In this book I outline the benefits of a raw food diet, offering my personal experiences, as well as the knowledge I have gathered on how to create a nutritionally optimal diet with raw foods. I also share some of my favorite recipes.
Wow, what an amazing distillation of years of research and self-experience. Mizpah has done an amazing job of taking a potentially confusing topic and simplifying it down to its core essence. “The Raw Food Solution” is an effective and needed solution for clarity on what is likely the most important topic for health; what we eat.
This is one of the rare gems of work where the information is presented in a grounded, clear and considered way. No sensationalism or wild claims, which can be found all too often in the world of nutrition.
The Action Steps at the end of each chapter are a great way to put the information into practice immediately thereby grounding it in personal experience. Once you have experienced the benefits that raw food has to offer, no convincing is needed. The food does the work for you, inspiring you to keep going because you feel so good.
And let’s not forget how good the food can taste. Mizpah has included a number of delicious recipes to get you trying the food and not just thinking about it. Eating raw food is not about deprivation, it’s about enjoying the abundance of natures bounty. You can have your cake and eat it! Restrictive diets don’t work because people don’t like the food. The raw food diet works because people love the food!
There are several ways to enter.
1) Leave a comment on this post letting me know what type of posts you would like to see more of on the blog eg. Recipes, nutrition information, diet book reviews, herbal medicine or any other specific topics.
2) Announce the giveaway on your blog.
3) Link to this post on facebook or twitter.
Each of these is worth one entry so if you do any of the above simply leave an extra comment here to let me know.
I’ll be announcing the winner on November 7th. I hope that many of you will participate. Good luck!!!
After eating a raw food diet for several years I finally took the plunge and invested in a dehydrator. I love the simplicity of raw foods like fresh fruits, smoothies and salads but having a dehydrator offers us so much more versatility with the option to make “fun” foods like crackers, pizzas and interesting desserts.
While it is possible to make scrumptious raw cookies by combining raw nuts and seeds into a cookie shape and putting them in the fridge to set, a dehydrator allows for the creation of a more satisfying texture, while also intensifying the flavors.
A few days ago I had the urge to experiment with making cookies in the dehydrator - and a craving to make something to satisfy my sweet tooth - so I came up with this recipe for a chewy hazelnut chocolate fudge cookie.
Chocolate and hazelnut is a classic combination. What makes these cookies really unique is the addition of mesquite. This is an interesting ingredient that has a subtle sweet, nutty and slightly smokey flavor that works well in both dessert and savory recipes. It reminds me a little of carob powder but is less sweet.
It is a traditional food of native people in the Southwest and South America and research suggests that it is highly effective in balancing blood sugar. Mesquite also contains high levels of protein - between 11 to 17 percent - with an especially high content of the amino acid lysine, which is sometimes low in raw vegan diets. It is rich in minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc and is an excellent source of fiber.
I’ve experimented with mesquite a little and find it works really well in savory Mexican dishes and enhances the flavor of anything containing chocolate. A teaspoon or so added to a cacao smoothie adds a extra layer of complexity but be careful because if you add too much it can tend to overpower the other ingredients.
So I was surprised at the amount of mesquite I was able to add to this recipe without it becoming the dominant flavor. For me it was definitely there, but the chocolate and hazelnuts are the star ingredients. I used dark Argentinian mesquite, which I find to be slightly milder than other types, but any mesquite powder should work in this recipe.
Mix ground hazelnuts, mesquite, cacao powder and salt in a bowl. In another large mixing bowl combine agave, vanilla, almond butter and honey and stir well to combine.
Add the hazelnut mixture to the liquid ingredients and stir well until the mixture holds together. Add in chocolate chips or cacao nibs last.
Form into balls of about a tablespoon and place on dehydrator trays with the Teflex sheets. Press on each ball slightly to flatten into a cookie shape. Dehydrate for 24-36 hours, turning them over at least once during the dehydration process.
These cookies are fairly dense but the ground hazelnuts add an interesting textural contrast and if you use chocolate chips and eat these warm out of the dehydrator the chocolate will melt in your mouth!
I thought they had just the right amount of sweetness but they are still fairly rich so I recommend eating only one or two at a time. They will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge - if they last that long - and they also will freeze well for a couple of months if you wanted to store them for a longer time.
If you don’t yet own a dehydrator you could also form the cookies into balls and place them in the fridge to set. The texture won’t be as chewy but they will still taste delicious. These are pretty sticky to work with so you will probably want to roll them in some extra cacao powder.
