Friday, April 30, 2010

Raw foods diet for Weight loss

raw foods All over the media you hear about eating organic foods, super foods and raw foods. But really, what is the raw foods diet all about? Will a raw foods diet really lead to better overall health and weight loss?

First of all, let’s understand the meaning of raw foods. A raw food diet consists of unprocessed raw vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). "Raw foodists" believe that raw foods cooked above this temperature have lost their enzymes and a significant amount of their nutritional value and are harmful to the body. Uncooked foods provide living enzymes and proper nutrition.

A raw food diet has many benefits to eating raw foods, including weight loss, more energy, clear skin, improved digestion and improved overall health. Uncooked raw greens and vegetables have the fewest calories. Fruits are the second lowest because they give satiation and raise blood sugar to reduce appetite. A great way to prevent over-eating during a meal is by having an apple or organic Navitas Naturals goji berries as the appetizer. The apple contains fiber which really helps to decrease appetite and also prevent from eating as much during a regular meal.

Eating high-water content foods such as Apples, Blueberries, Cantaloupe and other fruits and vegetables in the high-water food category will help you to lose weight because these foods are lower in calories. For a high-water content, raw food weight-loss diet, try the following: During the first half of the day, before you eat anything else, drink water with fresh-squeezed organic lemon juice. then have a fresh fruit smoothie (or just whole fresh fruit). For lunch have raw cacao nibs, soup and salad made with fresh organic ingredients. For dinner, cook some raw pasta using Navitas Naturals coconut oil, a side of marinara and a salad. This is just to give you some ideas. The idea is that if you consume plenty of greens, especially in a liquid form, your energy will increase dramatically, you will feel full and satisfied, and you lose unwanted excess weight. If you follow this type of eating plan, you will get all the nutrients and water you need for the day without consuming too many calories. You'll also feel full and be less likely to eat too much rich food during the day

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Add Goji Berries to your Rawfood Diet

raw foods
With a chewy texture and a pleasant taste somewhere in between a dried cherry and a cranberry, Navitas Naturals whole goji berries make a nutritious replacement for raisins or dried fruit. Delicious by the handful, dried goji berries are great in recipes like oatmeal, cookies, cereal, and trail mix. If you are planning to add goji berries to your raw foods diet, below are some suggestions for you which will surely make a difference and bring a change in your diet chart.

Breakfast: Goji berries can be had at any time during the day but its usually preferred most as a breakfast item. If you choose to have healthy fruits and berries as your breakfast item you can have them with any kind of hot and cold cereals and with milk. You can also include goji juice with your favorite juice and see the taste it brings to the general taste of your regular drink. Some other excellent options are blending it your smoothie or hot delicious soup, including it in all baked foods or serving it with salad. If you do not prefer your berries in any of these ways, you can always go for a handful of these berries just before your breakfast.

Mid day snack: Those who are on a strict raw foods diet regimen love to have these berries as a mid day snack. Goji berries are also perfect as an energizing drink or as a jam which is spread over your favorite cake. Try it out in any form and enjoy the healthy benefits of this lovely nutrient-rich berry. Goji berries are especially most tasty prepared with grated nuts, dates, nectar, honey and orange zest.

Lunch & Dinner: If you wish to have goji berries as a part of your lunch or dinner meal, it is best to include these berries in your regular soup or have it as a part of your salad. You can also add it to your vegetables, chicken and meat to give it an amazing taste. There is no suggested special recipe for this berry and depends on your creativity. One of the most popular ways of having this berry is mixing it up with various combinations of fruits and vegetables.

Many people love to add a handle full of these goji berries in a big glass which is made up of cold water or hot water, herbal tea or juice and let it hydrate for a few minutes. The mixture quickly becomes extremely delicious in its plump and juicy form making it a tasty delicacy. The taste of delicious chewy goji berries is the most delightful way in which you can use the berries. This makes one of the best meals with the use of goji berries and is very easy to prepare.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Did you know eating raw foods increases your energy?

organic foods The more raw foods you consume equals to more energy you will receive on a daily basis. There are a few reasons for gaining more energy and stamina with organic food; one is that your body doesn`t have to spend as much energy digesting your food. Raw foods contain enzymes, and these enzymes help your body break down food. One advantage to eating raw is that it brings nature’s intentions into focus. When speaking of eating raw, we are referring to fruit, nuts, and vegetables, which taste good to the majority of humankind in their basic simplicity direct from tree, bush or vine. Raw foods are also better quality therefore you eat less to satisfy your nutritional needs.

Cardiovascular endurance improved for 67 percent of respondents. A dramatic increase in energy levels were reported since transitioning to organic food, specifically 31 percent to 88 percent of the respondents who said they had "good" or "excellent" energy levels.

Cooked foods act malignantly by exhausting your bodily energies, inhibiting your healing, and decreasing your alertness, efficiency and productivity. The heat of cooking depletes vitamins, damages proteins and fats and destroys enzymes which benefit digestion. As your percentage of raw food increases you feel satisfied and have more energy on smaller meals because raw food has the best balance of water, nutrients and fiber to meet your body’s needs.

Raw foods are easily digested, requiring only 24-36 hours for transit time through the digestive tract, as compared to 40-100 hours for cooked foods. This unnatural transit time increases the threat of putrefaction and disease. When you eat cooked carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, you are eating numerous mutagenic (carcinogenic) products causes by the cooking process. Dr. Karl Elmer experimented with top athletes in Germany, producing improvement in their performance by changing to a purely raw food diet. Dr Douglas Graham, achieved similar results with athletes he trained. Raw foods provide you with more strength, energy and stamina.

On raw foods, the mind (memory and power of concentration) will be clear. You will be more alert, think sharper and more logically. Raw foods are light and will not leave you with a tired feeling after the meal. There is a tendency toward sleepiness after a cooked meal. Raw foods require less total sleep, and achieve a more restful sleep. Therefore, don’t waste your food, yourself, and our planet by cooking what you eat. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and whole wheat are fresh, raw and giving you the natural energy and a healthier diet.