Raw foods: Can You Really Eat Raw & Work Out?

If you’ve been thinking of starting up on a raw foods diet, it’s important that you carefully plan out this diet approach in accordance with your workouts. Those who are very involved in their workout program have specific nutrient requirements and if these requirements are not met, problems can and will likely arise. Consequences can be high levels of fatigue, muscle mass loss, decreased strength and muscular endurance. You don’t want to take a blind approach here as the consequences can be high levels of fatigue, muscle mass loss, decreased strength and muscular endurance, as well as poor sports performance if you happen to be involved in athletic events.

Here are some of the most important things to remember if you’re planning on starting up a raw foods diet.

Get Complex Carbohydrates Before The Workout
The first thing that you must make sure you do is get enough complex carbohydrates in your diet before you head out to do your workout. These complex carbohydrates are what will provide the fuel your body needs to get through those gruelling workout sessions, so without them, you’re going to sputter out quickly.One of the simplest complex carbohydrates to have before a workout is raw unprocessed oats. Mix these with a small amount of dried fruit, organic raw nuts and some honey for added sweetness. Then form into tiny balls that can easily be consumed before you head off to the gym.

Finish The Workout With Fast-Acting Carbohydrates
Second, you also must make sure you get a head start on proper recovery by including a fast acting carbohydrate source immediately following your workout. This is when the muscles are most likely to suck this glucose up instantly, helping to regenerate the muscle glycogen that powers you through your exercise session. Sugars will be broken down faster in the body than a grain source which requires more reactions to take place. Fresh fruit or dried fruit works great in this case as the sugars will be broken down faster in the body than a grain source which requires more reactions to take place.
Juice also works well so if you’re not in the mood to consume solid foods after a hard workout, that’s a good option to turn to.

Do Not Neglect Protein
Protein is a nutrient that is often quite low in those practicing a raw food diet because unlike typical diets, you will not consume any cooked meat. Instead, turn to raw hemp seeds, nuts, as well as beans to get as much dietary protein in as possible. Beans, also mentioned as a good pre-workout carb, are really ideal for before your workout as long as you don’t find them so heavy that you cannot workout.

You should aim to get one gram per pound of body weight if you can, however you may find this increasingly difficult, especially if you choose not to incorporate a form of protein powder in with your diet. Just be sure you don’t go below half a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight or you may risk losing muscle mass while exercising. Being sure to get in enough carbohydrates will also help to eliminate the risk of this occurring as well since that will help prevent incoming protein being utilized as a primary fuel source.

Take In Enough Calories Total
Finally, the last thing that you must be sure to be on the lookout for is total calorie intake. If you’re meal plan on your raw food diet contains mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, your calorie intake is going to end up being very low and this can make it incredibly hard to get enough energy in to get you through your activities. Active individuals who exercise three to five times a week should aim to eat at fourteen calories per pound of body weight, so do a quick calculation for yourself.

If you’re aiming to lose weight you will want to eat slightly less than this but do remember that there is definitely a limit as to how low you can take your calories. If you bring them too low you risk your metabolism slowing down, preventing further fat loss from taking place.So be sure you keep these tips in mind if you’re starting up on a raw food diet and are an active individual. You want to be extra sure you’re getting the right foods at the right times of the day because this is what will help you see optimal results from your workout plan

Raw food:What is the Raw Food Diet?

An organic raw food diet is a healthy and popular diet for those who want to boost their health and achieve a leaner body. Raw food diet is based on raw, uncooked and unprocessed fruits, seeds, raw nuts and vegetables. Raw foods can be cooked but must be kept under 118 degrees to avoid destroying enzymes in food.

 

Consuming raw food is an excellent way to provide your body with all of the essential vitamins and enzymes that are usually destroyed with high cooking temperatures. Cooking changes the chemical structure of foods and diminishes their nutritious as well.

 

Raw foods, as it is also called, is based on the fact that raw, natural plants are extremely beneficial for the organism and the proper functioning of the body. Raw food dietitians claim that approximately 75% of your daily diet should be composed of unprocessed raw food. A Raw food diet is not all about weight loss but more about enjoying the health benefits the diet will provide. Although some people may feel restricted others feel better, healthier and more energetic.

 

The most important aspects of a raw food diet are: general health, detoxification and weight loss. Raw foods are simple and effective for boosting metabolic processes also with health and maintaining a lean body with a fresh mind.

 

Unprocessed food means fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that go straight from the plant to your plate. If you want to follow a raw food diet, below are examples of unprocessed raw foods.

 

- Fresh fruits and vegetables – Beans

- Nuts Seeds (raw cacao nibs, raw pistachios, raw almonds and etc)

- Seaweed

- Whole grains

- Spices and natural herbs

- Dried fruits (organic goji berries, raw mulberries, raw golden berries and etc)

- Purified water

If you want to try out a raw food diet, you should get used to special techniques used for the preparation of raw food, such as: chopping, blending, dehydrating, straining, peeling or sprouting, in order to create delicious meals every day.

