There have been lots of talk lately about eating raw and living foods.What are they? Raw and living foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts that have not been heated above 104 degrees while some raw foodies say not to heat above 118 degrees. There are people who choose to eat 100 percent raw , and others who eat 50, 80, or 90 percent. Whatever you choose is fine, I think the most important thing is justing adding more living foods into our daily diet.
There are many benefits to eating raw or living foods. I would put oxygen at the top of the list. Fresh fruits and veggies are about 90 percent water and 60 percent oxygen, and happy healthy cells LOVE oxygen! Healthy cells thrive on an alkaline, oxygen-rich plant-based diet. Unhealthy cells, like cancer, viruses and all those other microorganisms that make us feel bad, hate oxygen and can’t live in an oxygen rich environment, unhealthy cells prefer an acidic environment. Diets high in animal products, processed and refined foods and synthetic chemicals put our bodies in an unhealthy acidic state, which makes it easier for cancer and all the other bad things to bring us down.
Some of the most alkaline, oxygen-rich foods we can consume are sprouts and foods that are supercharged with chlorophyll (the green foods, the greener the better). Chlorophyll is a powerful blood builder that increases the red blood cell production and the cells’ ability to carry oxygen. Chlorophyll also strengthens the bodies immune system. A few foods high in chlorophyll are asparagus, green bell peppers, broccoli, green olives, leeks, turnip greens and kale, my favorite! When we eat these foods, it’s like consuming liquid oxygen. I definitely recomend making chlorophyll rich foods your BFF!
Raw and living foods are high in enzymes and enzymes are like the bodies personal spark plugs. Enzymes helps our bodies function and help with digestion, brain function, healing and detoxification. Enzymes are heat-sentitive, cooking destroys them so it makes sense to add more live foods to our diets, especially raw nuts and seeds. Raw nuts and seeds should be soaked before consuming. Soaking them mimics nature, when nuts and seeds are eaten by birds or animals and dropped into the earth their enzyme inhibitors are broken and they begin to germinate. The seed or nut is beginning to produce a plant, which is life, so when we eat the soaked seeds or nuts we are getting all those powerful enzymes. It also makes them easier to digest. What I do is just soak them over night and the next morning spread on a cookie sheet and dry them in a dehydrator or in the oven on the lowest temperature, but if you’re using them in a recipe there is no need to dry them. As we age our bodies slow down enzyme production so we need to get additional enzymes from our foods.
Water and fiber in raw and living foods act like a broom sweeping through the body’s intestine washing away toxins and impurities. This allows our bodies a chance to absorb nutrients from healthy foods.
When I started eating more raw and living foods I found that I had much more energy and I felt so much better. Sometimes I will do a raw breakfast smoothie in the morning, raw salad or zucchini pasta for lunch, and have a cooked meal with a raw salad for dinner. I keep a bowl of fresh fruits and berries on my desk at work, and eat throughout the day, this keeps me full and hydrated.
If you want to know your bodies alkaline level there are test strips you can purchase from drug stores or any health food store. I purchased mine from Whole Foods.
Below are some recipes that are really simple and quick. They taste good too!
Raw Sun-dried Pasta Sauce served on top Zucchini Pasta
Raw Cacao Bites
These are so so so good, it’s hard to eat just one!