Everything about a raw food diet: from basic principles to motivation. Raw Food Basics: The Simple Path to Health and Longevity

18/11/2015 14:35

A raw food diet is a philosophical way of life that people with a strong will and a pure mind can come to. Not everyone can give up their usual dishes and put up with the constant hungry rumbling of the stomach.

So what exactly are raw foodists? People who have given up the pleasure of pampering themselves with delicious food or healthy and vigorous personalities? You will find the answers to these questions in our article!

What is a raw food diet, and what types are it divided into?

A raw food diet is a food system in which raw foods form the basis of your diet, without heat treatment(boiling, frying, baking, smoking, pasteurization).

Supporters of such nutrition argue that processing food by the heat method is unnatural, because our ancestors ate exclusively raw, natural product.

Modern culinary innovations are a tribute to fashion, which does not benefit our body in any way - this is the opinion of adherents of a raw food diet.

An acknowledged fact why so many people choose a raw food diet has to do with vitamins and minerals. Dies during heat treatment most of vitamins and useful microelements but in raw food they remain intact and are better absorbed by the body.

The raw food diet system is divided into several types according to the acceptability of products:

Omnivorous raw food diet- the diet can include meat, fish, eggs, raw or dried.
Vegetarian raw food diet- it is forbidden to eat meat and fish, eggs and dairy products in raw form are allowed. It is the most common type of raw food diet in the world.
Vegan Raw Food Diet- excludes food of animal origin, including eggs, milk and dairy products. Vegan diets contain only raw, plant-based foods.
Fruitarianism- it is nutrition with fruits of plants - fruits, berries, nuts, fruit vegetables.

Raw food options also differ in diet planning methods:

Mixed- the products are divided according to their composition, and in one meal they use products that are related in composition - vegetables + vegetables, fruits + nuts, and so on.
Monotrophic- only 1 product is consumed at one meal without heat treatment.

Where to start - what is the right way to switch to a raw food diet?

A raw food diet is not a diet, but a food system in which you give up familiar foods and cooking with heat.

Important!

A sharp rejection of an established diet can negatively affect the body. Therefore, the transition to a raw food diet should be smooth and with the knowledge that you really need it.

First of all, give up industrial products, in the 2nd week - from red meat, in the 3rd - from white meat, in the 4th - from eggs, in the 5th - from fish, in the 6th - from milk and fermented milk products, from the 7th week - from cereals. Eat more and more raw foods each week.
Keep a raw food diary, where you will write down all the feelings, thoughts, information about harmful and useful products, your goals (getting rid of excess weight, health improvement, etc.) and necessarily - the results.
Plan your diet for the seasons. Summer and autumn are the most favorable periods to start a raw food diet, because your diet will be dominated by fresh fruits and vegetables. In winter and spring, you can include in the menu products that are stored in the cellar (onions, carrots, potatoes, apples). In the spring, you can add more greens to your diet.
An important factor in the transition to a raw food diet is willpower. The main principle of this power system - duration. If you wanted fried fish, then do not deny yourself once in pleasure. Eat on a raw food diet the rest of the time.

Benefit and harm

What are the benefits of a raw food diet?

Adherents of a raw food diet claim that adhering to this nutritional system can cleanse the body of toxins, toxins and other harmful substances. At the same time, you are rebuilding yourself to a new way of life, becoming one step closer to natural, simple food.

Nutritionists include the benefits of a raw food diet:

Development of immunity to colds.
Food endurance. If harmful substances are found in products, the body senses them, neutralizes and rejects them without consequences for the gastrointestinal tract and for health in general.
Weight Loss Through Eating healthy foods without heat treatment.
A surge of energy, improved well-being, the ability to lead an active lifestyle.
Raw foodists do not consume harmful trans fats and saturated fat, which has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart muscle. Reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

The harm of a raw food diet

According to experts, a person eats well if the body receives six elements daily - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. With a raw food diet, the body does not receive enough useful substances.

The disadvantages of a raw food diet include:

Lack of protein. Some essential amino acids contained only in food of animal origin. According to doctors, the lack of nutrients in the body of a raw foodist leads to a decrease in immunity.
Lack of B vitamins. Vitamins B12 and B2 are found in beef liver and in dairy products. They are important for correct exchange substances and the full functioning of the central nervous system.
Deficiency of healthy plant foods in winter. The raw food diet was founded in countries with hot and humid climates, where fruits and vegetables are available to residents all year round. But the winter period in our country is characterized by a minimum of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as their questionable usefulness. Most often, greenhouse products contain many harmful chemical additives, which means they will no longer be useful.

Who should not eat a raw food diet?

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (acids in fresh foods irritate the gastric mucosa).
In case of allergic reactions to certain foods (nuts, citrus fruits, pollen).
In addition, experts do not recommend switching to a raw food diet before the age of 30. Before this age mark, some processes in the body are still actively formed, but after 30 years, the body is already fully developed.
A raw food diet is also contraindicated for pregnant women, since good protein nutrition is important for the full development of the fetus.

Raw food rules and tips for beginners - what are the most common mistakes beginners make?

You already know that the transition to a raw food diet should be gradual so as not to injure the body. However, raw food beginners often admit typical mistakes at the beginning of his journey.

