When I was living in San Francisco, California, Raw and Living Food was getting more fashionable. I had an interview for a Raw Bar in Berkeley and a place was opening up just a block from Union Square. But I never thought it would start to appear in the west of Ireland untill a few weeks ago. Someone at the Milltown Farmersmarket told me that she had started eating a Raw Food Diet. And I have been thinking about Raw and Living Food ever since. Where did this start and would I be able to keep to this regime that strikes me as too strict for me?
I have the occasional bright idea and start a Juice-Day. Well not just a Juice-Day more a Fruit and Raw Veggie Day. And every time I do this I last oh about 1.5 days. Would I be able to become a Raw and/or Living Foodie? The answer is: I don't think so. But that doesn't mean I am not into it. I am fascinated by it and have a lot of respect for the Foodies that actually manage to change their way of eating in such a way. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I am a chef and love food in all its glory. I do tend to eat healthy, don't get me wrong. I already changed my diet to one of a more vegetarian standard, although I won't be able to cut everything out.
But enough about me, lets talk about the Raw and Living Food movement. Raw Food is food that still has its basic chemical structure, it hasn't been changed by cooking, freezing, preserving etc. Raw and Living Food are both utilizing the enzymes found in uncooked/ unprocessed food. Although in Living Food the enzymes are alive while Raw Food has mostly dorment enzymes as nothing is done to "re-activate" the enzymes. The difference is Sprouting. But the two are closely related. It is one step further than being a Vegan, who doesn't eat meat, fish, dairy or anything related to animals. Living food consists of sprouted nuts, seeds and grains, organic fruits and vegetables and lightly fermented preparations. The dehydrator is the main equipment for daily "cooking".
The main thinking behind Living Food is that heating above 102 F/ 39C breaks down the enzymes that are beneficial to the human body. Sprouting means that you germinate seeds, nuts and grains by soaking it in liquid, mainly water. This way the enzymes will go from being dorment to active and the food will be easier to break down by our body. By eating cooked foods we don't add enzymes but use our own which makes it hard for our organs to digest.
This diet comes from a believe that our pre-historic ancestors were mainly vegetarians not eating meat at all and eating everything raw as fire wasn't invented yet. Throughout the years several people have raised the intrest in Living and Raw Food, people like Ann Wigmore and Leslie Kenton have made people more aware of the advantages.
Whatever you believe, eating more Raw and Living Food is healthy, people are not eating half of what they should. And I don't mean you have to buy a dehydrator and prepare food days in advance. A simple salad, fresh fruit or sprouting seeds and nuts will make a difference.
Technorati: Raw and Living Food, sprouting, dehydrator, Ann Wigmore, Leslie Kenton
Nice use of tags. Great photo!
Posted by: Podchef | May 22, 2006 at 08:08 AM