So let me know if you try these. They are guaranteed to add a sparkle to your day
There are very few people who can deny the pleasure of enjoying a sweet and luscious mango at its perfect state of ripeness. Mangoes are the most popular fruit in the world, which may be news to some of you, as it was to me when I first learned this. But it’s really no surprise since they offer us the feeling of indulging in the most delicious dessert, while simultaneously enlivening the senses and refreshing our energy.
While all mangoes are wonderful there’s no doubt that some are better than others. Enjoying a mango at its peak can be a truly sublime experience. Sometimes the flavor and texture of a mango is related to whether you have chosen a perfectly ripe one (or are patient enough to wait for it to be ready) but there are other factors involved.
I’ve eaten mangoes in Australia, Bali, Thailand, South Africa, Hawaii, Jamaica and Costa Rica and in every location the varieties available have their own unique characteristics. The organic Australian mangoes were so amazing and intense in flavor and opened my eyes to just how profound the difference can be between conventional and organic produce.
The mangoes in Bali have an especially unique and subtle floral fragrance. Bali also produces a very special white mango, which appears for a very short season during the year. This mango is unlike any other with a rich and slightly pungent flavor that at times reminded me just slightly of durian but without the strong onion overtones.
When I went to South Africa I only had mangoes one time during the whole trip because we got there right at the end of the season. These mangoes were tiny, about half the size as usual, but of all the mangoes I have ever tasted they were some of my favorites, having an intensely rich, vibrant bright orange color and full flavor with a somewhat silky texture.
When my husband and I moved to Costa Rica one of the things I quickly appreciated is our year-around supply of mangoes! Even though there is theoretically a season for mangoes it is still possible to find them in the markets pretty much all the time.
When we take our weekly trip to the local farmer’s market every Saturday morning we generally buy about twenty pounds of mangoes! It may seem like a lot but it is no problem for us to devour these little beauties and we often run out well before the end of the week.
At the moment it is the rainy season, which means that mangoes are less abundant than usual, so consequently their price is about triple during this time of year but that doesn’t stop us from satisfying our cravings for mangoes! Our mango addiction means that about a quarter of our shopping budget is devoted to mangoes but luckily fruit is cheap in Costa Rica so we can indulge to our heart’s content.
Of course when the mangoes are at their peak they are fantastic by themselves and sometimes we make a meal of mangoes. The picture below provides instruction on the best way to cut a mango to enjoy it as a simple fresh fruit.
Here is a sweet and spicy mango sauce that was inspired by a recipe by Cherie Soria. I actually was blessed with the opportunity to watch Cherie demonstrate her version of the recipe when I recently attended the Living Light Culinary Institute and achieved my certification as a gourmet raw food chef.
This sauce is fat-free and can brighten up any dish, especially those with Asian flavors. We have enjoyed it as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese summer rolls.
If you don’t have habanero pepper or red curry paste you could replace them with any variety of chili pepper to achieve your preferred level of heat.
I used maple syrup because I ran out of agave but you could use either one of these sweeteners and it would work just fine. If you don’t have coconut sugar you could substitute with rapadura or Sucanat.
1/4 teaspoon habanero pepper (more or less according to your preference)
1/4 teaspoon red curry paste ( I used Thai Kitchen brand)
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt, spice and lemon juice to suit your preference. Keeps for about three days in a sealed glass jar in the fridge.
I hope you try this recipe soon. This sauce would also be fantastic on kelp noodles or as a salad dressing on lettuce with cucumbers, mangoes, avocado cilantro and mint. Let me know what you think!
Since the publication of Victoria Boutenko’s book, Green for Life, many people have discovered the profound health benefits associated with the consumption of green smoothies. For me personally, learning about green smoothies was the most important factor that I contribute to my ability to be able to stick with a raw food diet as a long-term approach to healthy eating.
She says, “ I was reading Victoria Boutenko’s book Green for Life. She writes about the benefits of Green Smoothies. I was so inspired by this book that I stopped in the middle and made a Green Smoothie to drink. I felt it immediately. I know everyone is different and many people take weeks to notice the benefits of Green Smoothies, but my body was in such need of revitalization that the Green Smoothie went straight to work. I felt an immediate lift in my mood. I felt like my nerves were soothed for the first time in years. I knew I was finally onto something.”
She goes on to explain some of the health benefits of green smoothies and provides testimonials from many others who have experienced similar results with improved energy, better appearance and weight loss.
The book includes nine green smoothie recipes and Caldwell encourages readers to get creative and discover the combinations of fruit and greens that work for them. In addition to consuming green smoothies she recommends the consumption of a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables, legumes, sprouted bread, salmon and tea.