Mistakes for beginner raw foodists:

Lack of water. Many raw food novices believe they get enough water from plant-based foods, but this is not the case. In addition to plant foods, a person must consume at least a little purified water in order to saturate the body with it.
Lack of green vegetation. There is a danger that raw foodists are lacking in animal protein. To compensate for this deficiency, you should eat herbs (parsley, onions, dill, celery, nettles) and nuts.
The use of vegetable oils in the diet, a large number dried fruits, honey, canned, fermented foods. Oils are concentrated foods that are high in fat. And fat disrupts metabolism and impairs the functioning of the digestive system. Dried fruits are acceptable for raw foodists when raw food is temporarily unavailable (for example, on the road).
Binge eating. Food abuse leads to drowsiness, lethargy, lack of energy, heavy morning waking. Over time, you need to reduce the amount of food eaten.

Raw food diet - making the right menu for 7 days

Monday:

Breakfast. 2 bananas, 1 kiwi.
Dinner. Green buckwheat, salad from fresh cucumbers with tomato, onion and bell pepper, seasoned olive oil cold pressed.
Afternoon snack. A handful of any raw nuts.
Dinner. 1 cup vegetable smoothie (tomato, avocado, basil, herbs)

Tuesday:

Breakfast. 2 persimmons.
Dinner. Sprouted with tomato and green onions, garlic, parsley.
Afternoon snack. Raw carrot cutlets.
Dinner. Tomato, champignon, and cheese salad.

Wednesday:

Breakfast. Fruit and vegetable smoothie.
Dinner. Pumpkin porridge with linseed oil and pumpkin seeds.
Afternoon snack. 2 apples.
Dinner. Squash caviar with a rye cake.

Thursday:

Breakfast. 2 wedges of fresh melon.
Dinner. Vegetable cream soup (from onions, cauliflower, carrots, young peas and greens).
Afternoon snack. Salad with fresh cabbage, cucumbers, herbs, seasoned lemon juice and linseed oil.
Dinner. Sprouted wheat porridge with black currant.

Friday:

Breakfast. 1 cup banana strawberry smoothie
Dinner. Pumpkin porridge with pine nuts, zucchini salad with herbs.
Afternoon snack. 2 oranges.
Dinner. Arugula, cauliflower and tomato salad with sesame seeds, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil.

Saturday:

Breakfast. A handful of fresh strawberries.
Dinner. Sprouted chickpeas, Korean salad of young zucchini and carrots.
Afternoon snack. Apples stuffed with dried fruits.
Dinner. Salad of seaweed, broccoli, onion, seasoned with lemon juice and linseed oil.

Sunday:

Breakfast. Kefir and black currant smoothie.
Dinner. Gazpacho soup.
Afternoon snack. A handful of any nuts.
Dinner. from vegetables.

And most often only products vegetable origin... There are four main dietary options for raw foodists.

1. Raw food diet consists of fresh raw fruits, berries, vegetables and their juices, air-dried fruits and berries, wild edible plants, nuts, raw oil seeds and other plants, germinated grains soaked in cold water whole grains or cereals close to whole grains, vegetable oils obtained by cold pressing, natural honey. Pickled vegetables are acceptable. The drink is pure raw water. The juices of fruits, berries and vegetables, as well as drinks from raw grains or nuts, are classified as food, and not as a thirst-quenching drink.

This diet is common among raw foodists. In terms of the range of food products, it is very close to a strictly vegetarian diet - veganism. What distinguishes it from regular veganism is that it completely excludes the heat treatment of food during cooking.

2. Raw food diet basically repeats the previous one, but whole grains and cereals soaked in cold water, pickled vegetables, and sometimes vegetable oil are excluded from it. Sprouted grain is acceptable. This is the strictest raw food diet. The most consistent raw foodists include mostly fresh raw fruits and berries in their diet. This food is called fructoriapism.

3. Raw food diet represents the products of the 1st diet, but is supplemented with raw milk and, in some cases, dairy products: yogurt and other fermented milk drinks, cream, sour cream, cottage cheese. At the same time, true raw foodists reject industrial dairy products. You can include raw eggs.

Raw food eaters who eat raw vegetable and dairy products are called “omnivores,” as opposed to absolute or ideal raw food eaters who eat only raw vegetable products. The word "omnivorous" has a relative meaning, as raw foodists of any type do not consume meat or fish.

4. Raw food diet corresponds to the 1st or 3rd diet, but is supplemented with bread baked, if possible, from whole grains and without the use of yeast. If baked bread is included in the 3-1 diet (vegetable-milk-egg), then such a diet can be considered the least strict in the raw food diet.

Many raw foodists consume whole apples and other fruits with a seed capsule, so as not to violate the "food complex". In a grated apple or ground pumpkin, the seeds are less palpable. The peel is also of great importance - fruits, berries and vegetables should be eaten with the peel. A whole egg is considered more nutritious than one yolk or protein, and whole milk is more nutritious than cream or sour cream.

You should not eat a lot and often. Only once a day you can eat thoroughly, and twice more - little by little. This is the limit. Anything beyond that is harmful, in particular snacking between three meals. You need to eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly. This is especially important when it comes to raw herbal products... When they are poorly chewed, gastric and intestinal disorders, bloating.

When eating a raw food diet, you can do without table salt, hot spices, spices and seasonings. Due to the complete or almost complete exclusion of table salt from the diet, thirst decreases and excess fluid is not introduced into the body, especially since fruits and vegetables contain natural juices.

The diet menu of raw fruits and vegetables can be as follows:

Breakfast:

Apple salad (see the recipe below), 20-30 g of nuts - separately or in a salad, 100-200 g of fresh fruit, tea from dried rose hips.

Dinner:

150-250 g fresh fruit, 50-100 g green salad, 100-150 g fresh vegetables, 20 g nuts, fresh juices fruits or vegetables.

