What it means to go raw!

Taking veganism one step further. Think easier digestion, weight loss, and better overall health. Best of all, this isn’t just another “fad diet”.

Defining the diet

For starters, let’s take a look at what a vegan diet does, and doesn’t include.

Includes

• Fruits
• Sea and land vegetables
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Grains
• Mushrooms
• Seeds
• Herbs and Spices
• Other plant-derived alternatives

Excludes

• Flesh (from land and sea animals)
• All forms of dairy
• Eggs
• Honey
• Other animal derivatives, and products containing such foods.

When practicing raw veganism, the included foods are eaten in their most natural state, minimally heated, and minimally processed. In other words, there’s no cooking involved and very little preparation.

Origin and benefits

Many people have different ideas of where this nutritional style got its start. Some claim that it has been around since the 1800’s. With veganism on the rise as recent as the early 2000’s, it would seem to make sense to discount this way of eating as just another fad diet.

I say this: think in terms of primitive times, when eating raw foods was the default and people had no choice but to eat this way because cooking may not have been an option. Logical enough, no?

One thing is for sure. No matter when or where this diet originated, following it has many benefits. According to research conducted by Dr. Josh Axe, some of these are:

• Maintenance of a healthy body weight
• Clearer skin
• Better digestion
• Heightened energy
• Improved heart health
• Higher nutrient intake
• High fiber intake
• Less contribution to animal cruelty (yay, go you!)

As if those benefits aren’t appealing enough on their own, there are also several options to resort to when thinking about how to consume raw vegan foods.

Preparation

Surprisingly enough, there are different ways to prepare raw foods.

• Juicing and blending your fruits and veggies gives you the convenience of having the perfect on-the-go meal.
• Dehydrating your food removes moisture while keeping the temperature low enough that the food may still be considered raw.
• Sprouting your seeds, grains, and legumes allow for them to be consumed raw.
• Soaking your nuts and seeds properly in water before eating them boosts their enzyme activity, and allows for better absorption by your body!

Helpful Tips:

• Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 are not found in plant foods, so make sure to complement your diet with a vegan B12 supplement, and adequate sun!
• Consuming organic foods helps to avoid the consumption of synthetic and/or chemical pesticides, and herbicides.

*Disclaimer: Always consult with your physician before changing your diet.