 

This way you can add some variety to your daily meals and make them more digestible for your stomach. Many raw foods are raw vegans as well, although some people consume eggs and cheese made out of raw milk.

 

It’s also important to pay attention to avoid nutritional deficiencies such as calcium, iron, B2 or proteins. Therefore, in similar cases, you will have to supplement your body with elementary vitamins and nutrients to maintain the healthy balance of your organism and feel energetic every day.

 

My Tags: organic goji berries, raw cacao nibs, raw food, raw nuts

What is the Raw Food Diet?

An organic raw food diet is a healthy and popular diet for those who want to boost their health and achieve a leaner body. Raw food diet is based on raw, uncooked and unprocessed fruits, seeds, raw nuts and vegetables. Raw foods can be cooked but must be kept under 118 degrees to avoid destroying enzymes in food.

Consuming raw food is an excellent way to provide your body with all of the essential vitamins and enzymes that are usually destroyed with high cooking temperatures. Cooking changes the chemical structure of foods and diminishes their nutritious as well.

Raw foodism, as it is also called, is based on the fact that raw, natural plants are extremely beneficial for the organism and the proper functioning of the body. Raw food dietitians claim that approximately 75% of your daily diet should be composed of unprocessed raw food. A Raw food diet is not all about weight loss but more about enjoying the health benefits the diet will provide. Although some people may feel restricted others feel better, healthier and more energetic.

The most important aspects of a raw food diet are: general health, detoxification and weight loss. Raw foods are simple and effective for boosting metabolic processes also with health and maintaining a lean body with a fresh mind.

Unprocessed food means fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that go straight from the plant to your plate. If you want to follow a raw food diet, below are examples of unprocessed raw foods.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Beans
- Nuts Seeds (raw cacao nibs, raw pistachios, raw almonds and etc)
- Seaweed
- Whole grains
- Spices and natural herbs
- Dried fruits (organic goji berries, raw mulberries, raw golden berries and etc)
- Purified water

If you want to try out a raw food diet, you should get used to special techniques used for the preparation of raw food, such as: chopping, blending, dehydrating, straining, peeling or sprouting, in order to create delicious meals every day.

This way you can add some variety to your daily meals and make them more digestible for your stomach. Many raw foodists are raw vegans as well, although some people consume eggs and cheese made out of raw milk.

It’s also important to pay attention to avoid nutritional deficiencies such as calcium, iron, B2 or proteins. Therefore, in similar cases, you will have to supplement your body with elementary vitamins and nutrients to maintain the healthy balance of your organism and feel energetic every day.

Going Organic - its not that tough!

Organic Food is made in a way that limits or excludes the use of fertilizers during its production. A large supply of new synthetic chemicals was used in the food supply during the 20th century with the advent of Green Revolution and High Productivity standards. Under organic production the use of conventional non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are greatly restricted and used only as a last resort. In case of livestock, they must be raised without the routine use of antibiotics, of growth hormones and generally fed a healthy diet. Above all, Organic Foods shouldn’t be genetically modified.

Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry. Countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to be able to market their food products as “Organic”.
A “Certified Organic” label is the only way for consumers to know that a processed product in indeed organic. Organic foods have lower levels of nutritionally undesirable compounds such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues and glyco-alkaloids.

Some examples of Organic Foods

Goji Berries are bright orange-red berries native to Southeastern Europe and Asia. They are also known as Tibetan Goji Berries. Goji berries are considered as super fruits expecting to be part of a multi billion dollar market. They are commercially produced in China, Tibet, Mongolia and other countries. These berries are cooked before consumption. They are consumed in Chinese soups, boiled as herbal tea and as packaged tea. Organic Goji berry products have strong anti-oxidant properties and can provide significant portions of a person’s needed carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat protein, minerals, essential vitamins and amino acids. As such, health food manufacturers have used them in their health supplement and weight loss products.

Switching over to Organic Foods is easy. Including a few strategic organic foods can make a big impact on a family’s diet. Choosing organic milk can make a difference. As against conventional milk, organic milk avoids a lot of antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. Switching over to organic potatoes help avoid a lot of pesticide contamination. Organic Peanut Butter and Ketchup are highly recommendable. Organic Apples are always preferable. Thus by just including a few food products it’s possible to reap the benefits of an organic diet.

With each passing day, more and more people ask for organic food. In the future, the demand for healthy organic food is bound to increase many fold!

Raw foods diet for Weight loss

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

Add Goji Berries to your Rawfood Diet

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.

Did you know eating raw foods increases your energy?

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.