Dinner:

Same as breakfast.

Apple salad

1 tablespoon oatmeal soak for 12 hours in 3 tablespoons of water, then add the juice of ½ lemon or other sour fruit, 1 tablespoon of milk, kefir or honey, 2 grated apples and 1 tablespoon of grated nuts, if they are not served separately for breakfast.

Raw food can help normalize body weight, especially with obesity, strengthen muscles, facilitate body movements. The famous Australian naturopath K. Jeffrey in his book "Natural Food" (1974) indicated an approximate set of products (in percentage), which should consist of a daily diet with a total weight of about 1.5 kg:

raw fruits and berries (except for bananas) - 50%;
raw vegetables (except potatoes) - 35%;
cereals (mainly from whole grains), legumes, potatoes, bananas - 10% of the diet; These foods can be eaten after being lightly cooked or raw.
dried fruits, nuts, seeds, cottage cheese, cream, eggs, honey - 5-10%;
boiled vegetables (except cabbage) can be consumed 1-2 times a week, provided they are heated for a short time;
vegetable oil, fruit juices, onion, garlic, table salt and other spices - 1% of the food consumed.

According to Katsuzo Nishi's Health System (1936), which incorporates a raw food diet, fasting, yoga, bioenergy and other techniques, you should start your day with juicy fruits that should be eaten raw and whole - with peels and seeds. It is unwise to make juices out of them. V winter time you can soak dried fruits and use them as a separate dish along with the infusion.

For people who still continue to eat "unnatural" cooked food, K. Nishi recommends taking cold and hot shower or air baths. It is imperative to combine cooked food with raw vegetables. Wherein raw food should be 3 times more than boiled.

Breakfast:

Raw fruits according to the season (2-3 oranges or 200 g of grapes and one apple or 2 pears, etc.) or they are combined with soaked dried fruits.

Dinner:

Salad of raw grated or finely chopped vegetables (carrots, cabbage, turnips, etc.) with herbs and, if desired, with the addition of vegetable oil, instead of vegetables you can use sour fruit and berries, adding to them 100 g of nuts or oil seeds (sunflower, etc.).

Dinner:

Vegetable salad, nuts (seeds), or a combination of lettuce, green or red pepper, beet tops, and nuts; instead of vegetables, you can eat fruits, like for breakfast.

In salads, mainly in winter, you can add dried herbs, powdered seeds and berries (mountain ash, blueberries, etc.). In the summer it is worth drying the snow, nettles, and other wild plants. It is advisable to use apricot kernels, pollen(2-3 g per reception). Raw vegetables can be eaten with vegetable oil, fruits and dried fruits with honey. Fresh fruit can be substituted for freshly made vegetable juices.

Raw foodists believe that the main cause of obesity is eating unnatural foods. Obesity cannot occur with the consumption of natural, raw food. Indeed, first, it is difficult to overeat raw plant foods. Secondly, calculations accepted in nutritional science show that the energy value of the recommended six diets is as high as 2.94 to 5.88 MJ (700 to 1400 kcal) per day. This is in line with the diets used in the treatment of obesity in modern dietetics.

The transition to a raw food diet requires a lot of endurance and the ability to limit yourself in food. Becoming an absolute raw food eater, a person not only stops eating animal products, but also refuses the usual taste of boiled, baked, stewed, fried, salted and other foods. In addition, the transition to raw food is rarely complete without adverse effects of different manifestations and intensity. side effects... Therefore, the rules for the transition to a raw food diet have been developed.

Rules for the transition to a raw food diet

The doctrine of the raw food diet provides for a gradual transition from a regular diet to eating only raw food and gradually limiting food intake until the diet consists mainly or completely of raw fruits, berries, vegetables, wild plants, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. Only a few adherents of a raw food diet, in particular G. Shelton, recommend a quick, without hesitation and addiction, the transition from "dead" food to "live", raw plant food.

The first step towards a raw food diet is to eliminate animal and bird meat, then fish. Further, if desired, eggs can be excluded from the diet. A diet consisting of raw and boiled plant and dairy products or plant-dairy-egg food is called semi-raw food.

Raw foodists believe that the transition to semi-raw food usually occurs without significant difficulties, especially for those people who have already been able to wean themselves from meat and fish. However, the transition from cooked food, not even meat or fish, to a complete raw food diet is rarely done immediately, easily and irrevocably. In adults, this transition must be careful and gradual. It is necessary to "re-educate" your digestive system.

The amount of time it takes to switch to raw food depends on age, health, personality, profession, and other factors. Adaptation can last for years, since the body's habits have great value in nutrition. In addition, during the period of getting used to raw food, one must endure a number of possible unpleasant sensations or disorders from the gastrointestinal tract and general malaise.

in the morning and in the evening - raw food, in the afternoon lunch of raw and boiled food or only boiled;
in the morning and in the evening - boiled food, in the afternoon - a lunch of raw food;
during each meal, they first eat a raw dish, then a boiled one; fruits and nuts should be eaten before the main meal, and not after it, then they are better utilized by the body.

However, most people do not need a morning meal and it is more correct to limit themselves to two meals: around 11 and 17 hours. In the morning and in the evening, the same liquids are recommended: juices diluted with water, vegetable "milk", raw "teas" from herbs, leaves, roots or flowers. From a vegetable-dairy or vegetable-milk-egg diet, which includes boiled food, one should step by step exclude eggs first, then dairy products, then milk, in parallel replacing the cooked food with raw food.

