I'm new to the raw food lifestyle. I don't want to fail, but I will fail if I get confused or frustrated. So Help me out here.
When eating RAW you are supposed to get lots of leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables. My problem is with the fruit and vegetables part.
You have your berry's which are fruit
You have apples, pears, and others that grow on trees = fruit
Then you have melons which are fruit
and Citruses which are fruit
But then you get down to things that people typically consider a vegetable
Peppers = fruits
Cucumber = Fruit
Carrots = Fruit
Tomatoes = Fruit
But these things are not really vegetables they are fruit.
I'm really not trying to think on this too hard, I just want to make sure I get a good balance... and I just don't see myself eatings greens topped with broccoli and cauliflower every day.
Comments
I call foods like bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. vegetable fruits or non-sweet fruits. Yes, botanically they are fruits, but they have a nutritional make-up closer to vegetables and so are less sweet and lower in calories than sweet fruits.
Swayze
i think you'll be fine with nutritional balance if you eat a good variety. i count tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, and carrots as my "veggies" for the day even if they are fruits. i don't think the label really matters.
I agree with swayze and joannabanana--- but, I do suggest throwing in those leafy greens if you aren't eating any. They are highly beneficial. I don't eat them every single day, but I try to get them in a few times a week at least; I have noticed a difference from when I'm not eating enough leafy greens vs. eating them a few times a week. I feel a lot more lethargic and my digestion doesn't perform was well when I'm not consuming leafy greens.
Leafy greens that I suggest: kale, romaine lettuce or red leaf lettuce (my favorite), broccoli, spinach
These are what I like to eat anyway :) Mostly spinach and lettuces for me.
How are carrots fruit? They're fleshy roots that don't contain seeds.
Remember the other bits and pieces such as nuts, seeds, seaweeds etc. They can help balance the diet. Although yeah the bulk should be fruits and vegetables.
I'm mad on rocket leaves and watercress- eat lots of them! Getting into kale as well.:)