Raw Foods Diet?

[goodgiver]

Not to sure where this thread belongs so if this isn't the right place you can put it where ever it belongs. My question is how many of you all ever heard of the "Raw Food Diet" and what do you think of irt? Does it really work?

 

[Katie H]

Don't know much about it, but I suspect it will find itself under the "fad" category after it plays itself out.

One piece I saw on it kind of turned me off when the writer said "dead food, dead body."

 

[VegasDramaQueen]

Would you mind posting the particulars of this "raw food diet"? If it's the one I've heard about it advocates eating nothing but raw food. How incredibly stupid is that? I put that up along with the "alphabet diet" where you eat only foods beginning with a particular letter in alphabetical order. What could possible be heathful or non fattening about food that is eaten raw? Let us know exactly what this diet is all about.

 

[VeraBlue]

A raw food diet is exactly what you all think it is....everything you eat is raw. The basis of this diet is that heat destroys the nutritients in everything we eat. There is protein on the menu, particularly fish, which is mainstream enough that many people have tried this diet. Most vegetables can be consumed raw, as well.
The drawbacks are you never get bread or rice, never a cookie...if it requires heat, you don't get it. I think what I'd find most dissatisfying is that you never get a hot meal. Never a bowl of soup on a rainy day.

This isn't meant to be a weight loss diet, it's more of a lifestyle change, like choosing only organic or 'green' food. It would be the next logical step if, after choosing only organic products, you wanted to get even more of the natural nutrients food offers.

There are restaurants in the city that cater to this diet. I'm sure if you do a google search you'll get more information.

 

[VeraBlue]

Would you mind posting the particulars of this "raw food diet"? If it's the one I've heard about it advocates eating nothing but raw food. How incredibly stupid is that? I put that up along with the "alphabet diet" where you eat only foods beginning with a particular letter in alphabetical order. What could possible be heathful or non fattening about food that is eaten raw? Let us know exactly what this diet is all about.

I would hesitate to call anyone's choice of eating style stupid. It is simply a matter of preference. Not all diets are about fat or weight loss. The benefits of cooking food are apparent, but so are the benefits of not cooking food. I'm sure that somewhere along the line you have heard that overcooking vegetables is the best way to boil out all the nutrients, yes? This just takes the entire menu one step further. While the diet may be limiting, it's certainly not harmful in any way. In fact, the benefits far outweigh the fact that the menu can seem so restrictive. An imaginative person with just a tiny bit of skill can do quite well eating only raw foods. It's always disturbing to hear remarks that denegrate another person's choices.

 

[Little Miss J]

What else would a raw food restaurant serve besides salad? I hope that doesn't sound rude but I am rather ignorant on this topic.

 

[redkitty]

I would hesitate to call anyone's choice of eating style stupid. It is simply a matter of preference. Not all diets are about fat or weight loss. The benefits of cooking food are apparent, but so are the benefits of not cooking food. I'm sure that somewhere along the line you have heard that overcooking vegetables is the best way to boil out all the nutrients, yes? This just takes the entire menu one step further. While the diet may be limiting, it's certainly not harmful in any way. In fact, the benefits far outweigh the fact that the menu can seem so restrictive. An imaginative person with just a tiny bit of skill can do quite well eating only raw foods. It's always disturbing to hear remarks that denegrate another person's choices.

Well said vera. I've done loads of reading about raw food lifestyle, being that I am vegetarian it seems of interest. But as you mentioned, I could never give up warm food! No way. Many people try to eat about 60-70% raw, I probably come close to about 50%.

GoodGiver, you can find loads of info on google by typing "raw food lifestyle"

 

[kitchenelf]

What else would a raw food restaurant serve besides salad? I hope that doesn't sound rude but I am rather ignorant on this topic.

I have seen pies made with a crust of crushed various seeds/nuts bound together with honey. There's the obvious - fruits, vegetables, but there's a host of other things. Pizza, enchiladas, all made with allowed berries/nuts to get the crust and "tortilla" wrapper. If you do just a bit of search on google you will be amazed at what you find. It's really quite interesting.

 

[TATTRAT]

This is a well known book about all the possibilities wit raw products.

I LOVE Trotters work, and Klein has been on the forefront of Vegan cuisine for years, and does really amazing things without "cooking".


I still could never give up a good ribeye or porterhouse though

 

[Half Baked]

In Nasty Bits AB mentions Woody Harrelson and the raw food diet. AB had many choice words about this subject.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I LOVED AB's comments on the raw food diet. Very well said.

 

[ttbeachbum]

here's a sample of what I have found (but have not experienced) on the web; Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center - An Oasis for Awakening, Patagonia, Arizona, USA

If someone cooked like this for me, I don't think it would be hard to follow; It seems like a healthy way of eating;

I am really not familiar with the style of eating, but it seems to be growing in acceptance.

 

[auntdot]

Never heard of the diet before but thinking about it there are many raw dishes I eat regularly, particularly in the summer when the fresh tomatoes and veggies come in.

Unfortunately as much as I like raw meat and fish (Carpaccio is my middle name), there is little meat I would trust from the local supermarkets uncooked.

I think that concentrating on raw foods for a while would expand a cook's repertoire.

But as for a lifestyle, there are just too many cooked items I crave.

As far as weight loss goes, I can think of a whole lot of raw items that have a whole lot of calories and fats.

Have lost, and am still losing, a bunch of weight and I do it by limiting my intake - and eating healthier.

Can never stick to a restricted diet.

But for those who find raw foods a preferable diet, for whatever reason, God bless them.

 

[VeraBlue]

What else would a raw food restaurant serve besides salad? I hope that doesn't sound rude but I am rather ignorant on this topic.

Sushi, carpaccio, ceviche, cheese, nuts, fruits, vegetables

 

[GB]

I think sushi would probably be out because rice is cooked, but you could have sashimi.

 

[VeraBlue]

I think sushi would probably be out because rice is cooked, but you could have sashimi.

Agreed, on both counts.

 

[Robo410]

is it possible to soften any grain by soaking wihtout cooking it?? Corn...wheat? oats, rye?

So many veggies are great raw when young and fresh, but give em an extra week in the ground or on the shelf and I wanna cook it for sure. THe raw diet is best practiced in climates with year round growing seasons.

 

[VeraBlue]

is it possible to soften any grain by soaking wihtout cooking it?? Corn...wheat? oats, rye?

So many veggies are great raw when young and fresh, but give em an extra week in the ground or on the shelf and I wanna cook it for sure. THe raw diet is best practiced in climates with year round growing seasons.

Yes. Shopping isn't like it was back in the 50s with regard to seasonal produce. You can step into any supermarket anywhere in the country and find produce from all over the world supplying produce not available in the US at that partcular time of year.

 

[BreezyCooking]

To be honest, I don't think a truly healthy "raw diet" is possible at this time.

We can't even be sure our cooked food isn't going to poison us (or our pets).

 

[VeraBlue]

To be honest, I don't think a truly healthy "raw diet" is possible at this time.

We can't even be sure our cooked food isn't going to poison us (or our pets).

On the contrary, raw food is not mass produced, mass handled or introduced to any outside influences.
As far as being possible, the several restaurants raw that are in Manhattan would beg to differ.