Raw foodists claim that the gradual elimination of all animal products provides a diet that is "the cleanest and poorest in toxins." It is recommended to conduct a "trial raw food diet": every semi-raw food eater with will, endurance and a healthy digestive system, already partially accustomed to raw vegetable and dairy products, can conduct such a trial course for 2-3 weeks. Raw foodists believe that even such a trial raw food diet "cleanses, heals and rejuvenates the body, is a rest and a solid vitamin charge for it."

The end of summer and autumn are the most the right time for the "trial raw food diet", especially the vacation period. According to raw foodists, as a result of a trial eating only raw food, a person feels an extraordinary ease of movement, clarity of mind and a cheerful mood. Body weight is almost always reduced, but then after the body has adapted to a new diet, it returns to normal.

During the trial raw food diet, at first, it is better to eat a little than a lot, and only when you have an appetite. It is advisable to eat mainly seasonal products of this time of the year. Chewing raw food thoroughly is essential, and if the chewing apparatus is poor, some raw foods (such as nuts) must be finely chopped, ground, or wiped.

Do not eat after drinking or drink while eating. In the cold season, raw food must be warmed in a warm room to the temperature of the room. Cooked raw food must not be left on for long. Table salt, vinegar, spices, seasonings should be replaced with tomato, lemon, cranberry and other juices.

Of course, these rules remain valid even with a complete transition to a diet consisting of raw fruits, berries, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, etc. for an absolute raw food diet. Consumption of unleavened bread, baked from whole crushed grains or from wholemeal flour with the addition of bran, is acceptable during the transition period. Some raw foodists include such bread in their regular diet.

School of Yuri Okunev

Hello friends. Yuri Okunev with you.

Surely you wondered how to stay healthy after living a long and fruitful life? Do I need to change the diet at the same time? And what to eat? I will give my thoughts on this topic. The topic of our conversation is the basics of a raw food diet. V recent times this food system is rapidly gaining popularity, both in our country and in the West.

It's time to debunk the myth that a raw food diet is all about eating the same flavorless foods. In fact, raw foodists' dishes are varied and are in no way inferior in calorie content to traditional cuisine. Here you can find nuts, honey, dried fruits, cheese, and cereals. Why not!

If, for fun, you go to visit the forum of raw foodists, you will be surprised to discover that, it turns out, there are

Raw food cakes;
Various pastes;
Soups;
Candies.
Biscuits
Etc.

And believe me, they taste just as good as regular dishes. There is even bread for raw foodists - this is a dried mass of sprouted and milled wheat grains, which is very healthy and tastes quite good.

Classification

What constitutes a correct raw food diet? In simple terms, this is when a person eats only raw foods, avoiding cooking them. Why is that? I'll explain a little later.
The large army of raw foodists is divided into categories:

Vegetarians- eat dairy products and any plant foods. Fish, meat, eggs are not eaten.
Vegan- eat fruits, roots, vegetables and herbs. A ban on dairy products is added to the restrictions on vegetarians.
Fruitians- eat the aboveground part of plants: grass shoots, seeds, vegetables growing above the ground (cucumbers, for example), nuts and fruits. Cereals and root crops are prohibited.

A raw food diet is mixed, when several foods are consumed at one meal, and monotrophic (mono-raw food) - one type of food at one meal.

The founder of the scientific theory of the raw food diet is considered to be Dr. Max Bircher-Benner. At the beginning of the twentieth century, he was the first to say that heating food to a temperature of 50ᴼC and above negatively affects its composition - most of the useful properties of the product are lost, carcinogens and harmful substances are formed instead. Bircher-Benner also noted the harmfulness of using any chemical additives to food, including salt.

So what is a raw food diet and how is it good for you? And why is it so popular?

The necessary enzymes

Have you ever heard of enzymes? These are substances that are found in any product. natural origin... They take part in the process of converting one substance into another. Their other role is to act as catalysts for one or another action in the body, including digestion.

In other words, the enzymes contained in each fresh product contribute to the digestion of this particular type of product. Each product has its own.

V human body there are also enzymes, but they serve to perform completely different tasks: renewing blood cells, freeing the liver from toxins, transporting carbohydrates, accelerating or slowing down metabolism, and so on.

Take, for example, a tomato - its skin contains enzymes that help me digest this tomato when eaten raw. What happens if I put this tomato in soup or make ketchup out of it? Unfortunately, the enzymes will die, they cannot withstand heating above 45 degrees. In this case, my body will be forced to involve its enzymes in the digestion of food, distracting them from other vital tasks.

In fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds;
V fresh meat, fish, seafood;
Unboiled milk and fermented milk products;
Raw eggs.

Enzymes are completely absent:

In boiled or fried meat / fish;
Canned food (any);
In boiled and baked vegetables;
In bread;
In artificially created synthetic products.

Herbivore or Predator?

So, we found out that for high-quality digestion and assimilation of nutrients, you need to eat food rich in enzymes, that is, fresh and not synthetic.

Probably, meat lovers here will be puzzled by the order: what to do with the usual dishes? And where to get the protein?

Adherents of a carnivorous raw food diet are few. These usually include people living in the far north, where plant food is difficult to find. By the way, the life expectancy of such raw foodists is relatively short.

As for protein, its daily requirement is quite small - somewhere around 40-50 grams per adult per day. This can be replenished with plant foods.

