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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookHi eveyone, I’m just starting out with a raw food diet. I read Carol Alts book and got interested. I have suffered from IBS and have discovered that I have a wheat intolerance and raw seems a good way to go. I have just had a green smoothie for breakfast. It was tasty and the color was beautiful. My husband thought it was weird (a real meat and potatoes guy). This message board seem to have great information, but I have a few questions. Is it better to go lower fat or higher fat? Lots of fruit or more veggies? What about getting enough protien? Any tips and information would be helpful. Thanks
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A dear friend of mine also suffers from IBS, she is not raw, would you let me know how raw food works out for you and your condition? Are you planning to be 100% raw? I’m also new to this diet/lifestyle. Good luck and enjoy.
Hi Tanya,
I think that to begin with it is just important to eat raw. As much as you can, ideally 100%. I found this the easiest way, rather than mixing raw with cooked, day in, day out, which made me continually crave cooked food and prolonged my detox. I am convinced through persona experience that the magic is in 100% raw… And if at the beginning, you fall off the wagon now and again, so what? you just get back to eating purely raw food.
I think people can make this all a lot more complicated than it needs to be with high fat/low fat, more fruit, less fruit etc. Just eat what you want when you want as long as it is raw. You can play around with complicating it further once you’ve been through detox and are comfortably raw. I have found that I intuitively eat a well balanced diet, my body knows what it needs. After I had been raw after a few weeks, the whole eating intuitively thing kicked in, my body woke up, and I started listening to it. If feel you you need a basic guideline, then I would recommend that you eat a balance of leafy greens, sweet fruits, non sweet fruits and plant fats. A good and sensible book to read i would recommend is David Wolfe’s ‘Sunfood success systems.’
Protien…there’s plenty protein in raw food. We have been mislead into believing that you only get protein from animal products, the protein in animal products kills people, the protein in plants heals people. There is more protein in spinach than a steak. There is plenty of protein in every raw food we eat. It is not an issue. Look what eating spinach did for Popeye!
My goal right now is to eat as much raw as possible. Thanks Zoe for the advice about just trying to stay raw. I started to get overwhelmed with all the posts about low vs high fat and fruitarians. I do really think I need to listen to my body and learn how to eat intuitively especially sice I also have a history of an eating disorder and would binge eat on carbs and sugary foods. I’m surprised to hear the info about protien, but I believe you and everyone in the pictures looks so alive and vital!! The support and advice is appreciated. One more question. What’s a sweet fruit and a non sweet fruit?
sweeet fruits are “typical fruits”...bananas, apples, etc. Non-sweet fruits are things like tomatoes, avacados, etc. Hope this helps!
Oh, and I ditto what Zoe said…first goal is to just be raw. Then, when you are comfortable in that, listen to your body and it will tell you what you need.
Congratulations on this new venture!
There is a lot of protein in greens, but if you feel you need more you can add spirulina to your green smoothies. I suggest you experiment with the food and see what works best for you. Good Luck!!!
Another non sweet fruits is a cucumber – they’re from the melon family!
I knew tomatoes were a fruit, but not avocado and cucumbers. I’m just working on getting a variety of fuits and veggies in per your advice. I made a huge produce run today with lots of variety. Raw almonds seem to be really satisfying today. I’ll have to stop at the health food store for spirulina. The information is helpful and apprecatied.
Hi guys,
Good luck TanyaB, ok this is day 6 for me, my fiance, his mom and my physical therapist all mentioned that my eyes look brighter..
My skin also is a lot warmer, and glowy…can this happen in as little as 6 days. Chris and Zoe- I will take a b-12 supplement when the time comes.
I was driving back from physical therapy today I saw a tunisian ethnic grocery store. I bought some brazil nuts and some dates. I could not find dates here until today, they are considered a christmassy seasonal item so no grocery stores have them. When I got home I noticed that the dates are bathed in a glucose syrup (should I toss them, am I better off with the dried figs which are completely natural do not know any input is welcome)..sigh…well when I get through them I will search for some natural dates…
What I ate today:
breakfast- water with lemon – green smoothie arugula, spinach, parsley water…so good
Lunch- more green smoothie
snack- strawberry banana almond dry fig (soaked) pudding…so good
dinner- salad with tomato and avocado with lemon,olive oil and pepper dressing.
Today I felt the need to nurture myself more and have richer foods with a rich mouthfeel…so I did it.
Had to prepare dinner for non-raw family (fiance and his kids 16 and 10).He had a green smoothie for brekky today and pronounced delish… They all had my strawberry, banana, almond fig pudding and loved it except for peppe (10yr old) who had issues with the grainy texture…all kids have food texture issues. For dinner I made them huge salads and baby pizzas (bought crust) with mozzarella, grape tomato, and ham. Boy did the ham stink when I handled it.
Anyway guys, I took a break from fit day today, I am sure I am nowhere near 80% carb, 10% fat, 10% protein…I thought why obsess and try to do everything at once. Be gentle w/yrself I said, take it easy today, eat what feels right (comforting, rich, sweet foods) and I did, this allowed me to stay raw. Thanks everyone, you have no idea how this board helps. Peace and Love, Deika.
Tanya that is definetly understandable. I didn’t know cucumbers, avocado, eggplant, and squash were considered fruits until adult hood. I also didn’t know Peanuts were a legume until a few months ago.
Deika I have been taking it easy this week also.
Today I had carrot juice for breakfast, then drank carrot juice mixed with apple juice and beets throughout the day, a plum, and tomatoes with oregano, thyme, and sea salt. I didn’t even have my daily orange…. uhmmmm.. I guess I need to grab one. I was going to eat a peach but it wasn’t good. I had carrot cravings so I fulfilled my needs even though I hate carrots.
It’s nice to hear from others newly going raw. I’m only on day 3, but I do feel good with lots of energy. Deasmiles, is your pudding on the recipe board or is it just exactly what you listed? It sounds really good!! I think I need to locate some figs! I can’t wait for glowy skin. I’m so dried out from the Maine winter, and we just got 14 more inches of snow yesterday.
Hey TanyaB,
I put it on the recipe board- strawberry banana and fig pudding. I am into this for many reasons, never was really happy about cheese, meat, and processed food consumption, want to lose weight and want to feel better. I am sleeping more at night, something I had trouble with, I am more calm, and like I said my hair and skin are changing. Thanks, hang in there…Deika :)
Hi All, I am new to this. I have been vegetarian for 6 weeks. I am really considering going totally raw. I am feeling somewhat discouraged though because I have only lost 3 pounds although, I do have to admit that I feel much better and have alot less symptoms of IBS, chronic stomach problems, and chronic fatigue. Any thoughts on why I am not losing weight??