People who follow a raw food diet consume mostly raw foods. A raw food is any food that has not been heated--or pasteurized--above 118 degrees. Some raw food enthusiasts, such as cookbook author Ani Phyo, place the threshold at 104 degrees. Adherents of the raw food diet also vary according to the percentage of their diet devoted to raw foods. Model Carol Alt, for example, follows a 95 percent raw diet while dietician Linda Ruff recommends 50 percent raw to people following a standard American Diet. Most adherents, however, consider a raw diet to be at least 75 percent raw.
Function
Enzymes are essential to digestion; they break foods down into molecules that the body can absorb as nutrients. Foods that have not been heated above 118 degrees retain the enzymes required for their digestion. The human body also makes some digestive enzymes, but only in limited quantities. If you do not consume enough enzymes, your body has to work harder to digest what you eat. Repeatedly consuming foods without enzymes can, over time, lead to gastrointestinal problems and reduced nutrient absorption, according to Neutraceuticals World.
Benefits
Adherents of the raw food diet claim a wide range of benefits, including increased energy, improved immunity, better skin, heightened awareness, greater mental clarity, improved mood and weight loss. If you follow a raw food diet, you will likely consume more fruits, vegetables and nuts, which are rich in nutrients, heart-healthy fats and fiber.
Staples
Raw food staples include fruit, vegetables, bean sprouts, mushrooms, nuts, nut milk, nut butter, avocado, dried fruit, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, olive oil, coconut, raw sprouted grains, miso, raw cocoa, untoasted seaweed, raw sweeteners, capers, vinegar and unpasteurized pickles. Many raw foodists also include raw fish such as sushi and sashimi.
Examples
From a small set of staples, raw food chefs can create a great variety of meals. Zucchini is transformed into a bowl of noodles and cauliflower into a bed of rice. Mushrooms can be marinated, dehydrated or served as steak. Nuts can be transformed into a wide variety of sandwich spreads by blending them with spices and vegetables. Seeds and vegetables can be blended and dehydrated to make raw crackers or breads. Nuts can also be used to make milk, ice cream, yogurt and cheesy sauces. Common recipes that are usually already raw include gazpacho, pesto and guacamole.
Equipment
Most raw food enthusiasts recommend the following kitchen equipment: food processor, juicer, blender, spiral slicer and mandolin slicer. The food processor is necessary for making nut-based pâtés and other sandwich spreads, as well as many raw soups. The spiral slicer is an inexpensive must-have if you would like to make raw zucchini noodles. The mandolin slicer will help you slice vegetables into various sizes and shapes. A dehydrator is used to dry fruits and vegetables, make breads and crackers and to gently warm food.
Tips
Some foods that claim to be raw may not be. Unless the jar specifies the temperature used in processing, it is probably not raw. "Raw almond butter", for example, may only mean that raw--not roasted--almonds were used to make a product that is pasteurized at 160 degrees or higher. Likewise, many dried fruits are heated above 118 degrees during processing. If you have questions about a particular product, contact the company.
References
- Natural Healing: Carol Alt's Raw Food Diet
- Ani's Raw Food Kitchen; Ani Phyo; 2007
- Nutraceuticals World; Rohit Medhekar; The Past, Present and Future of Enzymes; June 2007
- Medical News Today: Raw Food Diet
- Third Age: Virtues of the Raw Food Diet
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