The Raw Food Lifestyle
The Philosophy and Nutrition behind Raw and Live Foods

Author: Ruthann Russo, PhD
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Year Published: 2008

. . . .

I received this book from the publisher quite a while ago, and I’m now finally getting around to writing a dedicated review of The Raw Food LIfestyle by Ruthann Russo, PhD.

This book discusses “the philosophy and nutrition behind the whole Raw and Living Foods Lifestyle. It’s an extensively researched book, and a complete overview of the raw and living foods lifestyle. It covers everything from the healing aspects and health benefits of raw/living foods, to the spiritual aspects and eco-friendly, sustainable living benefits.

So far, The Raw Food Lifestyle covers a lot of ground regarding the Raw/Living Foods Movement, and approaches it from both an academic viewpoint and a practical one, analyzing the nutritional content of raw foods, and debunking the myths and clarifying a lot of the information that is out there regarding raw foods. Some possible issues of concern aimed at raw foodists: the issue of where to get vitamin B12, the agave nectar debate, and the raw chocolate controversy… is covered and explained in detail in this book.

The book also covers the spirituality of the raw food diet, covers the connection between a raw living food lifestyle and yoga and mindfulness meditation. And goes over the history and the pioneers who paved the way for the modern movement. And briefly covers the leaders who are prominent in the raw food movement today.

This has been a very interesting read and can serve as a good reference book and guide for the person who is new to raw foods or is wanting to gain more extensive knowledge on the lifestyle.

From Amazon.com:

Using examples from her own life, Russo lays out a practical plan for making the switch that starts with realizing the need to change one’s diet (and health), and then stresses small dietary changes to discover what raw foods work, and assessing reactions. She profiles cacao, raw sweeteners, water, pH level of foods, juices versus smoothies, salt, the process of dehydrating food, garlic and onions, and overall food preparation. Russo highlights what supplements (superfoods, vitamins, green products) to include in the diet. She emphasizes the spiritual aspects of the movement as well, exploring meditation, yoga, Buddhism, peacefulness, and fasting.

. . . .

Ruthann Russo is an educator, health counselor and passionate raw foodist. She is a member of the faculty at Tri-State College of Acupuncture where she teaches complementary and integrative medicine.

She has been a vegetarian and vegan for more than 20 years, and a raw-food enthusiast since 2007.

. . . .

You can buy this book directly from North Atlantic Books.

This book is also available on Amazon.com.

A New Elixir of Life

Just make sure all ingredients are 100% raw and organic! You’ll be able to feel the difference.

My recipe for making 100% Raw Almond Milk can be also be found here.

Ingredients

1 – cup freshly made almond milk
1 – large banana
1 – tablespoon raw agave nectar
1 – tablespoon raw cacao powder
15 – ice cubes

In Addition, I Add The Following Super Foods

1 – small handful of Tibetan Goji Berries
1 – emptied capsule of Marine Phytoplankton
1 – tablet of Spirulina, 16oz, Healthforce, Manna (Original Species)
1 – tablespoon of Hemp Protein Powder 16 oz, Nutiva (Raw, Certified Organic)
1 – small scoop of MSM Powder 16 oz. (Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane)

Basic Instructions

• Put all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth!
• Pour into glasses and serve with straws. Makes 2 servings.
• Looking for more instructions? That’s it.

I usually have one of these smoothies first thing in the morning to get me going for the rest of the day.

Of course, you can experiment with other super foods and vary the ingredients to your personal taste. Sometimes I cut the banana into slices and freeze first, and have both a combination of ice cubes and frozen banana slices. You just have to play around with the combination and avoid having it too thick to blend.

Enjoy!

Buy The Products Used In The Above Recipe

Cacao Powder

Agave Nectar

Cacao Nibs

Note: This is similar to a Cacao Banana Smoothie recipe I posted sometime last year, but the big difference is the raw, freshly made almond milk. Soy milk (from the other recipe) of course, is not raw. But, the almond milk tastes so much better freshly made, and allows me to be 100% Raw!

Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future, is the newest of the many books written by raw food guru, David Wolfe, on the “raw experience”.

The new book is due to be released on April 28, 2009.

Considered by many in the raw food world as one of the leading authorities on raw foods, David Wolfe has been a proponent for the raw food lifestyle and natural healthy living for more than 14 years. He has a Masters degree in food nutrition and Bachelors degrees in Science and Mechanical Engineering.

A Reference Book on the Top 10 Superfoods

I recently received my “review copy” of Superfoods from David Wolfe’s publisher, North Atlantic Books, and I must say that, having browsed through the entire book, I feel this will be the definitive reference on superfoods.

The Top 10 Superfoods

Excerpt from the Editorial Review at Amazon.com

Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that have recently become widely available and which offer tremendous dietary and healing potential. In this lively, illustrated overview, well-known raw-foods guru David Wolfe profiles delicious and incredibly nutritious plant products such as goji berries, hempseed, cacao beans (raw chocolate), maca, spirulina, bee products, and a host of others. As powerful sources of clean protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, good fats and oils, essential fatty and amino acids, and other nutrients, they represent a uniquely promising piece of the nutritional puzzle.

This accessible guide presents persuasive arguments, based on sound science, for the pivotal role of superfoods in promoting nutritional excellence, health and well-being, beauty enhancement, sustainable agriculture, and the transformation of diet, lifestyle, and planet.

What I like so far about the book is the organization. The book covers the Top 10 Superfoods on the planet, and devotes a chapter to each. In addition, each chapter devoted to a given superfood covers a lot of ground… history, cultivation, the essential ingredients that make each food a superfood. Also, there are recipes in each chapter that feature that superfood, starting from simple recipes to more elaborate and complex ones.

Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future will likely be an essential addition to your raw food reference library!

. . . .

“Is there anyone more passionate, dedicated, or knowledgeable about the tremendous benefits of superfoods to our bodies, minds, and planet? Not likely. Wherever you are in terms of what goes in your mouth, David Wolfe presents a compelling claim to add a little more vitality to your plate.”
—Angela Bassett, actress and author

“David Wolfe has written a brilliant, wisdom-filled, illuminating book that is essential reading for everyone interested in reaching optimal health! Superfoods are indeed the food of the future for a healthier world.”
—Patricia Bragg, N.D., Ph.D., author and health crusader

“Anyone who is ready to experiment with this class of foods can grab this book and get a complete overview of not only what a superfood is, but how one can effectively use them in their personal diet… The information in this book is absolutely complete.”
—Raw Food Right Now

About The Above Photo

This simple sandwich includes: broccoli sprouts, lettuce, tomato, avocado and onion on top of raw cashew mayonnaise and a slice of raw bread.

The raw bread was purchased from Whole Foods, and it’s called "Sunflower Seed Bread" by Lydia’s Organics.

The raw cashew mayonnaise recipe was from Amie’s Amiable Cuisine blog.

Also in the photo: a shot of cashew milk, some tangerine slices, flax crackers and grapes.

Superfoods

First off… don’t care for superfoods? Then read, “10 Ways to Ruin Your Health and Die Young”, then come back and read this article.

A while back I wrote a post entitled, The Best Superfoods, with the intention of creating a list of foods considered healthy enough (by many nutritionists) to be classified as “superfoods”.

In this post I’ll be concentrating on superfoods that can be eaten raw, or usually come in dried or powder form. In other words, my focus will be on superfoods that are suitable for raw foodists, foods packed with an amazing array of nutrients, amino acids and other beneficial ingredients.

What is a superfood?

