted research and time is required.



Luckily for all you curious Raw enthusiasts, I have done about a years worth of research and I have some great tips, starters, recipes and staples you'll need to get you started. First off, in this post I would like to fill all of you in on just SOME of the good stuff your body and mind will get out of this new lifestyle:

What is a Raw Food Diet?

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.

Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food.



What are the Benefits of a Raw Food Diet?

* Increased energy
* Improved skin appearance
* Better digestion
* Weight loss
* Reduced risk of heart disease

The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.



What are the Techniques Used in this Diet?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:

* Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
* Juicing fruit and vegetables
* Soaking nuts and dried fruit
* Blending
* Dehydrating food


Does “Raw Food” Mean Eating Only Salad?

Not at all! There are dozens of variations on a raw food diet – and if it seems like raw foodists eat a lot of salad and uncomplicated raw veggies, that’s mostly to do with convenience. Raw cooking can be time-consuming – from slow, low-temperature dehydration to preparation of gourmet main courses and desserts.

Some raw food diets depend on the simplicity of raw fruits, nuts and vegetables, but most include complex meals of nuts and seeds, plenty of avocado and healthy oils, smoothies, raw cereal, sprouts, juicing and more.



More to come! - Look forward to some starter recipes, staples in the kitchen, websites, blogs and videos to watch!