Raw Foods

[SiennaInLondon]

I think the raw food diet is great in that it encourages a large part of your diet to be fruit and veg... which really is the cornerstone of any good diet. However I find some of the niggling dos and donts faddish. Of course too much curry will kill you in the long run but it can be a limited part of your diet whether or not you label it 'raw'. I personally prefer veggies uncooked (well a lot of them anyway) such as broadbeans, caultiflower, broccoli. I mean I used to detest broccoli until I tried it raw. But it is a preference. Tomatoes just SHOULD NOT be cooked. They are incredibly acidic when cooked. But I mean I do think boiled things are ok.

 

[Bonchic]

I've always preferred my veggies raw. When I was little and lived in Missouri my mom had a like 1-2 acre garden and I would always go out there and pull up a veggie, wash it off with the garden hose and eat it! I remember doing that with a radish and my mouth was on fire Then when supper time came I didn't want to eat the cooked veggies, so I was always the last one at the table because I had to finish my plate I even spit the peas in the trash can, on top mind you where it was obvious so then I got in trouble..

 

[SiennaInLondon]

I think the raw food diet is great in that it encourages a large part of your diet to be fruit and veg... which really is the cornerstone of any good diet. However I find some of the niggling dos and donts faddish. Of course too much curry will kill you in the long run but it can be a limited part of your diet whether or not you label it 'raw'. I personally prefer veggies uncooked (well a lot of them anyway) such as broadbeans, caultiflower, broccoli. I mean I used to detest broccoli until I tried it raw. But it is a preference. Tomatoes just SHOULD NOT be cooked. They are incredibly acidic when cooked. But I mean I do think boiled things are ok.

 

[Deleted member 36123]

I've always preferred my veggies raw. When I was little and lived in Missouri my mom had a like 1-2 acre garden and I would always go out there and pull up a veggie, wash it off with the garden hose and eat it! I remember doing that with a radish and my mouth was on fire Then when supper time came I didn't want to eat the cooked veggies, so I was always the last one at the table because I had to finish my plate I even spit the peas in the trash can, on top mind you where it was obvious so then I got in trouble..

That's really cute bonchic! I really love my veggies raw too Something about eating food in it's most natural state is just really appealing! Plus no cooking = less preparation time! That has to be a plus!

 

[Browneyes]

^ yeah, but that's only if you're gonna eat salads all the time no? I've spoken to a former very strict raw-foodist, who said that being a raw-foodist was incredibly time consuming, and only worked for her for a limited number of years, and definately not after she had children. For certain dishes it requires soaking seeds, nuts, to make them sprout overnight, finding special organic ingredients... etc. So i don't think it's that easy unless all you want to eat is salads and fruit - which probably isn't enough, since you won't be getting enough varied nutrients, and might get pretty bored of it too.
But maybe it is easier for some, and the planning might not be a hassle to all...

Edit: And of course since I haven't tried it myself (lazybones) I can only speak from an outsider perspective

 

[Browneyes]

So erm... anyone who's into it who thinks it's not such a hassle/so time-consuming? Maybe it's just a question of being really organised...? I'd love to hear some other opinions on this, since I'm really curious heh

 

[misssakura]

To be honest I think if you want a healthy diet you HAVe to be organised whether its raw or not...I find that I eat a lot healthier when I prepare all my meals in advance otherwise every meal is 30-40 minutes of cooking and 30 minutes of cleaning every night which is a LOT just for one meal, whereas if you do it all at once...

I guess for raw its a little more tricky just because veggies are at their best before they've been cut/prepared, and I don't think you can freeze vegetables to eat as raw, or at least I just imagine them going black and soggy as they thaw..

Even smoothies are only supposed to be kept for a maximum of 2 days so they don't lose their goodness...

 

[Deleted member 36123]

Here is a link http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=154.0 to some great raw food recipes if you get a bit stuck for new ideas sometimes like I do!

 

[CHEAPandCHIC]

I'd probably get ill from doing it. For some reason my body hates raw foods in overload.

 

[ponytrot]

if i was ever to go raw, i think i'd just eat nuts all day. Mmmmm.

