RAW VEGANISM

What is raw veganism?

Eating a raw vegan diet means eating fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds that are never heated above 104°F, if at all. Only uncooked and unprocessed foods provide us with the full range of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, oxygen, fiber and other nutrients since cooking destroys several of them. 

There are different types of raw vegan diets with the most prominents being 80/10/10 and gourmet raw with many intermediates. The term 80/10/10 was coined by Dr. Douglas N. Graham ("The 80/10/10 diet) and describes a raw vegan diet consisting of 80% carbohydrates, 10% healthy fats and 10% proteins. Gourmet raw veganism on the other side includes more nuts and seeds and is not as concerned about the caloric and especially fat intake. 

What do I eat? 

In my opinion, there is no particular diet that suits all.The health benefits of fresh, in the best case organic fruit and vegetables however are undisputable and I think everybody can improve their mental and physical health from including more unprocessed foods into their diet. Plus, no other being gets hurt by eating fruits and veggies! 

I personally changed from a typical German diet rich in starches, meat and processed foods in general, to a mostly raw vegan diet 1 year ago. Today I eat at least 2 raw meals a day, mainly in form of smoothies, fresh fruit, salads, raw pasta and a raw vegan dessert now and then. Sometimes I have some healthy  vegan cooked food in the evening as beans, rice, steamed or cooked veggies or soups. I keep my fat intake around 10% in total (over the year) and try to eat as much organic as I possibly can afford. This is how I feel best - fit, happy, energized, alive, light and powerful.

How to start a raw vegan diet?

If you want to include more raw foods into your diet, start with a fresh juice or smoothie in the morning and try to eat more fresh fruit over the day and salads in the evening. Every little step is amazing and you will see how much you will benefit from the additional intake of fresh fruit and veggies! Just do what feels really good for you and what makes you the best you, you can possibly be.

Please don't hesistate if you have questions about how to start a raw vegan diet, about which fruits and veggies to buy, if you have questions considering health or anything else. You can fill out my contact form here, comment on my blog posts and find me on facebook.