Raw to cooked food ratio

[Guest guest]

f you are reading these posts you might be

considering a raw food diet for yourself. The benefits are

many and real... and it makes sense. It's simple. No

cabinets of vitamin and mineral supplements filling your

kitchen cabinets. But you might be scared of the thought

of going to a 100% raw food diet. Can you do it? Can

you give up all your cooked and processed foods?

<br><br>Well I'm going to tell you that you really don't have

to eat 100% raw food. You can eat 50% raw food and

50% cooked food and still feel markedly better than

you do now! And you can do that with just a little

effort on your part for the rest of your life. You can

stick with it. I'm trying for 70-80% raw food for my

family and myself. Let's call that a 75/25 ratio of raw

to cooked food. <br><br>Now if you are already doing

100% raw food in your diet and you are feeling great

then keep it up. But I think for many people it

becomes extremely difficult. Our culture and social lives

are so ingrained with cooked meals. Cooked foods

taste good. When we have guests at our house I do not

force them to eat an all raw food meal just so I can be

happy. When we are invited for dinner I do not insist

that I be served all raw. <br><br>Let's face it...

many people on hearing that you eat only raw food may

think you are extreme, eccentric and a bit " nuts " . You

might be going though a stage... your on some kick... a

fad diet. You're now labelled a " health nut " . (Better

than a " sick nut " I think to myself). If your spouse

doesn't share the same dietary view as you it can cause a

lot of marital strife because now they have to

prepare special meals just for you.<br><br>My point is

it's ok not to be 100% raw food. Going 50% raw is

likely a whole lot more then what you are doing now. You

will see benefits... perhaps not as many and not as

soon as you would with a higher ratio but you will be

doing your body a big favor. It's a step in the right

direction.<br><br>Now that doesn't give you card blanche to eat

twinkes, big fatty steaks and soda for the non-raw side of

your diet. You should still eat " healthy " . Cooked

vegetables might be missing enzymes but they are still

loaded with vitamins and minerals. A baked potato is

loaded with good nutrition and it would be difficult to

eat a potato raw (now I do have a good recipe for raw

potato salad I'll post later). Cooked fruits make

wonderful desserts. The meals you can make with cooked

beans, fruits, vegetables and grains are endless and

delicious. Get a good vegetarian cookbook. <br><br>Start

with healthy foods and cook them for yourself and

family to supplement the raw portion of your diet. Have

a baked potato and cooked kale with your raw salad

for your evening meal... not just a salad. The next

night cook up some brown rice, or millet, or bulgar and

toss in some spinach, kale or swiss chard. Add some

tempeh, tofu, or your favorite sprouts. You can be just

as creative with healthy cooked and raw foods as you

can with all those unhealthy foods you have been

eating. And your body will be more satisfied with what

you are given it.<br><br>One last note. Raw foods in

general are low in calories. Healthy foods that are

higher in calories don't easily lend themselves to be

eaten raw... like potatoes. Unless you want to lose

weight really fast you need to eat some cooked " healthy "

foods to maintain a higher caloric intake. Especially

if you are exercising! You need plenty of calories

to burn ... just raw fruits and vegetables are not

going to do it for you in the long run.<br><br>I think

a 70/30 ratio of raw to cooked is about right. That

will give you plenty of food enzymes from the raw side

of your diet to help your body with the non-enzyme

cooked side. You will be less stressed and your family

and friends might forget you are really a " health

nut " .<br><br>-OrionsDad