Tuesday, September 21, 2010

What is this RAWvolution all about??

There is a big eating trend that is sweeping cities across the country. Many people call it the RAWvolution. It is a diet consisting of eating food in their purest state. Cities like LA, Austin and Chicago are creating restaurants that cater solely to this RAW lifestyle. We have even added a raw section to our store and are now producing different RAW dishes daily. After watching all of the delicious raw and living things coming out of the bakery for the past few weeks, I decided to figure out what this diet was all about. To my surprise, after some researching, I decided to give the diet a try.

A Raw diet consists of eating raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains and sprouted seeds. These foods are all rich in naturally occurring enzymes and nutrients. Once any food is cooked over 118 degrees, all of its naturally occurring enzymes are destroyed. Because the enzymes are destroyed, our bodies are forced to produce the enzymes needed to digest them. It is impossible for our bodies to completely produce these enzymes which can result in the foods being only partially digested. This can leave fats, proteins and starches unabsorbed and left in our bodies. This can result in issues such as fatigue, constipation, disease, indigestion, irritability, brain fogs and so much more.

The Standard American Diet of meat, bread, dairy, processed and cooked food, alcohol and caffeine lack all of these essential enzymes that are needed for proper nutrient absorption and digestion. This diet also yields a very acidic state in our bodies. Think back for a minute to the days of high school chemistry and the PH scale. Any substance can be either acidic or basic, alkalized. Our bodies need to be in a mainly alkalized state in order to take in nutrients and function on a cellular level. Since the Standard American Diet keeps us in an Acidic State, we are never fully benefiting from anything we eat. Foods such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and apples are very alkalizing and are also staples to a raw diet. After being on a Raw diet for only 3 days, I was able to test and see that my body had switched from a PH of 5, considered dangerously acidic to a PH of 7 which is right in the middle where it should be. (If you are interested in performing this test yourself, we carry test strips which can be used throughout the day to test PH levels in the body)

When I first started reading about following a Raw diet, I was very intrigued by the ideas behind it. We’ve always known that fruits and vegetables are the healthiest staples to our diet. It also makes sense that processed foods aren’t the best for us. But what can you eat on this diet? Well as I have come to find the choices are endless. Debby back in the deli has been working hard to come up with a lot of delicious RAW items. Some of her latest creations have included raw lasagna, with noodles made from fresh zucchini, chocolate cake covered with banana and caramel sauce, stuffed tomatoes, mock tuna salad, Italian casserole, lemon tart dessert, fresh juices and so much more.

Becoming completely raw is a very difficult task for a lot of people. That is why it is suggested that to start just try adding a little more raw into your diet. A diet consisting of 70% raw is a great start. Try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet while limiting processed foods and sugars, or come by and try some of our new raw dishes, created daily. You'll feel better and your body will thank you for it.

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