When I first got into raw food back in 1993 there weren't a lot of raw food myths floating around as there weren't many raw foodists or raw food philosophies floating around either!
Since then my, how things have changed! There's more books, resources, foods, theories, promoters, restaurants - you name it, there's more of it! And yes, ultimately this is a great thing... the only thing that frustrates me just a little are the myths that are created out of thin air and then get passed around like Chinese whispers and are taken as gospel! So because I'm keen for people NOT to sign up to a "truth" that's not true, here's my contribution to blowing these myths out of the water…
Myth #1: Talking about "THE" Raw Food Diet
The first and most misleading myth is that there is such thing as “a raw food diet” – there’s really not. If I were to say to you that I eat “a cooked food diet” would that tell you very much? Of course not! I could eat burger and fries twice a day (like I used to), or I could eat beans and rice with steamed veggies (which I later switched to) – obviously very different foods that will affect my health, energy and body very differently – but they’re all “cooked”.
And so for me to say “I eat a raw food diet” is equally unhelpful. I could major on greens, salads and sprouted foods (which is, loosely speaking, the ideal in my opinion), or I could eat predominantly complicated raw gourmet dishes mostly made in the dehydrator followed by raw chocolate cake every night. Again, very different foods which will definitely result in differing levels of health and vitality - but all raw foods nonetheless.
So, when someone says to you “I know someone who tried the raw food diet but it didn’t work for them”, try asking them what exactly that person was doing or eating. I’ve found that usually after a little probing it becomes clear that really most people don’t know what they are doing (some of the stories I have heard have been pretty scary!), many have not been eating a wide enough variety of foods (or of good enough quality), but moreover most, if not all, have failed to figure out that it pays to learn what works best for them. And when you've made it happen for yourself you'll know that there really is no such thing as “a raw food diet”, but there is such a thing as YOUR raw food diet!
Myth #2: "If You Eat Only Raw Food You'll Never Get Ill"
The second myth that needs busting is that if you eat all raw food you will never get ill. This is simply not true, although generally speaking eating lots of first-class raw foods certainly keeps people much healthier and more able to shake off things than the average diet. But while diet is undoubtedly a very important part of the health puzzle, understand and acknowledge that “Going Raw is a Whole Person Journey”.
Eating right (which to my mind is at least 80% raw vegan) is a brilliant tool for creating amazing health, but if you are overworking or are constantly stressed out, if your emotional needs aren't being met, or if you don’t get enough fresh air, water, rest, sleep, sunshine or exercise, then your body simply isn’t going to thrive as well as it could because other vital nutrients are missing (of the non-food variety). In fact, stress is more acidic to the body than some of the worst junk food; it can literally poison the system, regardless of how well you might be eating. So, yes, when you go raw you need to be watching more than just what you eat – you need to be taking good care of yourself right across the board and feeding yourself optimally on all levels - but that’s a good thing, right?
Myth #3: "You Have to Go 100% Raw or it’s Not Worth Bothering"
The third and final myth that I really want to bust is that going raw has to be all or nothing. No, not at all. Over the years I have been at all places on the dietary spectrum, from eating all junk and lots of meat to all raw vegan - and everywhere in between. How much raw you choose to eat is a very personal decision and you may find that it oscillates as you change and evolve… continually. Although most people generally feel better the more raw food they eat (again, depending on what exactly they do eat), most people find that they can get very comfortable and all the benefits they want at 80% raw with the remaining 20% being cooked foods, but of an excellent quality also. What I will say from personal experience is that it’s like a whole new world at 100% raw. There’s simply nothing like it. For myself I’ve found that when I’m 100% raw vegan, even the smallest bit of cooked food seems to take a certain something away. However, as I say, this is a very personal journey, so the main thing is that you do what you want to do, keep being aware and up the amount of raw when you feel good and ready and find out what amount is perfect for you.
© 2012 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
Hi Karen, this Raw food business it's all new to me, I heard of it when I was on a cruise lately. I am very tempted by the idea. I am overweight and in bad health, I always ate lots of meat, lots of stews, cooked food has been my life, now I know I have to make changes or I'll be digging my grave with my own teeth! I've made the decision to give it a go and endeavour to stick to it, but a few questions remain unanswered, such as: Where can I find a complete list of "allowed" food? Does it have to be "organic" or can I start with just supermarket fruit and vegies? Doesn't dry food means dead food? These questions might sound dumb, but like I said I don't know much about "raw food", I would appreciate being pointed to the right direction. Thank you, Yves.
Posted by: Yves | May 21, 2012 at 05:12 AM
Karen, What a great post. I particularly love the section on raw food diet, because, I too, feel like it is almost a stigma that I must correct people that a raw food diet doesn't always entail 100% raw foods. Also, this may also, steer a lot of people away which is a shame. As well, loved you last point - also wrote an article on this exact topic a couple weeks ago for looking for more discussion: www.ohmyraw.com/do-you-need-to-be-100-raw/
Great post! Thank you,
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah/Oh My raw | May 15, 2012 at 02:38 AM