Raw Foods and Nutrition

Raw Foods and Nutrition
By Anthony Ceraldi

Raw foods are only raw if they're un-processed, un-altered, and un-cooked. Raw food dieters typically eschew canned, packaged, or man-made foods because they're very bad for you.

Raw vegetables, greens, and fruits are the healthiest things you can put into your body. They provide lasting, long-term, body energy unlike coffee that hits us with a jolt, a buzz, or a wired feeling. Raw plant foods are complex carbohydrates. When we eat them, the sugar is released slowly into our bloodstream so that there are no blood sugar imbalances. With cookies, candy, sweets, and soft drinks, there can be a super high and a mega low that follows. Raw fruits even hydrate us better than water in the hot sun. Day laborers prefer watermelon, cucumber, and oranges because of the high water content, sodium, and fruit sugar.

Raw foods aren't limited to vegetables, greens, and fruits. People who eat just the aforementioned foods are called raw food vegetarians. These people also consume nuts, seeds, sprouts, grains, legumes, sea vegetables, and condiments from spices, herbs, and seasonings. Some people go beyond all that and eat raw animal foods too. These people are called Native Nutritionists. This group of raw food folks tries to eat like ancient tribes did long ago. They consume raw egg yolks, raw dairy products, and raw meats, especially organ meats. These people are sometimes called Paleolithic dieters. So, you see, there are many dietary permutations of which raw foods are chosen and consumed. By far, the most popular is raw food vegetarianism. However, this is a large and growing movement that is jumping on the tribal diet train, and their favorite book is Nourishing Traditions. It is one of the only books, besides Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, that explains the tribal dietary movement.

There is considerable controversy about whether or not it's healthy to consume raw plant foods exclusively. Recent research has indicated the following health problems in people who consume a purely vegetarian diet: lower bone density, amenorrhea, underweightness, dental erosion, elevated plasma homocysteine, low serum HDL cholesterol, vitamin B-12 deficiency. However, recent research has also verified that raw foods are good for the following health problems: obesity, hypertension, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis. By far, the biggest benefit is in obesity. Before-and-after pictures of raw food vegetarians show dramatic weight loss and anecdotal testimonials from the dieters explain a sense of pleasance, well-being, and energy that's unprecedented in their lives. Some call this the Raw Transformation. Clearer faces, smoother skin, and vibrant, youthful, happy demeanors are the rewards of a raw food diet. Many of these before-and-after pictures can be seen on the Shazzie website. She's super close friends with David Wolfe, who owns the Raw Food website. These two people are shining examples of vibrant health and positive energy. Perhaps people need a mixture of raw plant foods and supplementary animal foods to be successful on the diet. Since we are part of nature, it only makes sense to eat from nature.

Raw foods contain living enzymes that help them digest that are eliminated when food is cooked. They also contain minerals and vitamins that would be lost in cooking. Raw fruit and vegetable fiber helps regular blood sugar.

Besides inner calm and outward peace, there are diseases that are helped by raw foods. The diseases mentioned before in this article were only the ones mentioned in scientific studies. However, raw food dieters from all over the world have said they get relief from the following health conditions with the raw food diet: diabetes, acne, migraines, bodily pain, asthma, arthritis, allergies, depression, menopause, chronic fatigue, and even cancer. It probably does this through creating homeostasis in the body that balances the system out. These health problems don't have to be treated conventionally. Try a natural approach first of all.

Raw fruits and vegetables aren't limited to supermarket store shelves. Exotic foods like Plantains, Durians, Elderberries, Pomegranates, and Breadfruit are just a few of the amazing and tempting foods we should be eating. We would probably be living a lot longer if we had access to them. Search online and try to find someone that will ship them to you.

Make raw food power smoothies that are chock full of antioxidants to look and feel younger and have more energy. Get a blender like a Vitamix or K-Tec that can blend raw vegetables and greens and splash in a lot of berries for taste. Add some fresh-squeezed orange juice. Jack LaLane, a 94 year old, eats 5 to 7 different fruits and vegetables per day. He is a fitness superstar in the United States. The Juice man, well into his 70's, looks like he's in his 50's. He sells a power juicer online. Diamond Organics can ship you raw foods from all over the country so what are you waiting for?

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Raw-Foods-and-Nutrition&id=1590495