Benefits of a Raw:Recipe and Snacks!

Advocates of the raw food diet insist that a diet consisting mainly of uncooked, unprocessed plant foods leads to a leaner body, clearer skin, and higher energy. Eco18 has all you need to know about eating raw.

A raw diet consists of foods (produce, grains, seeds, nuts, and beans) that haven’t been heated above a certain temperature, usually anything above 100 degrees. The fundamental principle behind the raw food movement, is that plant foods in their most natural state – uncooked and unprocessed (and mostly organic)– are the most wholesome for the body. Raw food advocates believe that cooking destroys enzymes that are believed to be essential to human health, believing that without these essential enzymes, we’re not getting the full, life-supporting benefits of our food.

Raw foodists enjoy so many health perks for a simple reason: they’re eating a lot of plants! Comprehensive lifestyle studies have found that plant-based diets greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases and conditions including obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Raw foodists also say that if you consume mainly uncooked foods you will achieve significant desirable weight loss and weight stability. Plant based foods are also rich in fiber, which helps to keep the digestive tracts healthy and regular.

Now that you’ve learned about some of the health benefits associated with the Raw Food diet, you should know that sticking to this diet isn’t easy! Most raw foodists spend a lot of time in the kitchen peeling, chopping, straining, blending, and dehydrating (food dehydrators also dry out fruits for fruit leather and other raw food recipes). When getting started, it’s best to stick with your basic salad recipes, but of course you’ll want to change things up for more satisfying meals. Here are a few of our favorite raw food dishes below:

– Curry Coconut Cauliflower Soup with Pear from Rawmazing.com

– Chia Seed Breakfast Porridge with Nuts, Seeds and Berries from alkalinesisters.com

– Raw Avocado Kale Pesto with Zucchini Noodles from Rawmazing.com

And, for those mid-day snack cravings, I love the delicious flavors of Rhythm Superfoods rehydrated kale chips, which come in amazing flavors like Pineapple Coconut and Honey Mustard.