Types of Raw Food Diets

by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Author, Eating for Energy

Many people would consider those who follow a raw diet to be amongst the most uncompromising about what they choose to put into their bodies. But among those who eat raw, there is a smaller subsection that chooses to apply even more rigid standards to their daily food intake: those who choose to live a raw vegan lifestyle. This means, no animal parts (meats) or by-products (eggs, milk or honey), and depending on the interpretation, either nothing heated to over 118 degrees Fahrenheit, or at least three quarters of all food qualifying as raw or uncooked. That would include vegetables and fruits, nuts, grains, seeds, sprouts, herbs and juices.

The raw vegan movement is one with many different arguments as to why their way works for them. For some, there are philosophical, ethical and moral decisions to be made regarding out place in this world, and they feel that this way of life has the most impact for them, while having the smallest impact on others. Some raw vegans are more concerned with the health aspects of consuming cooked foods and animal by-products, pointing to studies that show increasing cancer rates that are tied to the consumption of cooked foods, and the many benefits seen in a raw diet.

There are a number of subsets within the raw vegan group:

Fruitarian: This is the belief that one should only consume what is given to you by the plant as a gift. If it falls from the tree or can be taken without doing damage to the plant, then it should be considered edible. This would include fruits such as berries and fleshy fruits like apples, plums and pears. Some within the community consider nuts to be a type of fruit, while others disagree. Vegetables are not included in the Fruitarian diet, because their harvest usually involves doing grave damage to the plant. Some people point to passages in the Bible as proof that Fruitarianism was the diet of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Juicearian: As the name would suggest, all raw foods here would be reduced to a juice form before consuming. These juices are usually made fresh, and often combined with wheat grass. The blending and juicing process allows these foods to be consumed easily and absorbed quickly, giving the body a fast release of vitamins and other nutrients. Many studies have shown that higher intakes of vegetable juice can result in lower occurrences of some types of cancers.

Sproutarian: Again, the name tells you what you need to know. This diet consists of mostly sprouts, although very few within this movement subsist purely on sprouts. These tiny sprouts have all the nutrients a full-grown plant would require, and as such, you are not only consuming the plant, but all the energy it would use to grow, in the form of protein, carbs and oils. Popular sprouted foods include broccoli, alfalfa, fennel and fenugreek.

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Foods That Give Us Energy

It's really unfortunate that the vast majority of the population turns to stimulants instead of looking to whole foods for a boost of invigorating energy. I guess part of the problem is that humans are generally lazy and would rather take the "magic pill" to fix all their problems.

But when it comes to having more energy the irony is that the stimulating foods such coffee, sugar, and energy drinks actually fatigue your body in the long run. Sure they give you a quick jolt of energy but then their real effects are felt as they wear down your adrenal glands, disrupt your blood sugar, and create a huge crash after the initial high. Essentially they are drugs. They are not foods that give us energy.

Ok, then, what are some natural foods that will give you long-lasting energy?

Well, you may want to consider that no single food will give you more energy than your overall diet. Sure you could add in some of the energy foods I describe below, but if your diet is horrific to begin with, then you will not see the sustained level of energy that you want.

Instead of searching for "miracle" energy foods your goal should be to eat a diet that consists of foods that are vibrating at higher energies. This means eating more raw living foods. When a food has not been cooked, it maintains its natural energy properties (not to mention all of its other nutrients). Thus, when you eat raw foods, you're giving your body direct energy from the ultimate source - the sun - as most of these foods will be plant-based, and the sun is where they get their energy.

The closer you eat to the bottom of the food chain, the more nutrition and energy will you acquire. Think about it - it takes more of your energy to digest animal meat than it does to digest a green vegetable, right? Plus, this green veggie will have the maximum amount of living energy versus a dead animal carcass.

Thus, to have more energy, you need to follow a high energy diet. After that, you can start to knit pick and see which specific foods give you more energy, if at all.

To help you get started, here is a list of some my favorite energizing foods:

- wheat grass - if you haven't tried wheat grass then you're missing out on some big time energy and nutrition. Growing it and juicing yourself can be a bit of a pain but you can easily get a "shot" at most health food stores or juice bars. 1 oz of wheat grass juice packs more nutrition than 2.5 lbs of green leafy veggies!

- raw cacao (nibs or powder) - incredible source of magnesium, antioxidants, and life force. These give me a natural high that can last for hours without the subsequent like you would get from coffee and caffeinated beverages.

- goji berries - another incredible source of antioxidants and polysaccharides that improve cell-to-cell communication. I actually combine these with my raw cacao nibs and complementary tastes work really well together.

Remember that although these foods provide incredible nutrition they are the like the healthier version of coffee and other quick fixes. The key still remains to follow a raw foods diet, as much as possible, that will provide you with tons of life force, alkalinity, and nutrients to help your body thrive.

 

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading holistic nutrition and health experts. If you want to lose weight and live your healthiest and most energetic life ever, then you can learn more about his  raw food diet book, Eating for Energy and get started with a FREE 6-part Energy Secrets e-course by visiting EatingforEnergy.ca today.