Rebirth of the organism

Have you read the revelations of the blogger Raisin yet? I recommend to read.
By engaging in a raw food diet and consuming only fresh, "live" food, we release our body's enzymes from excessive overload. Once released, they begin to work hard and ... completely cleanse our body.

What does it do?

Improvement of all human systems and organs, improvement of their work;
An increase in the reserve of strength - the energy is simply rushing out of the body;
Increased heat transfer;
Strengthening of immunity, as a result, a cure for "incurable" diseases.

The body transforms before our eyes - the skin color improves, endurance increases, neuroses and depressive states disappear.

Raisin has written about this very well. In just 3-4 years, eating only fruits and nuts, a person achieved success in bodybuilding (even what!), Completely stopped getting sick, although before ARVI was 10 times a year, he increased his temperature exchange so much that he began to go to one shirt even at zero degrees.

N. Kurdyumov in his book "About health" writes that raw foodists are characterized by a state when they achieve unity with nature. This means that wherever a person is, he will be able to feed himself: the stomach becomes such that it can digest any food (except perhaps nails), the need for calories decreases (saturation comes from one apple or a handful of berries).

With the help of a raw food diet, you can get rid of many diseases: obesity, heart disease, myopia, neurological conditions. Even cancerous tumors... The latter is explained by the fact that all the same enzymes, as true fighters for the health of their owner, begin to expel all diseased cells from the body, destroy the affected ones.

Start

After some deliberation, you finally decided to become a raw foodist. Where to begin? Put your thoughts in order!

Take a piece of paper and write down what goals you want to achieve, what diseases to be cured of by stopping eating cooked food. This is important because at first, switching to a different diet will require serious efforts from you. The motivation must be strong.

The most common mistake of raw foodists who are just embarking on this path is to abruptly abandon all the usual dishes with the transition to a raw mono diet. An organism that is not ready for such changes can rebel.

Another mistake is the wrong calculation of calories. Fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than meat, for example. Until the body is accustomed to a more rational digestion of food, it is necessary to monitor the energy balance, not allowing complete exhaustion. You can read about how to count calories correctly.

As in any new business, there are other pitfalls and non-obvious obstacles here.

To reduce the number of self-filled cones will help to obtain information in advance from knowledgeable people... And a regular dietitian will not always help you. We need a practitioner who specializes in this particular topic. Improper use of such a powerful tool as a raw food diet can bring you not only benefits, but also harm.

In order to get a more detailed understanding of the subject of a raw food diet, I advise you to read a small book by P. Sebastianovich "Why are cows are predators" with a detailed description of the basic ideas and rules of a raw food diet. Well, if you have already decided to become a raw foodist, take advantage of the experience of the practice. Denis Terentyev, a raw foodist with five years of experience, scrupulously studying the theory of the issue, has developed a special course for beginners "System for the effective transition to a raw food diet"

Outcomes

A raw food diet is a transition to another level of self-awareness and nutrition. This is new-found health, a surge of strength and clear thoughts in my head. The body itself will know what it needs and what it shouldn't eat. In other words, this is a transition to natural natural nutrition, originally intended for humans.

Be healthy!
I will look forward to your comments and feedback, subscribe to the news so as not to miss the next articles.
Goodbye. Best regards, Yuri Okunev.

A raw food diet is a fashionable way of eating today, preaching the idea that food becomes dead when it is processed at high temperatures.

This means that raw foodists are the only category of people who fully enrich their body with useful substances, eating properly, in accordance with human nature.

Raw Food Basics for Beginners

In traditional cooking, there are many ways to prepare food without using heat treatment by boiling, frying or baking. Since ancient times, harvesting fruits, berries and mushrooms for the winter has been carried out by salting, pickling, and drying. Dried fish, salted lard, balyk, sauerkraut and cucumbers are a popular food of an ordinary person, which omnivorous raw food eaters will not disdain. A raw food diet is also veggie, G. Carringston for the first time on scientific level proved the benefits of eating exclusively raw agricultural products.

Raw food - foods

A raw food diet is a special way of eating, in which food is consumed:

NOT boiled.
NOT fried.
NOT smoked.
NOT baked.

At the same time, cold heat treatment is allowed, dried, dried and other methods of non-hot cooking are also allowed.

You can eat:

raw fruits and vegetables;
dried fruits, nuts, seeds and grains;
other foods, depending on the form of the raw food diet.

It is believed that a raw food diet is one of the toughest forms of vegetarianism. This is an erroneous judgment, because there are different shapes raw food diet.

Steps to the raw food diet

There are different stages (forms) of a raw food diet:

Omnivorous. A wide range of food products are acceptable in an omnivorous raw food diet. The diet consists of vegetables and fruits. You can eat meat, fish, milk, eggs and seafood. Drying is appropriate among the cooking methods.
Vegetarian. In addition to vegetables and fruits, raw-food vegetarians can afford to drink eggs and milk, yogurt and other dairy products, the preparation of which does not require heat treatment. Meat and fish cannot be eaten.
Vegan. Vegans are people who eat absolutely nothing about the animal kingdom. Milk is not allowed - a calf could drink it. You can't have an egg - every egg you drink could hatch a chicken. Meat and fish are the flesh of living beings like us. You can't eat them either.
Carnivorous. This form, on the contrary, recreates the way cave people eat. The carnivorous raw food diet is based on animal products, especially meat, fish and seafood. In this case, vegetables are allowed, but are not predominant in the diet. This form of a raw food diet does exist, but is not as popular as a vegetarian diet.

Fructorian. Raw foodists practicing this form food, do not even eat vegetables, not to mention animal products. Raw fruits are the staple and only ingredient in their diet.

