Raw Foods Tips

How to Start On The Raw Food Diet

A completely raw diet takes some getting used to and one should proceed with caution. It is safe to start with one raw meal a day and progressing slowly until you reach the target percentage of about seventy to ninety percent.

Few people have actually achieved a completely (one hundred percent) raw diet—but this is rather difficult to achieve. It is easiest to start by converting your dinner into a raw salad. If it is too difficult to follow you can supplement it with cooked side dishes and then decrease the latter.

Have a weekly plan of reduction so that the body has sufficient time to adapt to the new type of diet. This way you will be setting reachable goals for yourself which are easier to stick to. Adapting to a new diet is like a detoxification treatment—time is an essential factor. If you try to follow too stringent rules and try to do it too fast you will end up by losing essential nutrients.

Remember, that the reason why you are switching to a new kind of diet is because it is believed to be healthier. No matter how careful you are you will suffer from minor side effects at first—like nausea and depression. If these persist you must seek medical help.

Planning your meals carefully is also very important. Your meals must have all the essential nutrients. Thus there should be a balance between calcium rich foods (certain vegetables) and those that provide fiber and energy (like grains), between vitamin and beta carotene rich foods and foods containing fats and protein (legumes, nuts and milk). A well balanced diet will reduce cravings. You might also consider taking supplements to prevent deficiency diseases. However, before starting to pop the pills it is best to consult a doctor who can advise you in such matters.

Certain kitchen appliances will be of immense help to a raw foodist like juicers, containers for sprouting, knives, blenders, dehydrators (although some prefer not using it because it uses high temperature), etc. a raw foodist will not need devices like the oven, the stove or the microwave. A blender and dehydrator will not give strictly unchanged, raw food. However, with these you can produce newer flavors by mixing two or more fruits. A dehydrator can help churn out fresh, home-made breads. These appliances can, therefore, make your raw food diet venture more pleasurable and enjoyable as well as easier.