PurelyJuicers

I don't know if I even I've said much about this during my posts but I am a firm believer in the benefits of raw foods. The raw food "craze" started up a few years ago when stars like Madonna started to get into raw foods. Although some people consider it a fad diet, I consider it to be something a lot more permanent (like vegetarians or vegans). Although I'm not 100% raw or even a full vegetarian or vegan, that doesn't mean I can't incorporate these philosophies into my diet! I try to eat as much raw food as I can. Here's why: when our foods are heated past (there seems to be some debate over the exact temperature, but approximately) 120 F, the enzymes begin to break down and are destroyed. This is the same theory that applies to cold-press juicers (they make sure their motors are slow enough to avoid heating the juices so the enzymes do not break down). So why is it bad if enzymes break down? Well, digestive enzymes provide our bodies with access to all of the nourishment in our foods. Pretty much, the fewer digestive enzymes that we have left in our foods, the fewer nutrients we are actually providing our bodies. So, if a piece of broccoli started out with 100 mg of some nutrient, cooking that broccoli could potentially provide our bodies with only 20 mg of that nutrient. Not cool considering the amount of calories in that broccoli remained unchanged! When I eat raw foods, I feel more energized, focused and happy. I don't crave junk foods as much and I certainly don't end up eating as much either. If I didn't believe in any of the theory behind raw foodism, the change in my energy levels alone are enough to convince me that they are true. So, I try my best to get myself a lot of raw foods whenever possible. It's just not always possible so I'm not 100% raw. I also think its more important to provide my body with the right balance of nutrients (cooked or raw) than the raw balance of nutrients that is all raw. [caption id="attachment_543" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Raw Taco - Shell was Dehydrated"][/caption] Raw foodists eat much more than you would think. It's not just a bunch of raw carrots and celery or only salads. Raw foodists are also usually vegan organics (as much as possible) which means no animal products. They drink almond milk (which is my latest obsession) and make fake "cheeze" and fake dairy products out of nuts (often cashews) and fruits. Although it takes a lot more work, raw foodists make a lot of dehydrated foods. Dehydrators allow you to control the maximum temperature of the foods you are dehydrated and can ensure that your food is never heated past 120 F (or whatever you set it to). Using dehydrators, raw foodists make delicious flax based flatbreads, crackers, wraps and chips that are to die for! I'm absolutely obsessed. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can buy those types of things at high quality health foods store. [caption id="attachment_542" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Raw Pizza"][/caption] Really, the food options are much wider than you would think when eating raw. They just tend to require a bit more planning because some of the ingredients often need to be dehydrated or soaked (like nuts and seeds). However, if there is one thing that raw food is not, its bland! I think raw food is so delicious it's crazy. I cook with so many different herbs and spices when making raw foods. It has really introduced me to some new fun flavors. Also, since everything is fresh and not cooked, its bursting with flavor. YUM! Oh, and of course, raw foodists drink a lot of juices. However, like I said earlier, in order for the juice to keep all its enzymes and remain truly raw, it has to be made using a cold-press masticating juicer. So, if you've ever wondered about raw food, you might want to look up some reading materials or give it a try!