Any raw vegans in the house?

[Nekodaiden]

If you are, please share your experiences.

I personally am not, but despite some of the more popular Vegan influencers who seem to be strongly against it, I consider myself an agnostic on the issue. One of the reasons I am open minded is that I see that some of the non-raw naysayers spreading disinformation about it. For example:

"Not enough Calories" - This seems to be the most blatant misconception, as soaked nuts, seeds, sprouted legumes and grains can all help in meeting calorie needs. The non-raw Vegan often attempts to paint a picture of the raw vegan eating nothing but carrots, lettuce and other relatively low calorie food stuffs.

"Enzymes in food don't affect anything" OR "Enzymes in food destroyed by stomach acid" (something said by Dr Gregor in one of his videos) - The first is untrue - for example amylase, an enzyme present in human saliva for the breaking down of starch, is also present in large amounts in something like sprouted barley. It works at approximately human body temperature to turn starch into simpler sugars (this is in fact how barley is turned into malt for fermentation in beer making- amylase converts barley's starches at around human body temperature). The second isn't something I'm sure of, it would suggest amylase is only used up to the point before food reaching the stomach, and it also assumes a constant in terms of stomach acid secreted for ingested food.

"Look at these ex Vegans. See - they were raw and they failed! Raw is stupid" - This is a laughable argument put forth by some who admittedly won't even watch a raw channel UNTIL it's a "failed raw vegan channel". Confirmation bias and contempt for something they have likely never tried in full swing.


Now I doubt there are many (if any?) raw vegans here, but I think you should feel welcome. Vegan doesn't mean "raw vegan" nor does it mean "not raw". It's just a variant that seems to get a lot of negativity heaped on to it and "I told you so's" by people with a heavy bias against it, primarily from non-raw Vegans who have never attempted it.

I personally would like to hear your experiences - positive or negative. I'm curious. I don't eat fully raw myself, although I have read on the benefits of sprouting and consuming sprouts from the science literature (cooked sprouts too), and so far the nay-Sayers I feel are using rather unconvincing arguments to dissuade people from it. The only argument that I agree with is that it's too extreme to go to initially when transitioning to Veganism, and I'd never suggest it as an initial foray into Veganism unless the need was great and urgent enough for an individual to actually do it if so inclined. Not something for the average convert.

 

[Slonaut]

Eating raw is the most natural thing there is. Humans are the only animals heating their food and also the most diseased species. What do gorillas eat? Fruit and leaves, and the occasional ant. I've been gradually eating more and more raw. After waking up I wait a few hours or until I am hungry, then I eat for example 1/3rd of a cucumber, half a zucchini and an avocado + hempseeds, sunflowerseeds, pumpkinseeds etc. + dressing and hummus. Maybe a cracker with some jam or other sweet stuff, but I noticed that when I eat crackers I get more tired, same with bread. The rest of the day dates and nuts, plenty of calories there. So raw for the most part since over a year and no complaints. Last blood test was perfect. Also at least 3 tablets of spirulina daily and CBD oil.

My advice, don't listen to anyone and just do whatever makes sense to you. You can only know what works for you by trying it out.
Fear is more harmful than anything else.

 

[Sax]

My advice, don't listen to anyone

quoting for irony

 

[Nekodaiden]

Eating raw is the most natural thing there is. Humans are the only animals heating their food and also the most diseased species. What do gorillas eat? Fruit and leaves, and the occasional ant. I've been gradually eating more and more raw. After waking up I wait a few hours or until I am hungry, then I eat for example 1/3rd of a cucumber, half a zucchini and an avocado + hempseeds, sunflowerseeds, pumpkinseeds etc. + dressing and hummus. Maybe a cracker with some jam or other sweet stuff, but I noticed that when I eat crackers I get more tired, same with bread. The rest of the day dates and nuts, plenty of calories there. So raw for the most part since over a year and no complaints. Last blood test was perfect. Also at least 3 tablets of spirulina daily and CBD oil.

My advice, don't listen to anyone and just do whatever makes sense to you. You can only know what works for you by trying it out.
Fear is more harmful than anything else.