Here are a few definitions worth noting:

• A superfood is a natural food source that is highly concentrated with a complex supply of quality nutrients… —TheNibble.com
• A superfood is a type of food believed to have health benefits beyond those of more common foods due to specific phytonutrient content. —Wikipedia.org
• A superfood is a food rich in phytochemicals, which are special chemicals that have been noted to have disease-fighting properties. Phytochemicals can reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer, reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, or in some other way contribute to a person being healthier. —WiseGeek.com

Why eat superfoods? The short answer

The simple answer? Because superfoods are healthier for you than say, a Big Mac or a bag of potato chips.

Why eat superfoods? The in-depth answer

People interested in improving their health, boosting peak performance in sports, etc… (or simply wanting to improve their overall sense of well-being), can benefit substantially by eating foods that provide the most nutrients and life-enhancing properties. And this is where the whole concept of eating superfoods makes sense.

Incidentally, most (if not all) superfoods CAN be eaten in their raw, natural state. In fact, it makes perfect sense to eat superfoods raw for a couple of really good reasons:

• Important enzymes necessary for proper digestion and cellular functions can be destroyed during the cooking process. Thus, eating these superfoods in their raw state can be more beneficial.
• Research has shown that eating foods raw is so much easier on the entire digestive process.

That said, let’s take a look at our list of 9 essential raw superfoods.

. . . .

9 Essential Raw Superfoods For Optimum Health

• 1 – Aloe Vera

  Aloe Vera has long been used as a healing agent, for cuts, burns and eczema. It also has softening qualities that make it useful in keeping the skin and facial complexion soft and youthful. Taken as a juice or extract mixed with water, Aloe Vera is good for cleansing the digestive tract and as an over-all tonic.

  Aloe will purify the blood and liver as well as soothe the colon and help heal ulcers, colitis, and hemorrhoids. Due to its strong effects in cleansing the liver, pregnant women and young children should not take aloe vera internally.

• 2 – Goji Berries

  Goji Berries have a long history in Chinese Medicine as a wonder food. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of Goji Berries: Contains the 8 essential amino acids (a total of 18 amino acids), 21 trace minerals (the main ones being zinc, iron, copper, calcium, germanium, selenium, and phosphorus), also contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, and vitamin E, and Goji Berries contain about 11 mg of iron per 100 grams, beta-sisterol (an anti-inflammatory agent), linoleic acid (a fatty acid), sesquiterpenoids (cyperone, solavetivone), tetraterpenoids (zeaxanthin, physalin), and betaine (0.1%). It’s no wonder that this superfood has garnered so much attention among Raw Foodists. Goji Berries are probably the most essential on this list!

• 3 – Cacao Beans (Raw Cacao Powder)

  Chocoholics like myself can rejoice at the fact that we can be raw vegan and still have our chocolate! The combination of raw cacao powder (with a natural sweetener like raw agave nectar) can be made into a delicious smoothie of pure heaven. Not only that, cacao beans are a rich source of Magnesium, a mineral chronically lacking in the Standard American Diet (SAD).

  A neurotransmitter called anandamide, has been isolated in cacao. Anandamide is also produced naturally in the brain. Anandamide is known as “The Bliss Chemical” because it is released while we are feeling great.

• 4 – Seaweed (Kelp)

  Seaweed is a superfood that has been a large part of Japanese Cuisine for centuries, whether in miso soup, salads or as sushi nori. The dried or granularized form is available to Raw Foodists. Seaweed is an “especially rich source of potassium, iron, iodine, vitamin B6, riboflavin, and dietary fiber, and also contain a natural substance, glutamic acid, that enhances flavor and tenderizes fibrous foods.”

• 5 – Spirulina (Blue-Green Algae)

  Spirulina is a form of Blue-Green Algae that is composed of mostly protein (65% and more). It usually comes as a supplement in tablet form.

  Spirulina is the world’s highest known plant-source of vitamin B-12 and also includes vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-6, E, K, chlorophyll, cell salts, phytonutrients, and enzymes. The ancient Aztecs thrived on Spirulina from Lake Texcoco in Mexico.

