Raw food is food cooked by the Sun and not by us! Eating fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds in raw form retains the powerful enzymes, nutrients, and antioxidants contained in them. Raw food is also easy to digest and leaves no acidic residue. Read on to know more about the benefits of eating raw foods.

Raw food is food that hasn’t been cooked. Fruits, veggies, nuts & seeds, sprouts are a few examples of raw foods.

Why eat raw?

Here are a few reasons to eat raw foods:

• Alkaline - Foods should add to our alkaline reserve when consumed. Raw foods are very high on this quotient.
• Easy to digest and assimilate - Cooked foods place an extra burden on the digestive organs. Raw foods are easier to digest & assimilate.
• Nutrient-rich - When we add a wide variety of raw foods in our diet, we get all of the carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins & minerals in the best possible combinations, just as nature meant it to be.
• Aid digestion: Raw foods are rich in enzymes, cooking destroys most of these. Enzymes help indigestion.
• Curative powers: For all the reasons mentioned above, raw foods help heal the body naturally.

Enzymes

Let’s specifically look at how enzymes and raw foods are interlinked. Raw foods are called live foods as they are rich in enzymes.

What are enzymes? – Enzymes are chemical substances produced by all plants & animals, including humans. They are needed to digest food and for various other metabolic processes of the body.

Where can we get enzymes from? – Our body produces enzymes & we also get enzymes from the food we eat.

Which foods are rich in enzymes? – Raw, whole & live foods contain enzymes in abundance. It is therefore essential to include a lot of fruits, raw vegetable salads & sprouts in our diet.

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What happens if we eat foods rich in enzymes?

• Raw, whole & live foods contain enzymes in abundance. They contain all the enzymes necessary to almost completely digest their constituents, i.e. carbohydrates, proteins, etc.
• Those portions of the food that aren’t completely digested by their own enzymes are digested by the enzymes made by our body.
• Our body’s enzymes act as a backup & give finishing touches to the natural digestion initiated by the enzymes in food.

What happens if we don’t eat foods rich in enzymes?

• Our body has to work harder to digest food.
• This takes away the focus from replenishing old dead cells and building new ones. Poor cellular health leads to illnesses & diseases.
• It also takes away the focus from the elimination of toxic wastes in the body. Accumulation of waste also leads to illnesses & diseases.
• If we don’t eat enzyme-rich food, we are likely to feel less energetic as the body’s energy is wasted on digestion.

Hence, enzymes are very important for our good health & raw foods help us in getting these enzymes.

Giving up on cooked food to have raw food?

Does this mean we should stop eating cooked foods? Nope, it simply means we should add ample doses of raw foods in our daily routine. Also, when you cook food, try to preserve the enzymes:

• Enzymes are sensitive to heat. Cooking at high temperatures is likely to destroy them.
• Hence, cook on low flame. You can also use a steamer to cook veggies at low heat.
• Don’t heat & re-heat the same food again & again.

How to add raw in your meals?

Fruits, veggies, sprouts, nuts, seeds, and fresh herbs – there is a whole range of foods through which you can up your raw quotient.

• Fruits: Best to have a generous serving every morning and evening, on an empty stomach. Fruits are best eaten alone, read more in food combinations. A plate of fruits can be a meal by itself.
• Veggie salads: Have as a stand-alone meal or add a sizeable portion with cooked meal. Once you zoom in your lenses, you will be pleasantly surprised how every veggie can added to a salad. Yes, even your humble kaddu (yellow pumpkin).
• Sprouts: Add a handful to your salads.
• Veggie juices: Make your veggie juice at home. Learn recipes from our kitchen section.
• Nuts & seeds: Sprinkle a handful on salads, have as nut-milks, add nut powders & pastes to soups & curries.
• Herbs: Use herbs such as dhaniya, pudina, basil & curry leaves to make your food more flavorsome.

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Recommended read:

1. Chapters – 5, The principle of high water content food, Book: Fit for life, Author: Harvey & Marilyn Diamond
2. Chapters - Laws of nature, the right balance of food, living food, cooking. Book: Become healthy or extinct. Author: Darryl D’Souza
3. Book: Natural weight control, Author: Dr. Norman W. Walker