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I am new to raw, as in I just learned of the raw food concept on last Monday as I was searching for natural remedies. Of course, this definitely caught my attention and I am doing as much research I can about the raw lifestyle. So far, since Tuesday I have been having green smoothies for breakfast (spinach, ginger, 1/2 fruits) and a spinach salad with my lunch. I plan to start with 50% raw and then increase that percentage as I go. Here are some of my beginner questions….its pretty long, I apologize.
1) What tools can I start with? Should I buy Coffee Grinder for Flaxseed and other seeds/spices? Juicer at Walmart/Target? Food Processor? Low Grade Dehydrator atWalmart/Target OR should I just use my current blender for now until I can save up money for most of the Kitchen tools?
2) Would it bit safe to say…...don’t eat cooked and raw at the same time? I attempt to eat 5 – 6 small meals…(trying to lose weight), so I am currently planning to make my breakfast, midday and dinner meals raw(meal 1, 2 and 5/6 )...and go from there.
3) Budget. I can’t buy 100% organic fruits & vegetables, but I read that apples, bell peppers, pears, spinach(most leafy greens), celery, strawberries should be as they have high pesticides residue. Basically, foods that have shell/skins that can be peeled off (removing residue) should be okay as non-organic (e.g banana, corn, avocado, onions). So, I could buy mix organic & non-organic based on this criteria….good idea or bad?
4) I feel a bit constipated, I don’t know if it could be a result of bad food combining..what are the rules(this ties into (2) )? What foods/supplements can I take that promote good digestive enzymes?
5) Do all food items have to be label raw? For example, in the cases of steel oats, buckwheat groats, beans, dates, olives. Can I assume that olives and dates are raw? What about flaxseed?
6) How to does verify that corn and bananas are not GMO? (I don’t plan to buy these organic see (3))
7) Is hemp protein powder raw? I saw this at Whole Foods, or should I just stick with the Hemp seed?
Thanks in advance for the help.
Comments
I’m surprised there aren’t replies yet, but you could try some searches for more advice. I’ll take a stab at a few – these are just opinions, and you know what they say about opinions.
First question is, are you already vegan?
1. Tools I use most are the Vita-mix and the food processor, thought I use the FP far less. A coffee grinder is good, and not at all pricey. We almost never use the juicer and don’t have a dehydrator because I don’t want to get a lesser quality one that will go kaplooey on me.
2 and 4. I don’t buy into any food combining “rules.” I’ve never had issues eating raw and cooked foods together, but digestion has never been an issue for me no matter what I ate. I think individuals have different sensitivities, intolerances and even allergies that affect their digestion, so you probably just have to figure out yours. My DH has problems with raw sprouted legumes and pulses other than lentils. Other common triggers are soy, corn, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, yeast, sugar, and of course dairy, eggs, and seafood. Try eliminating these one at a time for a while and see if you notice any difference.
3. Good idea.
5 and 7. The safe answer is yes, if foods are not labeled raw, assume they are not. The practical reality of life often means asking for advice and trusting the wisdom of others about foods they recommend, doing research, and just doing the best you can.
6. To my knowledge they don’t genetically modify bananas. Assume that corn that is not certified organic is GMO.
Thanks a lot of your help, I appreciate it.
First question is, are you already vegan?
Nope, meat-eater here :) What are other good source of protein besides nut & seeds(they contain a lot of fat, yes its good fat, but still quite a bit)
2 and 4. I don’t buy into any food combining “rules.” I’ve never had issues >> eating raw and cooked foods together, but digestion has never been an issue for me no matter what I ate.
Neither for me, I mean I’ve had salads and then a meal before, a meal and then a fruit with no problem. I was looking back and realized that I had just one cooked meal per day last week, so I was actually 60% raw. Now for today & tomorrow, I’m going to eat what normally fixes any constipation problems…spinach and a lot of Fiber One cereal or Oatmeal & lots of water as is 120oz. I think something else is going on (been feeling sick and taking some meds), but there is only way to verify this. After my spinach-Fiber One-Oatmeal regimen, I’ll be able to make a better assessment.
Thanks again :)
5) Olives – Olives are normally cured in Lye (a chemical). The only truly raw olives i have found were from www.detoxyourworld.com they were peruvian and tasted nothing at all like any ‘normal’ olives I have eaten. Here’s an FYI on what items you think are raw, but aren’t http://www.purelyraw.com/deadfoodlist.htm
BUT this is important – don’t get too caught up on that deadfoodlist, at first. Quite a few raw foodies use items from that list… we just try to eat as much fresh produce as possible. I think your focus shouldn’t be on perfect, when you’re just starting out. Focus on incorporating tasty raw dishes into your diet.
2) Raw food dishes don’t have to be all raw! For example, you can make raw pate and put it on cooked bread. You can make a big raw salad with raw veggies, and use store bought salad dressing. It’s totally okay to start incorporating raw however you want at the beginning. Be forgiving of yourself, have FUN with recipes, there’s no pressure at all. Enjoy the process of learning how to make new raw foods.
hey, i’m pretty new too.
1. i use my food processor more than any other tool, but it seems to me like the best thing to do, especially if you like a lot of smoothies, is to invest in a really good blender, which you can use to process stuff if need be.
2/4. just do whatever works for you. as you become more sensitive to your body’s signals, you might find digestion is a trickier issue than it was before. you might find that certain foods just don’t agree with you anymore (i’m talking to you, onions), and that’s ok.
3/5. stick to your budget in whatever way you can. the easiest way to do that AND to be sure you’re buying raw is to stay within the confines of the produce section. buy a ton of whatever is on sale or is cheap but also a few things that you like a whole lot to make the experience palatable.
6. no idea. corn no longer agrees with me, but i eat a ton of bananas and love them.
i don’t think you need worry so much about protein-fat-carbs ratio when you’re first starting out. eat whatever you want, but LISTEN to your body (which is difficult), and eventually it will start guiding you toward the right choices. fruits and vegetables themselves have a surprisingly high percentage of calories from protein. if you’re worried about protein and intend to stay vegan, living harvest’s hemp protein powder says it is raw (although i’ve never verified). you can put it into smoothies, but you’ll really want to put a lot of other stuff in it as it is foul-tasting and gritty. good luck!
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