Do you eat whole grains, legumes and tubers? These constitute a fair portion of my diet, and although I have eaten them raw (the grains and legumes)(but not without soaking and sprouting, mind you), I usually cook them also to make them easier to flavor as well as soften the young sprouts.

 

[TofuRobot]

I can't remember where - probably a YT video - where a guy was interviewing a raw foodist outdoors at some kind of event and he asked her what that meant - what do raw foodists believe (I'm fairly well in the dark about it myself, though a good portion of my diet happens to be raw) -- and she said, "We believe that food is alive and that when you cook it you're killing it (and all of it's nutrients)" ... or something very much like that.

On the one hand, it does seem to make some logical sense, but how much research has been done about it, I wonder? There are certain foods I just prefer cooked. Beans, potatoes, and rice are the first obvious ones, but broccoli seems more difficult for me to digest raw.

Most vegans have come to understand that biologically we are herbivores, which is a very back to our basic nature... Why then is it logical for us to have to cook certain foods before we eat them? Should we be eating foods we much subject to high temperatures just in order to be able to eat it? I really don't know... ???

I also don't think we should be so quick to dismiss it as something automatically stupid. I don't personally know IthatI many vegans, but of those I do know, one has been raw vegan for quite a long time and she's doing really well.

Thanks for bringing this up.

Edit: There is a raw vegan restaurant not far from where I live. I've had one of their warm soups - it was a lentil soup and was really tasty. Warmer than I thought it was going to be. I had no clue until recently that warm soup could still be raw if it wasn't heated above a certain temperature...

 

[Slonaut]

Do you eat whole grains, legumes and tubers? These constitute a fair portion of my diet, and although I have eaten them raw (the grains and legumes)(but not without soaking and sprouting, mind you), I usually cook them also to make them easier to flavor as well as soften the young sprouts.

Now and then some whole grain crackers with a spread, and I still eat hummus, beans and chocolate. But that's maybe 10-20% of what I eat. I'm not 100% raw vegan and wouldn't even call myself vegan, labels are limits. Put tiramisu in front of me and I will not hesitate, but that's all. When the majority of what you eat is raw you will definitely feel the difference. My skin and hair have been transformed. Don't know what to do with my energy at times. It took over a month for my intestines to adjust, and lots of mucus leaving my sinuses but well worth it.

 

[Slonaut]

I can't remember where - probably a YT video - where a guy was interviewing a raw foodist outdoors at some kind of event and he asked her what that meant - what do raw foodists believe (I'm fairly well in the dark about it myself, though a good portion of my diet happens to be raw) -- and she said, "We believe that food is alive and that when you cook it you're killing it (and all of it's nutrients)" ... or something very much like that.

On the one hand, it does seem to make some logical sense, but how much research has been done about it, I wonder? There are certain foods I just prefer cooked. Beans, potatoes, and rice are the first obvious ones, but broccoli seems more difficult for me to digest raw.

Most vegans have come to understand that biologically we are herbivores, which is a very back to our basic nature... Why then is it logical for us to have to cook certain foods before we eat them? Should we be eating foods we much subject to high temperatures just in order to be able to eat it? I really don't know... ???

I also don't think we should be so quick to dismiss it as something automatically stupid. I don't personally know IthatI many vegans, but of those I do know, one has been raw vegan for quite a long time and she's doing really well.

Thanks for bringing this up.

Edit: There is a raw vegan restaurant not far from where I live. I've had one of their warm soups - it was a lentil soup and was really tasty. Warmer than I thought it was going to be. I had no clue until recently that warm soup could still be raw if it wasn't heated above a certain temperature...

From my limited understanding heat kills enzymes which help break down your food faster. Heat only destroys some vitamins, most minerals are not affected. In the case of broccolli for example more minerals become available after cooking because cell walls are already broken down, however the body can do this too, to a certain extent but it just takes longer perhaps. So it's give and take, you win some, you lose some but this is only the case with a few types of vegetables. What matters most is to differentiate between acid-forming and acid-binding foods. The less acid-forming foods the better. This means after digestion. Lemon juice for example is extremely acidic but after ingestion it becomes acid-binding. It's important for the bulk of your food to be acid-binding.
Here's a table from Arnold Ehret's book The Mucusless Diet Healing System:



Food is considered raw if it isn't heated above 42 degrees Celsius, perhaps 45, not entirely sure. But 42 degrees is still damn hot. Huge sensory difference between 38 and 42. It's like with decibels. You'll barely notice any difference between 40 and 50 decibels, but the difference between 100 and 110 dB is huge.

