Raw Foods – A Natural Health Essential

After reading The Raw Food Approach−Defined, you know that the phrase “going raw” typically refers to a diet in which fruit, veggies, and sprouted beans, lentils, peas, nuts, and seeds comprise 60-90 percent of your menu.

The concept of eating primarily raw plant foods may sound radical, but it is just an expansion on what we are told every day by health experts of all stripes, which is to emphasize fresh, whole plant foods daily for optimal health and disease prevention.

While many Americans rely on fast, processed, and plastic-encased foods, nearly all of us consume at least some raw foods. The term “raw food” includes all fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, as well as sprouted beans, lentils, peas, nuts, and seeds.

The various juices, smoothies, snacks, entrées, and desserts crafted from these foods will also qualify as raw, provided they have not been heated above 110 degrees.

Fortunately, with the use of a dehydrator, raw food enthusiasts can enjoy crispy crackers, breads, cookies, bars and more, all of which retain the majority of the vitamins, enzymes, and minerals in the original foods.

This nourishing, creative approach to food has expanded greatly in recent years. The huge infusion of books, blogs, products, restaurants, and other excellent resources make it easier to embrace this lifestyle diet than ever before.

Can you imagine how much better you could feel by emphasizing fresh, highly nutritious, enzyme-rich foods and raw juices every single day? The science on the benefits of whole food, plant-based dining is impressive, especially when you emphasize fresh produce. It is also the healthiest and most effective way to reach, and maintain, your ideal weight.

So, whether you want to embrace a fully raw diet, or merely increase the amount of fresh plant foods you consume each day, prepare yourself to look and feel better in proportion to your menu. When you make fresh, whole plant food a priority, less healthy choices may be gradually phased out altogether.