Raw And Living Food Lifestyle FAQ
By Karen Livingston
What exactly is the raw and living diet?The raw diet (interchangeable with living foods) is a lifestyle that encourages the eating of unprocessed food, being not heated to any degree, otherwise cooked really slowly at low temperatures (115 deg Fahrenheit being the accepted highest), so as not to heat away valuable nutrients and/or digestive enzymes. Raw foodism most often involves consuming mostly, if not all, organic plant-based foods. Some raw foodists suggest that the raw organic vegan diet to be the healthiest diet or lifestyle in existence.
What foods does a raw foodist generally consume?
Depending on the level or type of raw diet one wants to adhere to, raw diets usually include raw fruits, veggies, dark green veggies, herbs and spices, seaweeds like kelp or dulse, seeds and nuts, and germinated nuts and seeds.
Seeds and nuts are better to have been soaked in water in order to wake up enzymes and to convert the seeds and nuts from being acidic to being more alkaline.
A lot of times, raw fooders may also consume green smoothies or green juices daily and maybe even exclusively as a component of a juice or smoothie fast or overall lifestyle. Green smoothies are basically fruit smoothies mixed with greens like kale or spinach. Veggie juices or green juices are single or multiple vegetables that have had the major part of the pulp taken out which requires a juicing appliance.
Some of the fore mentioned food can be slightly processed, and raw dieters mostly enjoy and prefer taking care of the processing on their own, in order to conjure up foods like nut milks and butters, fruit or veggie bard or leathers, dried and cured veggies and fruits, among others.
What possible advantages come from consuming living foods?
Raw foodists have made 1 or more of the following health claims after eating a raw food or high raw or living foods diet regime: weight loss, increased energy, clearer skin, enhanced digestion, detox, increased immunity, and better overall health.
Also, less time is used in the kitchen and cleaning up is generally a lot speedier, contingent on how simple or complicated you want to make things. It has been seen that less money is generally necessary to be used on medications. Smaller appliances, or no appliances, are used so less power usage is needed.
Where do raw fooders get calcium, B12, protein and iron?
Short response.. eating the previously mentioned foods :)
Sprouts, beans, seeds, legumes, greens, fruits and vegetables all contain protein. Vegan bodybuilders will often "supplement" with hemp, which to some vegans is suggested to be the best source of protein in the plant world (yet others consider yellow pea to be the best source, and others will still eat soy based products to get).
Just like protein, greens like kale or spinach, seeds, beans etc. are sources of calcium, and even iron (ask Popeye if you don't trust me).
B12 is up to much debate. Some say that there are algaes that have B12 vitamin, others say nutritional yeast is a great source, yet others suggest that B12 will recycle itself in the intestine for many years so there is some in the body in most situations. Some living foodists will consume cooked and/or raw eggs as their source of Vitamin B12. Yet others will take supplements. The way I look at it is if my lab tests don't show a deficiency (I check every two months usually) then I am OK.
Ready to achieve the next step to a healthier body? Click to these articles on raw foods: raw food diet and green smoothie diet.