Raw Food in your Diet: What, When and How?
If you’ve come across any ‘raw food diets’, you might think they’re just another passing fad with as many critics as fans. In this blog post we’re going to look at the benefits of raw food in general, and how it can be added to a ‘normal’, healthy balanced diet. This means you don’t have to give up ANYTHING: raw food can be a delicious part of your daily routine, rather than a chore. Keep reading to find out all you need to know…
What is Raw Food?1
Technically, food is raw if it has not been processed or heated above 47°C. If you want to get really specific, some distinguish between ‘raw’ food and ‘living’ foods. Raw foods are uncooked, whereas living foods are those that have been ‘activated’ (think about the difference between a raw almond and one that has been soaked in water). Whichever category they fall into, uncooked or unprocessed foods have a high enzyme level. And guess what? Yep, that’s right – tasty Zespri™ SunGold kiwifruit is as fresh and ‘raw’ an ingredient as you can get. In fact, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are the main raw foods that people enjoy in their diets.
When Can I Eat Raw Food?
Breakfast is a great time to eat raw, especially if you are someone who enjoys a piece of fruit in the morning. At most meal occasions, raw food can add a splash of freshness & texture to your plate. Starters and main meals can also be made up entirely of raw food and there are lots of easy, no-cook, trendy and creative dishes. Advice to ‘eat the rainbow’, consciously choosing from the spectrum of coloured food and vegetables, means giving your body more nutritional variety and more of the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to function throughout the day. And don’t forget - Zespri™ SunGold kiwifruit tops the nutritional value table compared to all other commonly eaten fruit2.
How Can I Make Healthy Raw Food Menus for all the Family?
The key to introducing more raw foods into your family’s diet is to keep it simple and tasty. Salads are an excellent choice because they naturally contain mostly raw ingredients. The perfect light and refreshing summer starter. Shake up your raw food prep techniques with chopping, slicing, dicing, grating and mashing. Just remember – no heating! Luckily, Zespri™ SunGold kiwifruit taste delicious right out the skin. Take a look at this quick and easy raw food salad – a little trendy inspiration to spark your creativity!
References
- Brotman, Juliano. “The Living and Raw Foods F.A.Q.” LivingFoods.com, undated, accessed June 10, 2020: http://www.living-foods.com/faq.html
- Darmon N, Darmon M, Maillot M, Drewnowski A. A nutrient density standard for vegetables and fruits: nutrients per calorie and nutrients per unit cost. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:1881-7. https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(05)01552-X/abstract