Raw food: where to start?

Wake up with the decision to become a raw foodist and switch abruptly to special treatment nutrition - shock therapy for the body, which may have unpleasant consequences... Before switching to a raw food diet, ask yourself, "Why do I need this?" Answer options:

For a company with a girlfriend / boyfriend, so that there are more common topics.
Many people say it's great.
A raw food diet is trending.
I do not understand why to cook food, because you can not cook at all, but everything is raw.
I need a raw food diet - that's what my body wants.

All but the last answer indicate the wrong approach. Give up the idea of becoming a raw foodist - it's not yours. And even if the answer "5" fully reflects your thoughts and state of mind, you should repeatedly weigh the pros and cons. The transition to a raw food diet should not be carried out on your own without medical report: Not everyone is able to survive the transition to a raw food diet and this lifestyle.

Contraindications for switching to a raw food diet

You can't be raw food:

People who in the near or distant future want to become parents. A raw food diet will not give good nutrition reproductive cells, which is fraught with infertility.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers whose milk reflects what they eat. The baby should receive all possible useful substances with milk, and the mother should help him in this.
Children and adolescents are growing organisms whose nutrition must be balanced. A raw food diet causes developmental delays, disruptions endocrine system and energy depletion.
Old people. The metabolism of older people is slowed down, so it will be difficult for their body to synthesize useful substances from exclusively raw foods.
Patients with stomach problems (gastritis, colitis, whose food is difficult to digest).
Patients with tuberculosis, whose body should receive the maximum amount of wholesome and healthy food, especially protein-containing products: meat, fish, seafood, milk.

Shown a raw food diet for people over 40 who have a high blood pressure, being overweight, or gout. They are assigned a special short-term raw food diet.

How to switch to a raw food diet from a regular diet?

Becoming a long-term raw foodist is a serious choice for which the body needs to be prepared. Very long and smoothly - at least one year - the body of an average person should switch to a raw food diet. This time will be needed for the body to fully reorganize itself on nutrition from a new source of energy - raw food. The hardest period for a raw foodist is the first winter, so try to start preparing for a raw food diet in the spring, and start a new diet next summer, when a raw food diet is a pleasure due to the abundance of vegetables and fruits.
Gradually, you need to remove smoked meats, meat and fish products, canned food and semi-finished products from the daily menu. After - it is worth limiting yourself in flour and sweets, tea, coffee, alcohol, smoothly removing these products outside the diet.
Drink plenty of water. 2 liters is the minimum amount of liquid allowed when switching to a raw food diet. Do not overeat fruits and vegetables containing fiber - the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract should be gradually taught to eat raw vegetables and fruits.
Instead of the usual cereals, you can eat cereals and nuts, soaking them overnight in water. For example, oatmeal - left for 8 hours in water, in the company with dried fruits - is a completely decent raw food breakfast, not much different from everyday food. Fruit and vegetable salads- what is not tasty, familiar and healthy food from the point of view of a raw food diet? A lot of raw food dishes are of interest to the average person.

With a raw food diet, it is important to remember that the body, in addition to the vitamin-mineral complex, must receive a sufficient, balanced amount of proteins and carbohydrates. Meals per day can be from 2 to 6, depending on the individual needs of the body and the energy value of the products.

Switching to a raw food diet - possible consequences

There is no consensus in science or the public about the raw food diet. On the one hand, it is a natural (not distorted by civilization) way of human nutrition as a biological unit, which heals many diseases, contributes to the improvement of the figure. On the other hand, it is a debilitating mockery of the body, which can cause health problems.

Is a raw food diet good for you? Is it harmful? It should be understood from the experience of practicing raw foodists and medical experts.

The benefits of a raw food diet

A raw food diet is called for for two reasons: it is natural and it is healthy. A raw food diet is peculiar to a person, but not everyone is ready to decide on such a diet, losing in many ways, in comparison with a raw foodist.

Raw food treatment. People often become raw foodists, having once switched to a similar diet in the fight against diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous or digestive systems. Taras Gavur, a practicing raw foodist from Kiev, has been switching to a similar diet for at least five years. Problems with gastrointestinal tract... He was bothered by sharp pains radiating to the spine. On the recommendation of doctors, he paid attention to his diet and completely abandoned fried foods, and within five years became a raw foodist. The reason for the choice of the young man's diet was his wife. The girl got rid of asthma by practicing a raw food diet.

Human battery charge. Raw foodists admit they have an abundance of energy resources. They are ready not only to work actively, but are also able to anticipate certain life events. According to Artem Voloshchuk, the chef of a specific cafe for creative vegetarians, the feeling of a burst of energy does not evaporate even after a hard day at work. According to statistics, raw foodists sleep less than the average person by 2-4 hours a day. A short six (or less) hours is sufficient for full recovery human bioresources. The raw food eater is energized and ready for work after a deep, restful nap. A raw food diet refreshes the mind, that is, it makes the nervous system work harder and more productively: thoughts are clear, the mind is enlightened and ready to make the right decisions.
Raw food diet for weight loss. Switching to a raw food diet causes a sharp decline weight due to a decrease in the amount of energy intake valuable products... Raw food eaters cannot eat bread, cereals can only be infused in cold water, meat and fish - only raw or dried (which not everyone can eat). So, very few high-calorie foods remain in the diet, which leads to the use of spare resources (stored fats) for energy for the day. For this reason, a raw food diet is sometimes prescribed medicinally as a temporary type of diet - a diet. A constant raw food diet can become a habit for the body, which subsequently leads to weight recovery.

