RAW (Food)

Rachel Walla

    Have you heard about the Raw Food Movement? It’s a growing trend among naturalists, vegetarians, vegans and the health conscious that makes vegans look indulgent.

     The theory behind the raw food diet is that much of the nutritional value in our foods is lost as it is cooked. Heating food above about 115 degrees supposedly creates acidic toxins as well as destroys the live enzymes that aid in digestion. Raw foodists believe that cooking food kills it nutritionally, while eating raw, live food gives you more energy, regulates weight, improves mood and drastically increases your overall sense of health and well-being. Like any diet, there are many claims on both sides either touting it as a miracle cure, declaring it causes everything from disease to depression, or claiming it leaves the dieter nutritionally deficient.

      This past summer I was working out in the middle of nowhere and found myself eating at the local greasy diner for nearly every meal, along with the rest of the crew. I didn’t feel good; I was sick of cheeseburgers and all things deep fried and just wanted a change. So, I decided to eat raw for a week and see if any of the claims were valid. To begin, I bought organic fruits and vegetables, a must since I would be eating almost nothing besides fruits and vegetables. Then, I had to attempt to fill the protein category with avocados, legumes and nuts. Finding beans and nuts that weren’t cooked in any way eliminated canned foods, and even at the health food store I had trouble finding nuts that were authentically raw and hadn’t been roasted. Dairy was also off the menu, because it’s pasteurized. I could drink almond or cashew milk, which is made easily enough if you soak the almonds first. Most raw recipes include soaking things like dried chickpeas or oats overnight. With all of this soaking I needed several jars. Another odd thing about a raw diet is you wind up juicing half your meals. I didn’t have a juicer so I used a blender instead and found that it worked just as well. That was it, I began eating raw.

      The first thing that hit me was the lack of meat, I didn’t realize how hungry I’d get without it. I also had to eat a metric ton to be full, even then, I felt somewhat weak. By the fourth day I was a little hungry, weak, tired and missed coffee. By about day 5, however, I started noticing my energy was totally different. It was like all the sudden my body switched to burning clean energy. After a meal, I felt like moving; I felt really cheerful and even though I wasn’t sleeping much, being tired melted away. It was amazing. I ate raw for a week and kept it up another week just because I felt so good.

     I liked the idea of eating raw all the time, but found that it was difficult to sustain because all you can really eat at restaurants is salad; you can’t eat at anyone’s house without being picky or rude, and eating while travelling gets pretty tough too. So as far as the hype goes, I get it. I did feel incredible after my body adjusted. It was a lot of maintenance and was really restrictive, so I wouldn’t want to make it a lifestyle, but every now and then it’s good to feel that energized.