Raw food diets, also called raw foodism, are based upon the idea that most, if not all, of your diet should consist of uncooked food, according to the online nutrition resource VeganHealth.org. According to proponents of the raw food philosophy, raw food is healthier and may help you avoid diseases. VeganHealth.org points out that cooking may create toxins and rob food of its nutritional value. The website does point out that following raw foodism may make it hard to obtain sufficient levels of protein and calcium. And while raw foodism may seem to be quite restrictive, there are many ways to create tasteful meals.
Raw Cookies
According to the dieting website Raw Food Ideas, you can still enjoy baked treats such as bread and cookies on the raw diet if you prepare them correctly. Raw Food Ideas notes that you can use a dehydrator to bake cookies, because this cooking equipment can be used at temperatures lower than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Raw Food Ideas, that temperature is the point at which living enzymes are destroyed, and raw food becomes "cooked." Due to the low temperature, baking raw cookies may take longer than traditional cookies.
Faux Foods
While you may be forced to give up some of your favorite foods while following raw foodism, there are ways to replicate those tastes while remaining raw. As the website Raw Food Life explains, you can make faux mashed potatoes by using cauliflower. To do so, blend the cauliflower in a food processor until it is grainy. Then, cook it slowly in a skillet with flax oil and spices. To make the meal more authentic, you can serve the faux potatoes with mushroom gravy, explains Raw Food Life.
Raw Snacking
If you're on the go, you may find it difficult to find raw food, as most vending machine and convenience store offerings are highly processed and may be cooked. However, the website Best of Raw Food points out that there are many raw snacking options, such as fruit. Best of Raw Food suggests using portable fruits such as bananas and raisins when on the go. The website also notes that you can make refreshing raw beverages such as lemonade or fruit smoothies to take with you on the go.
Cook with Coconut Meal
Because you can't have grains on a raw diet, you may think that baked goods and treats such as pancakes are off limits. However, Best of Raw Food notes that you can make pancakes using coconut meal, which is a fine powder similar to flour. As long as you maintain a low enough temperature to keep your food technically raw, you can make other raw baked goods using coconut meal.
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