The harm of a raw food diet

The raw foodist lifestyle picture would be more rosy if it did not cause health problems. Opponents of the raw food diet warn of irreversible negative consequences this method nutrition.

Raw food - the results of an experiment for a beginner raw foodist

Avitaminosis. The period of transition to a special diet with raw foods is the most vulnerable to vitamin deficiency. An imbalance in nutrition becomes the reason for insufficient intake of the vitamin and mineral complex. The first symptoms of this are a feeling of numbness in the arms and legs, a weak ability of the body to heal wounds. Raw foodist Yuri Volkov shares his impressions of a 3-month painful transition to raw food. Abdominal pain, constant loss of strength and weakness, aggravated allergic reactions- all this the person has endured during the crisis transition period.
Poisoning. With the wrong combination of raw foods, food may, in principle, not be digested. Try to follow the rules of nutrition so that everything is in order with digestion. The second cause of poisoning is the substances and microorganisms in the food. Meat or fish can be worm larvae, raw legumes themselves are capable of releasing toxic substances in the stomach. Vegetable protein contained in many foods, which can cause allergic reactions.
Aggression ... The transition period to a raw food diet can result in a shortage of multivitamins of group B. This is a consequence of a vegetarian or vegan raw food diet in which meat and other animal products are not eaten. B-vitamins are responsible for self-control - mental calmness. The imbalance in raw foodists often manifests itself in those people who lead the opposite lifestyle.

Raw food diet - reviews of practicing raw foodists

Forced persistence. The raw food diet is very tough. You can't do that, you can't do that. And if anyone sees? My conscience will torture me! This is especially true for those who are surrounded by people who practice this lifestyle. Public opinion plays a significant role here. But it is important to remember that you became a raw foodist at the call of the body, and if at the call of the same organism you want to turn a little off the intended path, then you need it. You will come to your senses, acknowledge it as a sin, and return to a raw food diet. Voloshchuk Artem, a raw foodist whom we mentioned earlier, frankly says that it is a personal choice of everyone what he eats. And you are engaged in raw food exclusively for yourself - do not care what others think. Even if you call yourself a raw foodist and stick to a certain diet, no one has the right to reproach you for eating a roll of sushi or a piece of barbecue. First of all, it is important to listen to your body, and not other people's words.
High cost. This criterion does not hit the body, but the wallet. For a city dweller shopping in a supermarket, a month's purchase of a raw food costs as much as 2 or 3 purchases for 30 days of regular meals. The only exceptions are landlords, who always have fruits and vegetables at hand - it is cheaper for them to eat raw food than to spend money on meat. Eating in a restaurant for a raw foodist is an unaffordable luxury. It's not even about prices, but about the availability of establishments, of which there are very few even in the capital.

Raw food - menu

We found out how useful it is to be a raw foodist and how harmful it is to become one. It remains to try to cook something from the kitchen of a raw foodist, in order to experience the taste of dishes prepared without hot heat treatment.

Raw Food: Weekly Menu Schedule

There is no strict schedule for a raw foodist. This is a way of life, to which they go for several years and live it constantly. Try not to forget about the necessary intake of calories and vitamins. To this end, you need to be able to correctly combine foods with a raw food diet. There are several rules for this:

Do not eat fatty foods (nuts, avocados, coconut) with sweet berries, dried fruits or fruits. A thoughtless combination of fat and sugar will result in fermentation in the stomach, minimizing the benefits of the foods eaten.
But sour fruit (orange) is an exception to the previous rule. Acid promotes the breakdown of fat, and fructose in these fruits is less than others.
In turn, sour foods (tomato, orange) should not be eaten with starchy foods (potatoes, banana). The carbohydrates that make up starch cannot be synthesized by saliva, which is high in acid. It is better to refuse the use of potatoes with tomatoes, and eat a banana in a company with sweet fruits (mango, apples).
Too much fat can lead to digestive problems. Do not eat fatty with fatty - avoid combining any of listed products(walnut, coconut, avocado, vegetable oil).
Eat everything with herbs - it is ready to go with any other food.
Eat fruit sweet with sweet, sour with sour.
Eat vegetables only with vegetables.
Sprouts of cereals or legumes, nuts soaked in water should be eaten as separate dishes, not combined with anything.

Knowing the simple basics of combining products, you can create your own recipes.

Raw food, recipes

A raw food diet is interesting for its inventive varieties of dishes. Delicious nutritional benefits can be prepared using chopping kitchen appliances.

Raw food - simple recipes for the first and second

Borsch. Even such a dish can be eaten by raw foodists, but it is prepared somewhat differently than we imagine. Grind carrots and beets partially on a grater, partially - interrupt in a blender. Celery and herbs - we cut it as convenient for us. We mix everything, add salt (not table salt), spices and water. The first course is ready. Keep in mind that just enough water is needed to turn the thick gruel from the blender and coarsely chopped food into a slightly liquid dish, but not into slops.
As for the second courses, non-standard cereals predominate: cereals soaked in water, sprouted green sprouts of cereals and many other hearty products. Vegetables, oils, herbs are added to grains, turning them into worthy dishes that are pleasant to eat. For example, a salad of sprouted green buckwheat with cucumber, bell pepper and dill - varied, healthy and satisfying.

