The term “raw food” has caught the attention of many people seeking an answer to their health problems. In fact, the general reaction from most people tends to sway towards the uncertainty of what to eat, the dangers of the diet, and how to maintain it without relapsing back to unhealthy food choices. The raw food diet consists of raw foods that contain enzymes, and have not been heated beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw foodists, or people who adopt a raw food diet, consume at least 75% uncooked, unprocessed, and organic plant-based raw foods. Raw foodists believe that cooking food destroys the digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and essential oils naturally found within the food. The majority of raw foodists support this ideology; however, a minority have their own paradigm about the raw food diet.

In general, raw foods come from organically grown sources that have not been cooked or processed in any shape or fashion. Living and raw foods have a richness of nutrients, vitamins, and enzymes not found in cooked food. The digestive enzymes found in raw food help the body to breakdown the content found in these foods without draining the body of its vital metabolic enzymes. In fact, the enzymes found in raw foods are dormant. In order to activate these enzymes, raw foodists soak them in water until sprouting occurs, which enlivens the enzymes. This is the life source contained within all living and raw food.

Raw foodists consume a diet consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains, sea vegetables, and other unprocessed products, such as raw milk and cheese. The majority of raw foodists believe in consuming organically grown foods. Conventional foods are exposed to harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Animal-based products come from animals on industrialized farms that are fed an unnatural grain-based diet, oftentimes shackled to a confined space until ready for slaughter. These same animals are usually pumped full of hormones, antibiotics, salt water solutions, age-delaying gases, and bacteria. In addition, conventional soil does not have the necessary nutrients to replenish the body's reserves. These reasons cause raw foodists to purchase organically-grown produce and animal-based products to obtain optimal health void of accumulated toxins.

A common problem for most beginning raw foodists deals with the creation of savory raw food recipes. Raw food does not need to be cooked or represent a traditional entree. In fact, many raw foodists favor blending their meals into tasty smoothies; however, there are many raw food diet recipes that resemble traditional meals. For instance, many raw food recipes represent common foods, such as pizza, ice cream, sherbet, tuna, sushi, and potato chips. Beginning raw foodists may want to start out making complex raw food diet recipes to familiarize themselves with past food associations. Many seasoned raw foodists usually forgo these entrees unless they feel inclined to eat something fanciful on occasion. For example, fruitarians, or people who only consume raw fruit, eat mono-meals. Mono-meals are entrees that only contain one type of food, such as apples, pears, carrots, or bananas. Other raw foodists prefer eating lots of green vegetables, minimal fruit, and modest amounts of nuts and seeds. Raw food extremists may eat only sprouts, natural weeds, or opt to only drink their meals.

The majority of raw foodists own several kitchen appliances to create colorful raw food recipes. These kitchen appliances include a vegetable spiral slicer, blender, juicer, dehydrator, food processor, and cutting board. Some raw foodists may want to lightly steam their vegetables during the winter. Others will eat a 100% raw food diet all year round. Some come from religious backgrounds, while others simply believe the raw food diet coincides with human evolutionary makeup. The core value of a raw food diet stems from its richness in enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that revamp the body from its deadened state. Even if an individual chooses to consume animal-based products, it’s a good idea to incorporate more raw food recipes to their dietary regimen to maintain adequate health.

Follow these links to learn more about savory raw food diet recipes:

• RF 101
• RF Smoothie Rejuvenation Diet (PDF)
• All RF Shopping List (PDF)
• RF - The Ultimate Diet (PDF)
• What does the CDC say about the RFDiet? (PDF)
• RF on a Budget (PDF)
• RF Diets—The Science (PDF)
• How to Manage a RF Diet (PDF)
• Foods For The Gerson Diet (PDF)
• Metabolic Vitamin B12 Status on a Mostly Raw Vegan Diet with Follow-Up Using Tablets, Nutritional Yeast, or Probiotic Supplements (PDF)