 

[TofuRobot]

From my limited understanding heat kills enzymes which help break down your food faster. Heat only destroys some vitamins, most minerals are not affected. In the case of broccolli for example more minerals become available after cooking because cell walls are already broken down, however the body can do this too, to a certain extent but it just takes longer perhaps. So it's give and take, you win some, you lose some but this is only the case with a few types of vegetables. What matters most is to differentiate between acid-forming and acid-binding foods. The less acid-forming foods the better. This means after digestion. Lemon juice for example is extremely acidic but after ingestion it becomes acid-binding. It's important for the bulk of your food to be acid-binding.
Here's a table from Arnold Ehret's book The Mucusless Diet Healing System:

View attachment 945

Food is considered raw if it isn't heated above 42 degrees Celsius, perhaps 45, not entirely sure. But 42 degrees is still damn hot. Huge sensory difference between 38 and 42. It's like with decibels. You'll barely notice any difference between 40 and 50 decibels, but the difference between 100 and 110 dB is huge.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Mbeth]

I did a 21 day juice fast in January- so of course didn't consume any cooked foods. After a few days of adjustment I had so many people tell me how healthy I looked, just out of the blue, not knowing that I was only juicing. Towards the end of my fast I had someone tell me I was glowing, and wanted all the details of what I was doing. I kinda thought that would continue, since that's when I gave up meat and dairy, but no one has called me glowing since then.

I'm glad to see some of the info about what degree of cooking still constitutes raw food. I prefer most cooked veggies al dente- I'll have to check the temperature of them sometime and see where they fall.

 

[Nekodaiden]

Now and then some whole grain crackers with a spread, and I still eat hummus, beans and chocolate. But that's maybe 10-20% of what I eat. I'm not 100% raw vegan and wouldn't even call myself vegan, labels are limits. Put tiramisu in front of me and I will not hesitate, but that's all. When the majority of what you eat is raw you will definitely feel the difference. My skin and hair have been transformed. Don't know what to do with my energy at times. It took over a month for my intestines to adjust, and lots of mucus leaving my sinuses but well worth it.

Thank you for replying but really I am interested in raw vegans as the title and opening post indicates. If you won't hesitate to eat some animal food and include non-raw food stuffs this obviously excludes. Your opinion is appreciated but I'm trying to see if there are any raw vegans here and hoping to get their views and experiences.

 

[Slonaut]

Sorry about that. It's a process.
Was just reading about food combinations and how it has a major affect on digestion, very interesting.

Food Combining Diet |Food Combining Chart | Acid Alkaline Diet

Following proper food combining rules will allow you to make excellent Food Combining Recipes that would constitute a very healthy Food Combining Diet. A Food Combining Chart is available for easy referencing.

acidalkalinediet.net

I'll be quiet now

 

[TofuRobot]

Sorry about that. It's a process.
Was just reading about food combinations and how it has a major affect on digestion, very interesting.

Food Combining Diet |Food Combining Chart | Acid Alkaline Diet

Following proper food combining rules will allow you to make excellent Food Combining Recipes that would constitute a very healthy Food Combining Diet. A Food Combining Chart is available for easy referencing.

acidalkalinediet.net

I'll be quiet now

I thought the whole food combining thing had been debuked...

 

[Slonaut]

I thought the whole food combining thing had been debuked...

It may pose less stress on your digestive system. I thought it made sense.
As always, read it and make up your own mind. "Debunk" is a meaningless word. People will "debunk" gravity or the fact that Earth is a sphere too.

 

[TofuRobot]

It may pose less stress on your digestive system. I thought it made sense.
As always, read it and make up your own mind. "Debunk" is a meaningless word. People will "debunk" gravity or the fact that Earth is a sphere too.

Nah - it's a legit word, not unlike countless other words that people misuse all the time.