What is Raw?

Eating ‘Raw’ usually refers to a living, plant based diet, one in which little or no animal products are consumed. Usually, one can be considered a ‘Raw Foodist’ if they consume a large majority, if not all of their food prepared at the optimum temperature, of no more than 118°F (different sources can vary on this temperature range). Even if you only consume between 70-80% of your diet as raw you could still consider yourself a ‘Raw Foodist’. This could be easily achieved by eating raw until dinner time. However, being a ‘Raw Foodist’ is not imperative to improving your health. Making subtle changes and improvements to your diet can work wonders.

It is believed that food loses most if not all of it’s nutrients and enzymes once heated, and any use for it is then destroyed. Our bodies need to work harder to digest cooked foods, and it can sometimes result in our bodies attacking itself through the onset of illness. Haven’t you noticed how cooked food requires so much more seasoning, herbs and spices, to bring the taste back that has been destroyed, whereas eating a ripe piece of fruit, or a delicious, bright crisp vegetable is tasty as nature intended?

As more and more documentaries (Food Inc., Food Matters, A Delicate Balance) and books (The China Study, A Diet for a New America, Skinny Bitch) are becoming more prevalent, people are tuning into the connection of their health with the diet they consume. It is no secret that when we eat a wholesome healthy diet, we feel great, and when we don’t make smart diet choices our bodies do things like catch colds, feel rundown, gain weight and are more susceptible to disease. It just becomes confusing to the consumer on what is the right diet to eat? With so many new fad diets making their way into our markets every New Year, of course you would be forgiven for not knowing where to start.

This is where Raw Food makes complete and perfect sense. This is not a fad and this is not a diet essentially. This is going back to how our ancestors used to eat, and how our bodies are just not designed to digest meat. Carnivores such as lions, have much shorter intestines, perfect for digestion of meat, unlike us. And furthermore, they eat their prey fresh, close to the source, they don’t cook it up. Also look at gorillas, giraffes & elephants. They are all herbivores, healthy, active and lean!

It is thought that disease cannot live in an alkaline body, but when we consume meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, and highly processed grains (white breads, cakes etc) our bodies become highly acidic. Eating a diet rich in plant based foods – fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts, will return your body to an alkaline state where illness just cannot reside. Raw food has been attributed to assisting diabetics with reversing their condition completely,  reducing patients blood pressure and cholesterol, assisting and healing cancer patients, curing autoimmune disorders, effortless weight loss, healing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis & eczema, ridding cellulite, curing depression and much much more! When we look after our bodies, our bodies look after us back, by providing us with optimum health. Makes sense doesn’t it?

Eating raw doesn’t have to be boring, or as basic as a carrot stick or limp salad. Since raw cuisine has been popularised by reknown chefs and restauranteurs like Matthew Kenney, Russell James, Kristen Suzanne, Ani Phyo etc, eating raw can be just as gourmet if not more so than eating a standard diet. Did you think you could eat a raw pizza, enjoy raw ice-cream or even delight in a tasty raw nut cheese? You can make this  as complicated or as easy as you like, but I promise you it will be tasty.

In addition to this blog, Robyn also conducts raw food classes/workshops, catering, wellness coaching, raw food counselling, public speaking & personal chef. Click here for more information.

If you want to know where to begin or increase your raw into your diet, click here

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