Have you ever noticed how good you feel after eating a big salad or demolishing a bowl of fresh berries? It’s nice, right? That’s why some people are taking those refreshing raw food vibes to the next level.
Raw foodism, a diet consisting mainly of uncooked and unprocessed food, goes far beyond blueberries and romaine lettuce. Techniques like fermenting, spiralizing, dehydrating and blending transform raw ingredients into nutrient-dense masterpieces.
There are a few types of raw food eating patterns, most of which are based on an abundance of delicate, easy-to-digest plants. It’s a different way of “cooking”: foods are usually not heated above 118 F, and other preparation methods are prioritized.
Because there is little to no heat applied in the raw food kitchen, foods are kept “living,” which preserves the integrity of many nutrients. And some raw “cooking” techniques, like sprouting and fermenting, unlock valuable nutrients, rendering an ingredient more digestible.
A mini diet reset is perfect in the spring (you know you deserve it!). Try a meal or an entire day of raw dining.
Recipes
Breakfast: Coconut Cream Melon Halves with Hazelnut Dukkah and Berries
Lunch: Miso Corn Soup with Blueberry Chipotle Swirl
Dinner: Raw Zucchini Pad Thai with Jackfruit and Candied Almonds
Organic? That’s a big YES.
With a heavy emphasis on plant-based ingredients, raw food diners should take care to source organic ingredients when possible. A recent report filed by the European Parliamentary Research Service extols the benefits to human health from organic agriculture, including lower exposure to pesticides and a likely lower exposure to cadmium (a toxic metal). The report also notes that people who consume organic food tend to eat a diet full of varied plant foods. This has been linked with lower risk of
- type 2 diabetes
- childhood allergies
- adult obesity
- cardiovascular disease
Allison Day, RHN, is a nutritionist, blogger, and cookbook author. Check out her cookbooks, Whole Bowls and Purely Pumpkin (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016).
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