·

Whole Foods: Raw Foods

After the last post in my Whole Foods series, I received a few questions about why I emphasize the word “raw” in some of my recipes. It’s a really great question and something that I’ve been meaning to write about.

Simply put: eating raw foods is important. When food is cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes or longer, its protein becomes coagulated, its sugar becomes caramelized, and its natural fibers are broken down. This means that it takes longer to move through the intestinal tract. Additionally, 30% to 50% of its vitamins and minerals have been destroyed and 100% of its enzymes have been destroyed. As a result, cooked food depletes our body’s enzyme potential and drains the energy we need to maintain and repair our tissues and organ systems.

There are lots of benefits to eating raw foods. Most raw foods are low in calories, fat, and sodium, and high in fiber (great for digestion!). Raw foods diets work for weight loss. You also get nutritional benefits from eating raw. Most of what you eat will be high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals.

Everyone knows that eating lots of veggies and fruits is good for you, but there is more to it than eating a small salad with dinner. I like to pack as much raw food into my diet as possible. That’s why I put raw kale, spinach, fruit, and nuts into my smoothies. Most of the packaged nuts that you find in the grocery store are roasted and salted. If you look a bit, you can usually find the good, raw nuts near the trail mix section.

Other benefits to eating raw include:

  • Increased energy.
  • Better sleep and less sleep needed.
  • Increased mental clarity.
  • Eat as much as you want (of raw food only!). That one isn’t really a health benefit, but you don’t get that uncomfortable full feeling eating raw that you do when eating cooked food.

There are raw foodists out there who eat 100% raw food diets. Many of these people are extremely healthy and some have used a raw food diet to overcome disease and mental illness. It’s pretty incredible to read their stories. As for me, I don’t aim to eat a 100% raw food diet. If I’m being honest, I just love cooked too much. I wouldn’t even want to imagine a life where I never ate a fresh-baked cookie or a hot slice of pizza again. However, I also realize how important incorporating raw food into my diet really is. That’s why I aim to eat at least 50% raw every day. I don’t reach that goal every day, but most days I come close. Keeping that “50%” goal in mind plays a positive role in my daily food choices.

I hope that answers the questions that I received about raw food. If you have any other questions about whole foods, raw food, etc. — fire away! I am not an expert but I’ve done a lot of research in this area and I have a lot of knowledgeable friends. I also want to highly recommend the documentary, Foodmatters. It was the first film that really opened my eyes to the importance of raw food and how much our diet truly impacts our overall health. I’ve watched it several times. (It’s also available on Netflix streaming.) It’s a must-see.

Wishing you happiness & good health! xo

you may also like

  • · ·

    Are You Oblivious, Aware, or Getting It?

    This is a guest post from my friend, Andy Feld.

    ———–

    As I travel and meet new people all over our country, it seems most everyone falls into one of the three areas mentioned in this month’s title. What am I talking about? It’s the societal evolutionary change which is now in progress, although admittedly sometimes imperceptible. It is easy to see that violence rarely leads to anything but more violence. Overt materialism, absent integrity, brings happiness and abundance to very few. Additionally, centuries of male dominated insensitive energy added to a populace unwilling to take responsibility has us at a precarious tipping point.

    So, do you sense what I say is true? Are you oblivious to these changes in the air, or are you ahead of the curve and already taking the steps necessary to not only survive, but thrive in the years to come? Frankly, I am often greeted by individuals with long faces who tell me they will be happy again when things get back to ‘normal’. Normal for many means simply getting back to a life dominated by financial gain and the purchase of new things, but those days may be long gone. Banks are not lending money, our population is increasingly unemployed or aging and dependent, houses are not selling, there seems to be an oversupply of everything and worldwide competition is greater than ever. What if today is the way things will be for the next 20-30 years or longer? What are you going to do to be happy, prosperous, and emotionally abundant?

    Make no mistake, everything is changing and just about everyone is affected. Personally, my income does not approach what I once earned as a corporate CEO, my car is not as new and shiny as it once may have been, and I visit fewer restaurants, but my life has never been more pleasant. Would you agree that now is the time to not only re-evaluate, but also re-create our lives? If so, you are GETTING IT loud and clear, but if not, let’s look into what we can do about it.

    1. We are all One, connected with a common thread of spirit. When I say WE, I mean ALL humans, animals, plant life, earth, and stars. We all are of the same source energy, and understanding and respecting this Oneness is a key to thriving in our new age. Allowing all else to be, with love and respect, and without judgment of unique individual differences will open our portals to Universal Light. One cannot mistreat another human, the earth, our vegetation, and the animals without also mistreating oneself. We are all connected and what we put forth to others is what will always come back to us.

    2. Listen to our heart, our Inner Radar as I call it in my books, without the fear of judgment from others. We are all unique and different, and learning to reach within and hear that guidance we all individually brought forth to this lifetime allows us to grow and prosper in alignment with our life’s purpose. There is no better way to accomplish this than a regular practice of meditation and contemplation.

    3. Understanding the process for manifesting our life’s dreams. It takes quite a bit of practice and self-discipline, and you may be getting tired of hearing me speak about it, but we are the product of our thoughts, emotions, words, and actions. Very little we desire will manifest without the alignment of these four elements. Believe in this, practice and have faith and you will embrace your life like never before.

    4. Learn to appreciate all that you have. From hot running water, to clothes in your closet, and food in the refrigerator, most of us have so much to be thankful for yet rarely acknowledge. The beauty of nature, our relationships, our health and the list should go on and on. Write it down and truly rejoice in how many ways you are blessed.

    5. Diligently work on balancing your male and female attributes. We are all a combination of both masculine and feminine, and the more we keep these two in balance the more we vibrate with the earth.

    Yes, everything is changing. First, become aware and then jump on board, but it will always be the choice of the individual. No one, other than you is responsible for your rescue.

    Whether it is a business, an organization, or individual, the time for changing the status quo in right now. How to go about it in this new environment is what I speak about and teach. I would love the opportunity to work with you or your group.

    With much love and appreciation,
    Andy

    ———-

    Andy lives in Morrison, Colorado outside Denver. He travels the country as a frequent speaker on life inspiration and business sales. He is also a regular guest on radio programs across the United States and on local TV.

    You can read more about Andy at his website, Simple Happy, and you can find his books on Amazon at the following links.

3 Comments

    1. Thanks, Crista. I’m so excited to be starting off 2014 right. I’ve got my eye on the prize: fitting into my pre-prego jeans! Sharing here really helps keep me accountable. Maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to post my before & progress pix….

      Reply
  2. Pingback: A (Mostly) Raw, Vegan Lifestyle – Live, Love, Simple.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *