The term ‘rawist’ is much more common now than it was ten or twenty years ago and just like vegetarians or vegans twenty years ago, if you tell people that you follow a raw food lifestyle then chances are that you will be looked on as being ‘a little strange’.
For centuries we have been brought up to cook our food (although originally one suspects that this was due to health reasons), but now subscribers to the raw food revolution are turning this theory on its head and are advocating that eating raw is definitely the healthy option. To us ‘non rawists’ this is unfathomable and can be hard to swallow (if you’ll excuse the pun) but is it really as far out as it seems?
In essence, the Japanese have been doing it for years and it is fair to say that the majority of us love sushi and sashimi So why not take this a little further and apply it to all aspects of food. A raw food diet doesn’t have to be endless plates of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Instead there are some very talented raw food chefs who have the ability to make the most amazing raw food meals that are not only filling, but also look incredibly appetizing.
So what are the benefits of following a raw food lifestyle?
Following a raw food lifestyle is said to give you more energy. The reasoning behind this is that certain foods when cooked lose their vital nutrients, and therefore eating them raw means that you will receive all the nutritional intake from the foods. Having said that, certain foods such as mushrooms and tomatoes have to be cooked to release their full nutritional value, but on the whole, the reverse is true as cooking in general does destroy enzymes which are good for our bodies. The simple act of replacing cooked unhealthy foods with a filling salad has to be a good thing right? The act of doing just this can be a very healthy option and in a lot of people can bring about fat loss.
One of the main problems that people have when following a raw food diet is that they think that they are going to have problems when eating out. On the contrary, more and more restaurants are springing up which are dedicated to the art of raw food. Ontario Canada for example now has three very popular dedicated raw food restaurants all of which are based in the Toronto area. Rawlicious, Cruda Cafe and Live, are all doing great business and are becoming more and more popular. Other cities such as Los Angeles and New York also have their fair share of top class raw food establishments. Even if there isn’t a raw food restaurant near you, most restaurants will offer several different salads as a main meal option. If you don’t follow a 100% raw food diet, then you can use this as one of your non rawist days and can eat happily without feeling like you are cheating yourself.
It’s not just us mere mortals that are following the raw food revolution, Celebs too are also embracing the rawist lifestyle. I know that’s not always the best recommendation but when you have people like Demi Moore and Uma Thurman championing the cause, they really don’t look too bad on it.
At the end of the day, you are always going to get your ‘nay sayers’ and objectionists, but more and more people are looking to eat healthier, and a raw food eating plan is a lifestyle choice and not simply a fad diet. It gives people the opportunity to take control of what they put into their bodies and ultimately makes them feel great in the process.