1. Doesn't eating raw foods in excess produce a lot of Gas ?



2. I live in Canada where preservation was/is a tradition. With a long winter, the harvest season is very limited. Even today off season fresh foods can be very expensive. What are he raw alternatives ?



3. Doesn't eating fresh veggies alone make one feel hungry soon ?



Vijay

I have been having a raw diet the last few days and been enjoying it. Specially mung beans sprouts, they are so easy to make. It also seems satisfying and frugal. However, would still appreciate answers/opinions in regards to my questions in the post above.



Thanks.



Vijay

1. i think eating anything in excess can lead to digestive trouble. But, eating raw exclusively doesn't seem to.



2. freezing is considered appropriate and acceptable.



3. i find that if i include some form of fat with every meal, then i feel more full. So, olives or olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, etc, are all great with fresh veggies and fruits and help you stay fuller, longer.

I've been thinking about this raw diet. I'd love to see a couple of days worth of food from someone who eats raw most of the time. For some reason, I'm picturing mostly munching on fruits and veggies. Can you make like casseroles and stuff? What about grains? Nuts? Will someone please post what a typical couple of days consists of. Thanks!

I was totally raw for a few weeks, and here is one day out of my journal:



7.00 smoothie of 3 bananas + the juice of 2 navel oranges

10.20 apple

11.00 banana

12.30 salad of spinach, green & red pepper, scallions, tomato, cucumber & avocado w/ lime juice & flax seed oil for dressing

3.00 4 medjool dates

6.30 2 bowls marinated kale; 2 falafel flats; guacamole; cumin-flax crackers



For smoothies usually I would use raw almond milk that I'd make each week. The falafel flats were made of sprouted chickpeas mixed w/ other stuff (which I forget right now) and dehydrated. The cumin-flax crackers were also dehydrated.



A really great book about going raw is Living Cuisine by Renee Loux Underkoffler. There are lots of casserole, soup, dessert and sushi recipes. She also provides some basic nutritional info. Even if you're only interested in adding more raw to your diet, not going totally raw, I would recommend this book. Beautiful recipes using simple foods with great flavor. (Note: She does lightly steam some things, which some rawists say uh-uh to.)

Carol Alt was on one of the news shows the other night and is a raw foodist. She explained what cooking does versus consuming food raw and it made sense. I'm going to try and eat more raw foods. Won't go totally raw, but I'm interested in new recipes that are raw. Thanks qetta.

Nuts I purchased raw and soaked before eating, which makes them really yummy. Grains can be soaked/sprouted. My favorite recipe (from the book noted above) was a wild rice pilaf. I soaked & rince & soaked & rince wild rice until it became soft and sort of split open, and then added to it some chopped carrots, celery, avocado, and tomato, and added parsley, and marinated it all in a dressing of nama shoyu, flax seed oil, olive oil and agave nectar. Soooo delicious.

I've heard she's big into raw. I think she does raw milk and meat. Ew!



You're welcome. Going totally raw was too hard for me. I didn't have enough motivation to stay raw - especially with all the great (cooked) vegan options popping up in my area for dining out. But I do still like to make raw recipes and I'm trying to keep my raw intake really high. I did feel really good eating only raw, it was just hard for me to stick with it.

i was wondring why people go raw. ... so its becaus it's healthier?

I think just just going veg*n, raw diet has the potential of makeing one healthier if it is done right. I don't know enough to go raw but I'd like to increase the portion of raw food in my diet.



BTW, does anyone happen to know whether canned coconut milk is raw? I like to thin out coconut milk and drink in the place of cow and soy milk.

canned is not raw.

Raw is unprocessed, uncooked, etc? Right?

Yes, exactly. The place where many aren't truly informed is what exactly happens to foods that appear to be "RAW" but have been processed and cooked/steamed etc. before reaching the store or market where you buy the items.



Many foods that people consider raw aren't. And yes, quetta, steaming is*not* raw or living...

Right. I'd just like to point out that with some things, esp. cruciferous vegetables, lightly steaming helps break down the cellular walls, allowing your body access to more nutrients. So you may lose some enzymes when you lightly steam (and I'm talking just a minute or two in not-boiling water), but you'll be getting more nutrients in the long run. So if your intent in going raw is to get the maximum nutrients out of something, lightly steaming cruciferous veggies (broccoli, kale, etc.) may be an option to consider.

What is the opinion/place of Tofu and other Soy products in a raw diet ?



Thanks.



Vijay

Oh, good question. I was thinking the same thing just a minute ago.

Tofu and other soy products are not raw, so are not a part of a 100% raw diet.

Awww..

Can't you buy raw soybeans and soak them and eat them raw? Same with raw grains. I think most things in a vegan diet can be eaten raw. You can make raw soymilk too. And raw hummus, black bean dip, "breads", etc.

Certain beans cannot be eaten raw (like soy);to do so is toxic and your body cannot break down and use the nutrients effectively.



It is possible to make raw hummus and many other sprouted foods.

So, it is physically possible to eat them, you just wouldn't be doing your body a favor. . I know I could never give up my soy.

I KNEW I should have changed the "cannot" to "SHOULD NOT"



Yes, it is physically possible to eat anything that can be put in the mouth..................including glass, feces, motor oil and other harmful, indigestibles..................................... .................................................. .................................that doesn't mean it is a good idea to do so .

here's what my raw days look like:



breakfast: frozen berries, orange juice, coconut oil, and macademia nut cream (macademia nuts, water, agave nectar).



snack: nuts (usually walnuts) and an apple (also, raw cheese, since that's officially a raw food, included in the raw food diet, but not the raw vegan diet)



lunch: big salad with different lettuces, different root veggies, tomatoes, avocado, olives, and various sprouts (which can include sprouted beans, seeds, and grains). dressing of olive oil and sea salt.



snack: raw bean dip (made from some form of bean, sprouted, and then made into a dip--usually hummus) with cut veggies and olive oil.



dinner: i had the spicy carrot and coconut cream soup that i posted in the frugal forum for dinner with a mixed green salad with coconut shavings and citrus fruit and a spicy red pepper--with home made citris vinegarette dressing (grapefruit juice, wet stone grownd mustard, minced garlic, minced onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, and white balsalmic vinegar).



snack: orange sorbet made with almond cream



there are ways to sprount grains, but raw diets are often rather 'grain free.'

living without soy is way easy, too, btw. easier than living with soy, actually.

mmmmmm

Haha, I was only teasing Foxy.