50 | P a g eTo be a true raw food dieter the diet consists of between seventy-five toninety percent raw foods. That is, foods that are not cooked by anymeans. The balance of the diet might consist of foods that are sun-driedor dehydrated, but with this done at temperatures below 120 degreesFahrenheit. The key element of a raw food diet is not to eat any foodsthat are cooked, baked or microwaved.It is believed by advocates and followers of raw food dieting that preparingfoods by any form of cooking damages the food and cooks out manyvaluable nutrients. And there is considerable scientific evidence tosupport this belief. There are many foods that when cooked, have somenutritional elements that become neutralized and therefore of no realvalue for the body and when consumed the body must then waste energyto eliminate them.There is also medical evidence that suggests the body benefits from a rawfood diet. Studies indicate that those people who are on a raw food diethave greater energy and are at a lower risk for blood pressure and heartissues. In addition, there are fewer complaints about digestive issues, notto mention reports of significant weight loss from raw food dieters.The raw food diet, although good for most, may not be good foreveryone. In considering any diet plan, which does include a raw diet, it isalways best to consult your physician before getting too far along in thediet.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
51 | P a g e The Health Benefits of a Raw Food DietA raw food diet is just that, eating your food uncooked. Believe it or notthere are many people throughout the world who live on a raw food diet.Because of the socialization of some of us we may find this fact a littlerepulsive when we think about it, but it’s true. We can look into everyculture and find the consumption of some type of raw food within it.Many Asian cultures, for example, consume raw fish along with rawvegetables with their meals. In the western parts of the world those whomaintain a raw food diet are known as foodists.A raw food diet will increase one’s energy. Often, when we cook food,many of the vitamins and nutrients that give us energy are lost in thecooking process, not to forget that whenever we cook food, majorchemical changes take place in the food. What often happens is that thegood stuff is cooked out and is replaced by toxins. Upon consuming thecooked food the immune system then produces more white blood cells tofight off these toxins. The end result is a weakening of the immune systembecause it is working over-time to rid the body of invaders. Moreover,because the body is doing more work to process cooked foods, there is aloss of essential energy.Eating raw foods can help reduce and even eliminate diseases andillnesses. In the eating of raw foods the vitamins and nutrients in thosefoods are left intact and are not lost or converted into toxins. The bodycan then use these vitamins and nutrients more efficiently and effectivelyto combat diseases and illnesses. And this is another reason why thosewho eat raw foods have more energy. It’s because the body does not haveto work as hard to process the raw foods into a usable resource.Many people who eat raw foods are also able to maintain a more normaland balanced body weight. Often when we cook foods we use cookingoils, lard or butter. The body has a very difficult time breaking these fatsdown and rather than waste energy the body will store them within itself.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
52 | P a g eAfter a period of time these fats build up, thus adding weight to the body.Not only does fat affect the shape of the body, but it also causes the bodyto burn more energy to move about because of the extra weight.There are a large number of diet plans and weight loss programs thatsuggest the consumption of raw foods. Eating raw foods is believed to behealthier because the enzymes in those foods are not lost as they are ifthey were cooked. Enzymes break down macromolecules into smallerbuilding blocks the body uses to grow and maintain itself. Enzymes alsohelp the body with basic house cleaning and the elimination of toxins.Moreover, when we eat cooked foods the stomach produces more acidthan if we to eat raw foods. The acid that is generated by the stomach tobreak down cooked foods can create indigestion, heart burn, and otherunpleasant stomach problems. With a raw food diet the generation ofstomach acid is greatly reduced and even nearly non-existent. Because ofthe reduction of stomach acids the digestive system functions much better.A raw food diet can certainly be an advantage for those who do sufferfrom stomach or digestive issues.Raw food diets have also been shown to reduce the risks of circulatoryand heart disease. As we have mentioned before, the vitamins andnutrients are not cooked out raw foods. These vitamins and nutrients arewhat help the body fight cancerous type cells. Additionally, many rawfoods, like some vegetables for example, help dilate blood vessels so theblood flows more easily throughout the body. Again, it not only becomesan issue of health, but an issue of energy as well. It takes energy to pumpblood through the body. The harder it becomes the more energy thebody must expend to get blood to where it needs to be.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