Raw food recipes for a snack

Almond cheese. Almonds in a volume of 2 cups are poured with plenty of water and left for 8 hours. After that, the swollen nuts are ground in a food processor, adding a little mineral water(no more than 2 glasses). Lemon juice, crushed garlic and other seasonings are added to the flavoring mixture. Put cheesecloth folded in 3 layers into a deep plate. They pour out the gruel, tie a gauze roll with a rope and hang it, just like cheese. The bundle can hang indoors or outdoors at a moderate air temperature of about 23 ° C.
Champignon mushrooms, which can be eaten even raw, can be marinated with green onions in lemon juice, salt and oil. The dish is ready within 2 hours.

Raw food - sweets for every day and on holidays

Desserts are often based on nuts, dried fruits, bananas and other delicious foods. They are crushed, dried with dehydrate, laid in layers, mixed or frozen. As a result, wonderful sweets come out: cakes, rolls, ice cream and other desserts.

Raphaelki. For 300 g of kernels walnut take 250 g of liquid honey, 3 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or nutmeg, ginger - as you like). Crush the nuts in a blender, mix with the rest of the ingredients. Dumped in sesame seeds or coconut flakes. It turns out an energetically rich dish, which contains proteins and fats, which is important for maintaining the vital functions of the body.

Beverages

Prepare drinks by mixing vegetables or fruits with a blender. For example, pumpkin, beetroot and apple are very tasty combined in equal proportions or celery with a banana. It's not hard to come up with own recipe drink. If the juice or gruel turns out to be thick or concentrated, the mix is diluted with water.

Fresh fruits and berries are very tasty and healthy.

Raw food: before and after

Becoming a raw foodist is a person's personal choice. This is not to say that it is irreversible, but it often happens. A raw food diet is becoming not only a way of eating, but also a way of life.

The worst thing about a raw food diet is the transition to a diet that can destroy the body. Therefore, you need to change the menu very slowly and unobtrusively. Adaptation of the body should take place from 1 to 5 years, so as not to cause complications.

When eaten in the right sequence and with the right energy value, a raw food diet will not make you a living skeleton. A raw food diet is able to maintain a person's weight in the norm and enrich him with the necessary substances.

The choice is yours.

When switching to new system nutrition - a raw food diet - a person very often takes old bad habits with him, namely, eating everything at once, filling the stomach (feeling of heaviness), eating without taking into account biorhythms, rushing to eat, etc. All this can cause constipation, diarrhea, colic, weakness, feeling unwell etc. That is, there is no healing effect from plant foods, and health deteriorates even more. To prevent this from happening, you must adhere to the principles of an effective raw food diet, and switch to a plant-based diet competently.

Only a moderate diet, the correct combination of foods and accounting will guarantee energy, good mood, and absence of weakness both after eating and throughout the day.

Principles of an effective raw food diet

Eat fruit separately

People are used to leaving fruit for dessert (after the main meal), but in reality, fruits and fruit juices should ALWAYS be consumed separately from other food, otherwise they can cause fermentation, which manifests itself in the form of diarrhea, heartburn, bloating, belching. After taking them, it should take 20-30 minutes for you to start another meal.

Don't mix different types of fruits

Each meal requires its own digestive juices to better assimilation and digestion. From the right combination different types food depends on whether your breakfast or lunch turns into nutrients or toxins.

Sweet fruit(bananas, all dried fruits, figs, persimmons, dates) can be combined with each other and with semi-sour fruits.

Semi-acid fruits and berries(apricots, watermelons, grapes, cherries, blueberries, pears, strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, peaches, plums, blueberries, apples) are combined with each other and with sour fruits.

Sour fruits and berries(pineapples, oranges, pomegranates, grapefruits, blackberries, cranberries, lemons, tangerines, currants) are compatible with each other and with semi-acidic fruits.

In addition, bananas, grapes and melons are known for their "scrupulousness": they are remarkably digestible if they were eaten by themselves, but at the same time they are incompatible with any other product. Therefore, it is necessary to eat them not before or after meals, but as the main meal.

Take food and water at different times

It is best to drink it 30 minutes before a meal, and an hour should pass after a meal. Their simultaneous use causes irritation of the gastric mucosa due to the fact that the acidity gastric juice rises. The result is indigestion.

Eat only when you are hungry

The habit of a person constantly chewing something causes a feeling of heaviness and bloating, caused by the fact that the stomach does not have time to absorb food from its large amount. You can eat any amount of plant foods, but still try to get up from the table with a feeling of lightness.

Chew thoroughly and do not eat on the go

Try to stick to the principles.

Listen to your body and eat with biorhythms in mind

06: 00-10: 00 - a period of relaxation, calmness and purification of the body. Waking up you need to drink a glass of water.

10:00 - 14:00 - fast metabolism time. During this period, you can safely eat as much as you want, the food will be fully digested.

14:00 - 18:00 - increased mental and physical performance. If a person is engaged in sports at this time, then exercise will help better digestion food and cleansing.

18:00 - 22:00 - a period of mental relaxation and maximum joint mobility, so you can safely do stretching.

22:00 - 02:00 - time for digestion of evening food and recovery: tissue and damaged cells are regenerated. It is best to go to bed during this period, and not eat, as many people do. :)

02:00 - 06:00 - this "window" is characterized by vivid dreams and vigorous activity of the nervous system. If you get up at 5 in the morning, then a person will feel cheerful all day, and if at this time he has not yet gone to bed, the body is depleted.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the transition to a raw food diet is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. It will take time for you to get rid of old bad habits and learn new ones. useful rules for Your health. Once you have mastered the rules of eating plant foods, your new schedule and diet will be the norm and you will start to have real pleasure!