From E-How: How To Start A Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is a vegan diet designed around eating uncooked fruits, vegetables, and other natural foods. The idea that cooking food causes it to lose certain essential vitamins and minerals that human beings need, is a sensible one. It is certainly a refreshing one in a country full of processes foods . But is living on a completely raw diet practical?
Putting work into going “raw”
To “go raw” is to create an entire new relationship with food. It takes study and dedication. In order to go raw it is important to learn the properties of certain foods and the specific nutrients of each. This way, one is able to design a well-balanced recipe. Every meal in the raw-food diet must be prepared at home. It is also extremely costly to “go raw”. Here is a list of all the kitchen equipment you need in order to maintain a raw-food diet, and the cost of each:
- Vita-Mix Blender $249-599
- Food Processor $100-200
- Dehydrator $109-250
- Juicer $180-259
- Spiralizer (used to shred vegetables) $25-100
- Nut-Milk Bag $8-12
- Cutting Board $1-40
- Knives $2-200
- Grater $4-12
This list comes from the book, Fresh: The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook. It is a charming book, filled with appealing and colorful recipes. Unfortunately, most recipes cannot be prepared without an expensive blender, food processor, or dehydrator.
When I first looked into “going-raw” a year ago, I quickly realized that it would be impossible for me. As a poor student with a busy schedule, I could not take the time to pay for foods, prepare foods, or fund the equipment to make the food.
Making raw a part of your life
Unless you are a wealthy individual with a flexible schedule, going raw is not practical. However, it is practical to incorporate some raw foods into your life. By cutting out processed foods as much as possible, and making time a few days a week to make completely raw meals, it is entirely possible to reap the benefits of a raw food diet. I receive a menagerie of healthy, whole fruits and vegetables every morning by preparing a quick and easy green smoothie:
(For more videos like this, and for some awesome smoothie recipes, check out the Green Smoothie Blog)
If you are interested in raw-foods, there are plenty of on-line resources to help you get started:
-We Like It Raw
-Raw Food, Right Now
-Raw Food Life
