The Value of Eating Raw Foods

What does a raw food diet involve? The concept of raw foods is 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 that would have otherwise assisted 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 eating raw foods? It's said that the more living, fresh, organic and uncooked foods you eat, the better you'll feel. Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:

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

What foods are best to eat raw? For a food to be raw and living, it has to be fresh. It's best to purchase food that has been grown locally, since when a food is harvested, it begins to loose some of its vitality. For example, the peel on a banana is "air tight" once we open that seal, the fruit's contents start to spoil. Hence the concept of eating local, fresh, uncooked foods.

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods are best to eat raw (uncooked), including:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Beans
• Grains
• Legumes
• Dried fruit
• Seaweed
• Unprocessed organic or natural foods
• Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
• Purified water
• Young coconut milk

What equipment do you use for preparing raw food meals?

• A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
• A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
• A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
• Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
• Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food

Raw Nut Pate

• Soak ½ to 1 cup of either raw walnuts or almonds in a glass container for at least 4 hours
• Add the drained nuts to a food processor
• Add 1 (or more to taste and consistency) tomato and onion to food processor
• Blend mixture until fluffy
• Add a few teaspoons of water if mixture appears "dry"
• Add sea salt to taste
• Always scrape the sides of the processor bowl to ensure complete mixing
• Serve with raw or grain crackers or on a lettuce leaf wrapped w/ shredded carrots, peppers, etc.

Raw Nut Spread

• Soak ½ to 1 cup of raw cashews in a glass container for at least 4 hours
• Add the drained nuts to a food processor
• Squirt 1-2 teaspoons (or more to taste) of raw agave nectar to the processor bowl
• Add ½-1 Tablespoon of veggie oil to processor bowl
• Sprinkle 1-2 shakes of cinnamon to processor bowls
• Blend mixture until fluffy
• Always scrape the sides of the processor bowl to ensure complete mixing
• Serve with apple or sweet flax crackers, or whatever you desire!

You can get more information from Beth Aldrich, the Green Mom and Healthy Lifestyle Expert at http://www.thegreenmom.blogspot.com