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Raw Food Only
A diet is
considered a raw food diet if it consists of at least 75% raw, uncooked
fruits, vegetables, sprouts, etc. Raw and living foods are believed to
contain essential food enzymes (living foods contain a higher enzyme
content than cooked foods). The cooking process (i.e., heating foods
above 116°F) is thought to destroy food enzymes. People who follow the
raw diet use particular techniques to prepare
foods. These include sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts
and dried fruits; and juicing fruits and vegetables. The only cooking
that is allowed is via a dehydrator. This piece of equipment blows hot
air through the food but never reaches a temperature higher than 116°F.
Do you have to follow the regimen that strictly? Of course not. But
it’s certainly worth it to incorporate some of these techniques and
ideas into your diet. If you tend to snack at work, try taking in
carrots or apple slices. Many of the bigger grocery stores now offer
packaged vegetables or fruits that make it easier to pack them and take
them to work. We’re a nation of convenience, and much of the resistance
to healthier eating is that it does generally take a little more effort
and time to buy and slice fruits and vegetables. Food retailers have
been catching on, slowly, and it’s much easier now to get bags of
sliced carrots, celery, apples, nuts and raisins.
Of course these aren’t necessarily organic foods, and organic is the
better way to go, but we think anything raw is infinitely better than
cooked, processed food. If you have the time, do buy organic and slice
them yourself. But if you’re in a hurry, and nowhere near a natural
food store, then don’t beat yourself up or sabotage your efforts
because you can’t do this 100% all the time. That’s not realistic.
Anything from the fruit and vegetable aisle is going to be better for
you than a potato chip, or worse yet, a french fry!...
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