53 | P a g e The Healthy Way to do Raw Food DietsIn recent years, much has been said about the positive effects of a rawdiet. Book after book, and article after article has spoken of the negativeimpact that too much heat can have on foods. Vitamins break down,carbohydrates loose their nutritional value, fats become toxic, andproteins are rendered virtually indigestible.Still, that doesn’t mean you just eat any food at all that you want raw.There are some measures you do need to follow to ensure you stayhealthy on the raw food diet. Like anything else in life, the key ismoderation. Too much of anything, even something good, can bedetrimental. As an example, years ago people were touting the grapefruitdiet as a great way to lose weight. The idea was, you ate nothing butgrapefruit (hence the name). You could eat as many as you wanted, solong as that was all you ate. Well, that’s not good for you! Fruits containacid; too much acid can upset the pH of your body, and will also damageyour teeth. On top of that, fruit is lacking in terms of some of thenutrients you need for good health. You need balance. So, point one:meet with a doctor or dietician and set up a good, healthy raw diet suitedto your needs.Next, be sure you eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and that it’slocally grown wherever possible. Now, this does mean that you’ll have todo without some fruits for some periods of the year, but it’s best for youroverall health. Too much dried fruits can give you stomach and/orintestinal troubles (sometimes as simple as just gas), and be bad for yourteeth. Or, eating fruit that’s not grown locally means you don’t knowunder what conditions it was grown. What sort of pesticides andchemicals were used on it? What sort of soil was it grown in? These days,Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
54 | P a g ewith the global economy, you could eat fruit from any place on earth!That gives you variety, sure. But wherever possible it really is better tostick with what you know, and learn to do without when some things areout of season.Nuts make up a large part of a raw food diet. Here again, moderation iscalled for. Too many people start in on a raw diet, and start eating toomany nuts. Nuts are naturally high in fat. Now, your body needs fat aspart of its normal biological processes, but only a certain amount. If youload up your diet with avocados, nuts, and oils, that’s not healthy. Notonly is there the issue of the fat, but some people have trouble digestingnuts. Here again, this is why meeting with your doctor to discuss a rawdiet first is the key to adopting a healthy lifestyle. If you find yourselfgetting very tired after eating some nuts, your body is having troublemetabolizing them, and you should stop. Ironically, if your body hastrouble with nuts, this can lead to you suddenly craving a host of otherfoods; some you may have never been interested in before!Finally, there’s the issue of knowing your source. Not for the foods youeat, but the advice you get. Your best friend may tell you how great theirraw food diet is, and that you should do the same. Well, thank them, andthen go see your doctor. Something as simple as a food allergy can undoall the sincere advice your friend gives you. As an example, if they’reeating a diet rich in whole grains, and you have an allergy to gluten, yourdoctor will tell you to substitute whole rice for grain.Just follow a few simple steps, and you can be sure that your raw food dietis perfectly suited to your needs. Why not give the raw food diet a go andsee how you can benefit from it?Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
55 | P a g e To Cook or Not to Cook: Heating Foods and What It MeansDid you know that human beings are the only creatures on Earth that heatup their food before eating it? Think about it: do you know of anyanimals that cook anything that they eat in any way, shape or form? Notonly are we the only species that applies heat to what they consume on aregular basis, but in relation to the life span of other species, humanbeings have some of the shortest life expectancy rates of any other livingcreature.Only species that cooks food; shortest life expectancy compared to therest of living things. Coincidence? Think again.Humans, like other species on Earth, are biologically adapted to eatingraw foods. The human body is built to be able to break down raw foodsinto the most basic nutrients, vitamins, minerals and proteins that areneeded to survive, using them as effective body fuel for everyday living.Heat breaks down the chemical and nutritional makeup of food,eliminating important nutrients that our bodies crave and need. Add tothat harmful toxins and pesticides, preservatives and artificial additives,and it becomes so much more evident why humans don't live as long asthey should. In essence, we are killing our bodies by feeding theminappropriately.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
56 | P a g eBy contrast, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has many countlessbenefits. It is widely known that a diet that focuses on raw foods is greatfor the skin, for example. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins thathelp your complexion stay soft, supple, and healthy, and, not surprisingly,they are a wonderful source of hydration and energy. In addition, grains,legumes and other raw produce are high in fiber and protein, helping withdigestion and functioning of vital organs.One of the most exciting and significant benefits found in eatinguncooked foods is how it encourages the body to break down foodsproperly and efficiently, significantly decreasing and in some caseseliminating harmful toxins that are secreted out of our bodies. As a result,out bodies are able to maintain much healthier chemical levels. Thehuman body then becomes a well-oiled machine, breaking down harmfulchemicals, boosting the immune system and eliminating harmful excessesfrom the body.It is no coincidence that conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, highcholesterol and hypertension have all been linked to dietary habits, whichis exactly why it should also come as no surprise that studies show asignificant decrease in these illnesses among people who practice raw foodand vegan lifestyles. But did you know that scientific studies now showthat people who are on raw food and extreme vegan diets are at a lowerrisk for developing many types of cancers, including breast and coloncancers? Or that they are also at a lower risk of developing heart disease?In addition, those who practice raw food diets are less prone to mentalconditions like depression and anxiety, all the while maintaining sharpreflexes and great memory.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
57 | P a g eThese are just some of the ways that the human body is predisposed tothe Raw Food lifestyle, and why in the long run it may be beneficial to youto consider changing your eating habits to a more natural, organic, andultimately healthier way of living. By joining the ranks of those who areswitching over to the raw food diet and ditching unhealthy eatingpractices, you will be helping both your body and your mind become thebest that they can be.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
58 | P a g e Recipes for a Raw Food DietIt’s been said that stars and celebrities are flocking to the raw food diet inthe same way as they once shifted to Kabala. Well, they’re not the onlyones. More and more, people are seeing the value of a diet rich in good,wholesome foods, low in meat, and one that avoids processed foods.Some people claim it’s a curative for almost everything that ails you, itimproves your appearance, and it extends your life expectancy.Now, some people hear: raw diet, and they immediately think rabbit food.They think they’re going to be eating sprouts and carrots, peas and rice,and broccoli and nothing more. Or they expect to have to squeeze mangojuice or kiwi pulp, or some other exotic fruits and vegetables; all of whichmay be quite expensive. True, a raw food diet is essentially a vegetarian orvegan diet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty and it doesn’t have to bemade of up foods you don’t know and love.Advocates of the raw food diet sat it will prolong you life expectancy, clearand improve your skin, decrease the risk of you getting strokes, heartdisease or diabetes; give you more energy and allow you to control yourweight in a natural manner so that you don’t have to count calories andmonitor the grams of fat in your daily diet. You might think this is all toogood to be true, but it’s been shown that many of the chemicals andpreservative in processed foods cause a host of problems for people.Food allergies can lead to rashes, stomach and gastrointestinal troubles,even anaphylactic shock! Many people are lactose intolerant or have agluten allergy. Eliminating these from your diet is far better than spendingyour life taking medications.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
59 | P a g eFor some people, the idea of a raw food diet summons up images ofeating like some sort of prehistoric being. Yes, as stated above, a raw fooddiet is vegetarian. So, that means eating a variety of fruit and vegetables,nuts and seeds, whole grains, unpasteurized dairy products and freshlysqueezed fruit and vegetable juices. Now, if you have a gluten allergy, youcan substitute whole rice for the grains; it’s an excellent, healthy food.While you may look at that list and see it as rather limited, there is plentyof variety available to you. As with any foods, some are easy to prepare,and others take some time and planning. So, something like the dishlisted below, vegetables topped with raw vegetable sauce, is a fineexample:Cut up some zucchini into strips. Then, use your food processor to blend1lb fresh tomatoes, half a cup of chopped white onion, some basil (vary itdepending on your personal preference), a clove of garlic (minced), somechopped and seeded red peppers, and a couple teaspoons of dried herbs.Once they are all blended together, pour this sauce over the zucchinistrips, and start eating. It’s a tasty and healthy meal!Now, that’s just one recipe. Let’s look at what you could expect for atypical day. First, for breakfast, have some raw fruit juice or whole fruitand have all you want. The fiber and natural sugars will keep your energylevels up, and help keep your “pipes” clean. You body will process thisquickly; so long about mid–morning, you’ll need a little boost. The sameis true in the afternoon. Have a snack of a handful of nuts or someavocado. For lunch, a salad made up primarily of salad greens; add to itsome vegetables like cucumber or red peppers. Now, many people makethe mistake of putting a lot of heavy dressing on a salad. Instead, go withsome fresh lemon juice or maybe just oil and vinegar. Finally, for dinner,Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
60 | P a g ego with a nice spinach salad with some almonds, and one to two avocados.Again, no processed dressing; go with orange juice. Then wash this alldown with some fruit or vegetable juice which has been freshly squeezed.Now, this is but one example of a daily menu. Don’t think you have tostick with it. The point is, you can see that a raw food diet is easy to makedelicious. To improve your health, boost your energy levels, and maybeincrease your life expectancy, give the raw food diet a try.Home Straight Outta My Kitchen Cooking
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