Caldwell is passionate about the importance of “nutrition for the mind” so about half of the book is devoted to subjects such as positive thinking, affirmations and enhancing emotional awareness. As such this book will appeal more to those who are in need of guidance on how to adjust their psychological state to support a holistic state of wellbeing.
If you are already aware about the health benefits of green smoothies, or are looking for a book that contains recipes for green smoothies then you are probably more likely to find what you are looking for in the following books:
As part of my work as a freelance writer I am often reviewing diet books and spend a fair amount of my time keeping up with the latest diet trends and reading the publications that are hot off the press.
You might imagine how wonderful it is to have publishers send you a continuous stream of diet books for free. At first I expected this to be a definite perk of the job. But after reading many versions of the same types of calorie-controlled diets, reformulated with a supposedly ‘new’ twist, I find I am often left feeling less than inspired.
However, every now and then I am pleasantly surprised with a diet program that, not only holds my personal interest, but also is also solid in its approach to nutrition that truly supports the health and well being of its readers.
One of the aspects of Fuhrman’s work that I appreciate is his emphasis on improving our health by paying attention to the quality of the foods we eat. Fuhrman’s philosophy is centered on consuming those foods that have a high ratio of nutrients in relation to their calories. By focusing on micronutrient rich super foods we can boost our immunity to ward off colds and flus, as well as protect ourselves from conditions such as autoimmune disorders, heart disease and cancer.
In Super Immunity, Fuhrman outlines how certain foods including leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, onions, garlic, pomegranate, berries and seeds can improve our natural defenses. All of his claims are well supported by up-to-date scientific research.
For example, mushrooms contain substances called aromatase inhibitors that significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer. “In one recent study, women who ate at least 10 grams of fresh mushrooms each day (equivalent to just one small mushroom) had a 64 percent decreased risk of breast cancer. Even more dramatic protection was gained by women who ate 10 grams of mushrooms and consumed green tea daily.” (Up to 89 percent decrease in risk.)
In addition to emphasizing immune-strengthening and cancer-fighting foods, Fuhrman outlines guidelines to help readers to adapt a Super Immunity diet.
Focus on foods that are high in nutrients and prepare meals at home.
Eat at least one large green salad every day and ideally two.
Include at least an ounce of raw nuts and seeds and one serving of beans in the diet every day.
Preferably avoid animal products but at least limit intake to 10 oz. per week for women and 12 oz. per week for men.
Fruits and vegetables should comprise 90% of your caloric intake.
A two-week meal plan is included along with 85 ‘super immunity’ recipes. The meal plan is vegan but a few of the recipes provide options for dieters who prefer not to completely eliminate animal products.
Fuhrman is not an advocate of a 100% raw diet, so the recipes include a combination of raw and cooked meals. The emphasis is on whole foods, so oils are used very sparingly, with raw nuts and seeds being the main source of fat in the diet.
Fruits and vegetables form the basis of every meal and portion sizes are generous, so you certainly won’t go hungry on this plan. However, because of the high fiber and water content of the meals, the diet is naturally low in calories, making it a perfect program for dieters who want to lose weight but also enjoy eating large meals.
Here is an example of a day’s eating on the Super Immunity Plan:
Breakfast
Forbidden Rice Pudding (ingredients include black rice, soy or almond milk, dried apple, wild blueberries, cinnamon and vanilla)
Lunch
Spinach Salad with Strawberry Sesame Vinaigrette
Tangy White Beans and Zucchini
Dinner
Raw snow peas, broccoli and carrots
Island Black Bean Dip
Braised Kale and Squash with pumpkin seeds
Dessert
Black Cherry Sorbet
Super Immunity includes recipes for both raw and cooked plant-based meals and will appeal to vegans as well as anyone interested in improving their health through a better diet. For those of us who prefer to eat a raw food diet here is a list of some of the raw food recipes included in this book:
Cinnamon Apple Omega Milk
Detox Green Tea
Waldorf Blended Salad
Marinated Kale Salad
Rainbow Chopped Salad
Triple Treat Cabbage Salad
Golden Onion Morsels
Chunky Blueberry Walnut Sorbet
Coconut Carrot Cream Pie
Golden Delicious Truffles
Overall I found the book to be an enjoyable read and I picked up on a few key concepts that will no doubt improve my overall diet: like ensuring a daily intake of ’super fruits’ like pomegranate, goji berries, acai, mulberries and, well, all kinds of berries actually. I’ll also be looking at more ways to incorporate cruciferous vegetables and mushrooms into my regular eating schedule.
While these are factors that I already was aware of, it is helpful to be reminded of the reasons why these foods are so good for us, because this helps to maintain the motivation to be consistent in making intelligent food choices.
