A raw-food diet features unprocessed, uncooked foods that are primarily plant-based. Raw-foodist diets and lifestyles are gaining in popularity, and many have health benefits because they rely so heavily on natural sources for vitamins and minerals---whole fruits and vegetables. Before beginning a raw-food diet or any new eating pattern, talk with your doctor to make sure your new plan is healthy and will give your body all the nutrition it needs on a daily basis.
Smoothies
Pureeing, blending and mashing are common processes for those who base their diets on unprocessed foods, and those methods are particularly useful for building smoothies. Raw milk or raw yogurt can be blended with fresh or frozen fruits and berries or 100 percent fruit juice to form a healthy, quick meal in the morning. The Raw Food Society of British Columbia recommends starting the day with a green smoothie, a fruit-and-vegetable blend that can include kale or another leafy green.
Oatmeal
Commercial oatmeal and oats cooked with milk and sugar don't have a place in a pure raw-food diet, but many raw foodists enjoy oatmeal knockoffs made with unprocessed ingredients. Esme Stevens, the founder of Raw Food Europe, recommends pureeing bananas, apples, flaxseed, and water together to create an oatmeal-like texture and a nourishing mix of nutrients for breakfast. Other oatmeal recipes involve soaked, sprouted, and hulled whole oats combined with water and flavored with fresh fruit.
Egg Substitutes
Eggs are a morning staple for many Americans, but raw foodists who follow a plant-based diet can create substitutes for scrambled eggs by mashing foods that will have a chewier texture than shakes or smoothies. The Raw Food Society of British Columbia notes that thorough chewing can help prevent overeating and aid digestion and ease of swallowing. Nutritionist and author Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo proposes one scrambled-egg recipe that calls for processing soaked and dehydrated nuts and sunflower seeds with salt, water and turmeric, then serving the processed mixture with fresh spinach and tomatoes.
Muesli and Fruit
While most cereals and commercial mueslis contain processed ingredients, it's possible to make your own versions that consist entirely of unprocessed, natural foods. Karen Knowler, popularly known as The Raw Food Coach, devised a versatile muesli recipe consisting of a variety of nuts, dried apricots, dried dates and raisins. She suggests serving the muesli with fresh fruit. Fruits are a significant part of the raw-food diet, and a variety of fruits eaten every day can help the body gather many of the natural vitamins and minerals it needs to function optimally.
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