 

[lalablossoms]

i think the most practical and effective path to a healthy diet is to concentrate on eating a variety of organic whole foods, one good tool is to color code fruits and veggies so you get a complete balance of nutrients, i do think the raw food diet is a lil fadish but if people eat more produce good for them, i like salads but even in my salads i will add seared salmon etc. to spice it up a bit, for the most part though i just eat whats appealing to me and energizing, though i'm a pescatarian i try not to be too restrictive beyond that, i was vegan and vegatarian for years and the rules became too religious in nature so i just went for what my body craved and responded to, it should be that simple

 

[misssakura]

It isn't that simple because a lot of vegans and vegetarians believe that you should take responsibility for the wellfare of other animals on this planet, not just ourselves so by giving in to cravings of eating meat you're just causing more suffering for the sake of one food product.

I personally get really hungry when I just eat raw foods, maybe I just haven't found the right ones yet.

I don't like eating fish because of all the chemicals dumped into the sea and lakes and the nature of artificial fish farming, so I don't see how you can eat organic food and then eat something like salmon..personally

 

[gruveechik]

i can't eat raw fruits and vegetables in any season except summer.
i used to have a remarkable digestive system... until i got an e-coli & giardia infection.
now if i eat a raw apple - i am sick for 3 days. same with salads.
it's daft!!!

so while i think increasing raw fruits & veggies is a good idea,
i'd still exercise some caution.

even if you aren't ill like me -

breaking down and digesting raw foods takes a lot of internal 'fire' to do so... and if you're low on 'fire' for whatever reason (including adrenal exhaustion, thyroid problems) - then eating raw might make you ill.

my 2cents

 

[lalablossoms]

so eating wild salon is bad ethically or nutritionally, i dont get what you are saying???

It isn't that simple because a lot of vegans and vegetarians believe that you should take responsibility for the wellfare of other animals on this planet, not just ourselves so by giving in to cravings of eating meat you're just causing more suffering for the sake of one food product.

I personally get really hungry when I just eat raw foods, maybe I just haven't found the right ones yet.

I don't like eating fish because of all the chemicals dumped into the sea and lakes and the nature of artificial fish farming, so I don't see how you can eat organic food and then eat something like salmon..personally

:

 

[Bel]

I eat lots of raw fruit and veggies, I don't like cooked vegetables very much.
But I eat chicken, fish, sometimes red meat but not much.
Some foods become more nutritious after cooking, such as eggs.
I think the most important think about this diet is that the food is unprocessed, not so much that it's uncooked.

 

[misssakura]

I think ethically AND nutritionally it doesn't make sense in today's world to eat salmon. Stocks are depleted, other animals need to eat salmon, it causes pollution and drains the eco-system, wreaking havoc on the oceans, lakes and rivers. There are good alternative for omega-3 oils that don't screw up our planet quite so badly imo. Most of the rivers and oceans are badly polluted from human waste, illegal toxic dumping, factory by-product...also the fact that any sort of fishing doesn't use skilled catching methods, just drag nets which aren't exclusive to the sort of wildlife caught.

I just think that because salmon and all other kinds of fish are filled full of chemicals and other nasties, and because it does affect the environment as much as it does, it doesn't make sense to eat it if you give a damn about your body and the world around you...

 

[Bonchic]

Personally I think if you're going to eat fish only eat Sardines because they have the lowest level of mercury since they don't get big enough Prince of the Sea brand is best (I think you can order them off of Amazon.com)

 

[SiennaInLondon]

Well I am a sardine fiend so that is a good tip Bonchic.

However I am coming round this raw food thing. Except when I go to my parents our out to a restaurant, I am eating ONLY fruit and nuts and veg. It is so easy and shopping is easy too because instead of going to Morrisons or Waitrose aisle by aisle, I just need to go to the fruit bit. I am in and out of there in like 5 mins now. AND I don't miss anything. Meat a bit but I'll still have meat once a week. It is GREAT. I don't feel hungry at all.

This is a good article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4389837.stm

I HATE the misconceptions perpetuated by the food industry that you NEED dairy to get enough calcium and protein etc. It is patent balls. Most people don't know that you have enough carbs you need in veggies... you don't need frickin sugar overloaded cereal. And people don't know that protein you get in natural products is far better assimilated than from meat products.

Raw foodism is like an epiphany. I am eating less calories but my hair is so strong right now.

 

[SiennaInLondon]

Ok my dentist says I am still getting too much sugar on a fruit/nut diet. Now I don't know what to do. Can anyone help?

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Cut down on fruit, I had to because the amount of fruit I was eating was ruining my teeth by calcifying them. (You can tell if this is happened because the teeth look whiter than is natural.)

Roasted scallops, fricassee of squid, assiette of suckling pig, breast of Gressingham duck, braised halibut, vichyssoise of haddock, warm calf liver salad = good reasons not to live on a raw diet.