The following is a salad recipe that I adapted from one of the recipes in the book. The original recipe called for toasted pecans in place of the pine nuts and spinach instead of romaine, but if those ingredients are appealing you might like to try it that way as well.
Strawberry Romaine Salad with Pine Nuts and Strawberry Sesame Vinaigrette
Serves 4
For the Salad:
½ cup raw pine nuts
12 ounces romaine lettuce
1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
For the Dressing:
2 cups fresh strawberries
4 pitted dates
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Place salad ingredients in a bowl. Blend dressing ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Pour over salad.
As far as books on juicing go, these four are the cream of the crop. When it comes to learning more about juicing, read these books first. They’re all very well written and they are packed with loads of great information.
These books on juicing are ranked in no particular order. They’re all good, so either pick one or read them all!
One of the best things about this book is that it references plenty of reputable scientific publications. So if you’re interested in the science behind juicing, this book is an excellent choice!
Like a few other authors, Murray highlights the link between the western diet and modern health problems. As we’ve consumed more fatty food our cancer, heart disease and stroke rates have gone through the roof.
Murray takes a good look at how juicing can solve this problem. It’s a great read, and it’s packed with some awesome recipes. However, some of the recipes are pretty extreme and might make you a little queasy. They are however, good for you anyway.
Of the various books on juicing, this one is probably one of the oldest. It’s from 1989 so you’d expect some outdated fluff to be contained inside.
This could not be further from the truth. Blauer gives nutritional information as well as makes some great recommendations for specific health conditions.
Find out how to design a good juice program and get the best juicer to meet your needs.
Again, a wonderful book. Along with the standard nutritional information, LaLanne goes beyond the call of duty and explains how to use the pulp in cooking. Yes, that means never wasting a drop of what you make.
This book on juicing is actually written by Jack LaLanne’s wife. Jack LaLanne is known by many as the godfather of fitness and health, and his wife is no different.
Out of the books on juicing present here, this one has the craziest recipes. You’ll read it and wonder how a certain combination could even taste good. It’s well worth the read.
This is probably one of the most practical books on juicing around. It’s super easy to take anything from this book and put it to practice in the kitchen immediately.
Along with the basics, it’s packed with extensive information on juicing for specific disorders, modifying your diet to suit, what nutrients you need to be getting and more.
If you’re looking for practical info, go no further than this book.
Out of the recommended books on juicing here, none of them stands out as the very best. They’re all slightly different and will help you in different areas. Grab a mug of coffee and sit down in a comfortable spot, because you’ll be reading for a while now.
Aloe Vera is a common household plant and one that has many health benefits. The most common use of aloe vera gel is soothing burnt skin from excessive sun exposure or reactions to chemicals. During the summer people often use aloe gel for burns or dry irritated skin. Instead of buying commercially made aloe gel try the fresh pulp as it is more effective.
Aloe plants are easy to grow inside or if your climate permits outdoors. To use the plant cut off a plump leaf and slice it open lengthways then rub the fleshy part onto the skin it will feel very cool and soothing. The juice of the aloe plant is also cooling and hydrating therefore it makes a great alternative to water on a hot summer day. Again you can find aloe juice in natural food markets but it is just as easy to scoop out the flesh of a fresh leaf and add it to a smoothy.
In traditional Chinese medicine the use of aloe goes beyond hydration. In TCM aloe or Lú Huì is dried and has a dark glossy look like glass, it has a bitter flavour and cold nature. It works on the Large Intestine, Liver and Stomach organ systems and has the action of draining fire and guiding out accumulation in the body. Fire in the body refers to signs of heat such as red eyes, irritability, dizziness or headaches all of which can be related to the Liver organ system. Accumulation in the body in this case refers to constipation or epigastric discomfort. Due to its purgative nature Lú Huì also has the ability to kill parasites such as roundworm and ringworm.
Aloe gel is great for nourishing Kidney yin, which is cooling, moistening and stabilizing. If kidney yin is deficient there will be symptoms similar to those listed above. Often as one ages Kidney yin becomes depleted especially in the case of menopause. Therefore the pulp of the aloe plant is a great way to nourish kidney yin as well as gain immune enhancing benefits. Due to the cooling nature of aloe it is not recommended for those that have loose stools or feel cold.
Clinical research has shown aloe to have antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties as well as the ability to inhibit the growth of neoplastic tumours, reduce inflammation and associated pain. It is not recommended to use Lú Huì during pregnancy or menstruation.
