Things to Know Before Starting the Raw Food Diet
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:21 amThe raw food diet sounds great--getting back to nature, less cooking, loosing weight, and getting all those nutrients and antioxidants that can be found in fresh veggies!
There are some things you need to know/decide before confidently declaring to everyone you know that you are starting a raw food diet, however.
Really dedicated raw foodists really mean raw--as in, there are people out there who choose to eat raw animal products as well. Not just yogurt and cheese made from unpasturized milk, but also raw organ and muscle meat. If this makes you squeamish, you might choose to be a raw food vegetarian or vegan. If you're game to try it, do your research carefully about which meats are safe to eat raw, and which ones to avoid. In most cases, buying local and organic is much better if you're planning to eat raw meat, because mass-produced meat involves animals living in crowded quarters, and ups the chances of diseases spreading amongst the animal population.
Eating raw grains is harder than it sounds. Many nuts and grains have to be soaked--sometimes overnight--before they are edible. Some raw food dishes require more preparation than cooking food the traditional way!
There are many benefits to raw food, especially fresh, raw fruits and veggies. There are many different kinds of raw food diets out there, so do your research and pick one that works for you. If you don't think you can stick to being a raw foodist, you can always just include more fresh, raw healthy food in your regular lifestyle!
There are some things you need to know/decide before confidently declaring to everyone you know that you are starting a raw food diet, however.
Really dedicated raw foodists really mean raw--as in, there are people out there who choose to eat raw animal products as well. Not just yogurt and cheese made from unpasturized milk, but also raw organ and muscle meat. If this makes you squeamish, you might choose to be a raw food vegetarian or vegan. If you're game to try it, do your research carefully about which meats are safe to eat raw, and which ones to avoid. In most cases, buying local and organic is much better if you're planning to eat raw meat, because mass-produced meat involves animals living in crowded quarters, and ups the chances of diseases spreading amongst the animal population.
Eating raw grains is harder than it sounds. Many nuts and grains have to be soaked--sometimes overnight--before they are edible. Some raw food dishes require more preparation than cooking food the traditional way!
There are many benefits to raw food, especially fresh, raw fruits and veggies. There are many different kinds of raw food diets out there, so do your research and pick one that works for you. If you don't think you can stick to being a raw foodist, you can always just include more fresh, raw healthy food in your regular lifestyle!