What is Raw Food?
A healthy raw food diet is made up of whole foods in their natural state, such as:
- fruits (sweet, fatty or starchy)
- vegetables
- nuts and seeds
- legumes (usually sprouted)
- grains (usually sprouted)
- sea vegetables
- raw condiments
- edible algae (spirulina and nori)
As with most things in life (especially dietary) there are various viewpoints on the best approach to eating a raw food diet. It’s purely individualistic and the only way to determine the best approach for you, is by doing a bit of research and by trying out the various eating styles. Many people get caught up in the confusion and online politics surrounding the best approach to eating and thriving on a raw food diet and then never get started. Don’t let politics or lack of direction stand in your way of experiencing extraordinary health via simple food.
Popular Types of Raw Food Diets
Low GI raw food diet: Or otherwise known as the low-sweet fruit diet. A person eating this diet would avoid sweet fruits as much as possible, while eating tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers, lemons and limes. Their main nutritional focus is on greens, sprouted grains, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds and avocados. This is often seen as a ‘gourmet’ approach to raw foods.
High-sweet fruit diet: People who eat a high fruit diet aim to get most of their daily calorie intake from sweet fruit, such as pineapples, bananas, mangoes, dates, oranges, melons, apples and stoned fruits. Their diet often includes leafy greens, starchy vegetables, and sometimes small amounts of nuts and seeds.
80/20: meaning 80% raw and 20% cooked. Often this is known as a high raw diet where people eat raw food (mostly fruits and vegetables) during the day and then will consume low-fat cooked vegetables and legumes in the evenings.
Smoothies and in particular green smoothies, have been the new buzz term in mainstream health circles of late. Blending and juicing is the easiest way to ensure maximum nutrition for ourselves and our families. Just by adding a fresh green juice or raw vegan smoothie to your diet everyday can have a huge impact on your health.
It’s now a lot easier to find a fresh juice and smoothie bar in your local area than ever before so next time you’re out and about, instead of grabbing a coffee, grab a fresh juice or green smoothie and feel your cells come alive!