How to Eat a Balanced Raw and Living Foods Diet

Eating a raw and living foods vegan diet can be challenging. Since it is a diet and lifestyle that is new to most people, it can seem intimidating, challenging, expensive, difficult to comprehend, and a bit overwhelming to someone who is used to eating an over-processed “meat and potatoes” diet. That is why learning how to eat and maintain a well-balanced diet in general is key to maintaining vibrant health, however when it comes to a raw and living foods vegan diet, some of us just do not know where to begin.

Here are some ways to overcome that hump when transitioning to a raw and living foods vegan diet.

Eat according to the seasons. This is a wonderful way to keep your body healthy and to also cut down on your shopping budget. When you eat foods that are in season you are keeping your body’s eco-system in balance as well as the environment’s eco-system and the economy’s eco-system. You are supporting organic farmers in their plight to keep growing and selling organic produce and fruit and vegetables that are in season are going to be less expensive. Also your body is craving the foods that are in season so honor your cravings.

Watch your food combinations. Eat fruit by itself. Fruit is a very very important food. It cleanses the body out and is extremely easily digestible and because of its exquisiteness, it should be eaten alone. Most raw foodists start their day with a fruit smoothie or a bowl of fruit in the morning. Allow it to digest for at least an hour before consuming anything else. Eat your proteins and fats at separate meals. And eat only one protein at a time. Nuts contain over 50% fats and require more digestion time than other foods. They are best consumed before sundown.

Choose your colors wisely. The wonderful reward of a raw foods diet are the colors of the food. When eating a meal, make sure your meal resembles the colors of the rainbow. Eat your greens, your reds, your oranges, your yellows, your purples, your tans, and your whites. Some leafy greens such as Swiss chard contains both green and red. Or your winter squashes can come varied in color. Our bodies like variety and they love when you diversify your foods. So have fun with the colors of your meals.

Keep it simple, yet varied. When transitioning to a more raw foods diet, the shopping experience can be a nightmare. Before you leave the house, divide your shopping list into the following categories: nuts, seeds, oils, fruits, vegetables, grains, superfoods, and miscellaneous. Then add to your list what you need according to the category. Then take at least 5-6 recipes and make sure you can make at least 5-6 of those recipes from that list only, keeping in mind that you can substitute an oil or a different nut than from what the original recipe calls for. You should have at least 3 days worth of food, maybe 4 and you learn how to trust your own chef’s instinct.

Treat yourself with exotic foods occasionally. The raw foods diet calls for some exotic foods that we have not heard of before such as acai berries, durian, kumquats, jackfruit, etc. Occasionally treat your body to a food that you haven’t eaten before. Check in and see how your body responds and make a fun recipe with it.

The raw foods diet consists of fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains, nuts, seeds, and superfoods. Make sure you get at least 2-6 servings of each of these in your diet on a daily basis. If you have to make menus and plan your meals, then do it. I know it may seem a little silly but our diets and lifestyles are deteriorating our health and we have to transform that until we get to a place where eating well and living well is a way of life and not a choice anymore.

Fruits clean your body out, vegetables build your body up, grains, nuts, oils, and seeds provide bulk, fats, and substance for the body and superfoods are a wonderful addition to the diet that can provide optimal overall nutrition to the body as it heals itself. Even though the body is not lacking of nutrition when eating a mostly raw foods diet, because of time restraints, lack of knowledge and/or resources, at times we may neglect to provide sufficient nourishment to our bodies when eating raw, so I suggest finding a multivitamin, or a superfood of some sort to compliment your diet.

The raw foods diet is simpler than what we think. Once we get into a rhythm of knowing what foods we like and which ones are in season and how to create a simple cheese, sauce, or meal, we will be able to eat like this more and more often.