Angela Foran is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine where she uses acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary and lifestyle recommendations to help clients achieve optimal health. Click here to learn more about her Vancouver acupuncture practice
Mimi Kirk was voted as the sexiest vegetarian over 50 and is now in her seventies. Mimi became a vegetarian in her thirties when she started to notice she was gaining weight and experiencing arthritic symptoms.
She fully converted to a raw vegan diet in 2008 and is certainly is an inspiration for many people following the raw vegetarian lifestyle.
In this video Dr.Joel Fuhrman talks about the value of healthy fats in the diet. This information will be very interesting for anyone who has had less than optimal results with low fat diets, or anyone with a health condition such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity that are directly related to what we eat.
Dr.Furhman is someone who I greatly respect for his presentations of information based on thorough scientific research. Although he doesn’t advocate a 100% raw diet he highlights the importance of eating a very high intake of vegetables and fruits with smaller amounts of nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.
One of the most relevant points he makes are how refined oils - even those commonly regarded as heart healthy such as olive oil - are actually not the best choice. It is far better to select whole food sources of fats such as avocados, flaxseeds, hempseeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, almonds and coconut.
The most important factor determining whether a food is healthy for us is the ratio of micronutrients to calories in a food. Oils, sugar, refined carbohydrates and animal products contribute very few nutrients and not surprisingly are the main culprits contributing to obesity.
When there is an overgrowth of Candida in the large intestines of an individual, leaky gut syndrome can begin to manifest. It is true that Candida albicans and other microbes are naturally occurring flora in the human colon, but their population may sometimes become too large as a result of our poor feeding habits or use of drugs such as antibiotics, and corticosteroids. When this overpopulation occurs, the lining of the intestines, especially the colon may develop holes through which usually paves a way for toxins, parasites and other impurities to leak into the blood stream and cells. There are many methods of treating this condition, and these include: diet, dietary supplements, and colon cleansing.
Gluten and sugar are contained in many of the foods we eat, and when the systemic yeast feeds on these two substances, leaky gut syndrome can be the result. Most of the breads, cereals, pastas, and milk that we eat contain gluten and sugar. Treatment of leaky gut is easier when you do not eat those foods that have gluten and sugar. Some examples of gluten free and sugar free foods are brown rice substitutes for milk, many other popular staple foods, most meats, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, yams and nuts. You will be doing yourself a lot of good by avoiding gluten and sugar-free foods. You may want to know for how long you should continue to avoid these foods. My advice is to avoid them for as long as possible for you but it should not be less than 60 days.
Raw vegetables and non-sweet fruits have some benefit in offloading Candida from your gut. Certain special digestive enzymes that can repair leaky gut are contained in vegetables and fruits. Fruits and vegetables also have many other vitamins and minerals, which aid healthy cell growth.
Some common vegetables used in juicing are kale, parsley, carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes, garlic and beets while some very useful juicing fruits are bananas, mangoes, papaya, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit, blueberries and strawberries.
Treatment of leaky gut usually erodes the beneficial bacterial floras that are present in the gut, and this flora can be replaced by using probiotics, which are available at most health food stores. Certain digestive enzymes that can also eliminate overgrowth of Candida and leaky gut syndrome are available as dietary supplements, but I usually recommend vegetables and fruits since they have these enzymes naturally.
The fact you should know about leaky gut treatment is that when you colon cleanse, whether with natural methods such as diet or any other method, though I often recommend natural, you have automatically removed Candida from your system, and so many people do not know this secret. And after cleansing, just make sure you avoid gluten, sugar, and all other foods that can encourage the growth of Candida.
Yuri Elkaim is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and author of the raw food diet for weight loss ebook, Eating for Energy. Visit http://www.eatingforenergy.ca to get started with his FREE “Energy Secrets” e-course and discover what your diet has been missing.
After eating a raw food diet for several years I finally took the plunge and invested in a dehydrator. I love the simplicity of raw foods like fresh fruits, smoothies and salads but having a dehydrator offers us so much more versatility with the option to make “fun” foods like crackers, pizzas and interesting desserts.
Chocolate and hazelnut is a classic combination. What makes these cookies really unique is the addition of 
Since the publication of Victoria Boutenko’s book, 
.
.
When there is an overgrowth of Candida in the large intestines of an individual, leaky gut syndrome can begin to manifest. It is true that Candida albicans and other microbes are naturally occurring flora in the human colon, but their population may sometimes become too large as a result of our poor feeding habits or use of drugs such as antibiotics, and corticosteroids. When this overpopulation occurs, the lining of the intestines, especially the colon may develop holes through which usually paves a way for toxins, parasites and other impurities to leak into the blood stream and cells. There are many methods of treating this condition, and these include: diet, dietary supplements, and colon cleansing.
Popular Posts