• 6 – Broccoli

  If you’re only going to eat one vegetable, make sure it’s broccoli. Some experts say it is the one vegetable that contains the most nutrients and is a rich source of soluble fiber.

  It is high in vitamin C and soluble fiber and contains the multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties including diindolylmethane and selenium

• 7 – Blueberries

  Blueberries “contain anthocyanins, other antioxidant pigments and other phytochemicals which may have a role in reducing the risks of some diseases, including cancers.” In addition to an abundance of anitoxidants, blueberries help to lower cholesterol levels, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Blueberries are also rich in Manganese and Vitamin K.

• 8 – Maca

  Originating from Peru and Incan cultures, Maca “is a superfood-food-herb with an outstanding ability to increase energy, endurance and strength. Maca is a favorite of raw-foodists, vegetarians, adventurers, extreme athletes, dessert chefs and food alchemists.”

• 9 – Avocado

  Avocados have recently been getting attention as a “new” superfood. Once criticized for its high fat content, avocados are now being recommended for its healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. And avocados are also high in fiber (40%), has a high percentage of potassium, magnesium, folate, antioxidants, and also contains vitamins C, B, E and K. Recent studies have shown that avocados help the body absorb more nutrients from other foods. And like olives, avocados are being regarded as a “beautifying”, “anti-aging” food.

The Need for Superfoods

Incidentally, the above superfoods are best eaten in their raw, natural state to get the most benefits from their enzymes and nutrients. Having a larger percentage of these superfoods in your diet can make the difference between feeling okay and feeling wonderful.

And this wraps up my list of 9 Essential Raw Superfoods.

[ This article was re-written and re-posted ]

For Further Reading

10 Superfoods For Age-Defying Beauty
Superfoods 101
David Wolfe’s Sunfood Nutrition
Superfoods Thought To Prevent Disease and Increase Longevity

I’ve done this a few times before, jotting down any random thoughts on being a raw vegan.

Things I’ve Realized About Being Raw

• I LOVE Avocados!
• After 3 years of being mostly raw vegan, I still don’t own an Excalibur Dehydrator or a Vitamix Blender.
• I also LOVE olives!
• Whenever I eat a high fat raw meal, like with nut dips and nut dishes, I still feel sleepy afterwards and it DOES slow me down.
• Fresh, raw, organic salads always get my energy up, up, up!!! Never fails.
• A combination of olives, basil, cilantro, dill, radicchio, and sunflower sprouts make for an amazing taste, when added to salads.
• Raw salads seem to give me more “get-up-and-go” energy than raw cacao banana smoothies.
• I still LOVE raw cacao banana smoothies, and now mix Spirulina tablets regularly into my smoothies.
• Just started getting into raw, dried dulce flakes. A great sea vegetable that can be added to salads.
• It’s so easy to sprout sunflower seeds.
• It’s definitely a good idea to start the morning off with a glass of water. I like to mix in a tablespoon of Aloe Vera juice.
• Adding Aloe Vera juice to your smoothies and juices is wonderful, and Aloe Vera has a very rejuvenating effect on the body. And is great for the complexion.
• A smoothie is an excellent way to start the morning.
• I used to hate eating salads. Now I eat at least 2 salads a day, and make sure there are a lot of greens.
• I find I don’t like the green smoothies so much, perhaps because I’m already eating enough salads.
• My energy level seems to have gone up 50% since going 100% raw. I’d like to say my energy level went up 100% but I’m just being conservative at this point.
• My digestion problems in the past, are now completely gone!

Exilir of Life

After going to Whole Foods Market to buy some raw foods, I had gone home to make my first batch of raw almond milk. I had some almonds soaked in water since last night, and I placed them in a blender with 3 cups of water and, presto… fresh almond milk! I squeezed the stuff through cheese cloth to capture the pulp, and the liquid looks just like fresh milk with some foam on top. Awesome!

I’ll keep the pulp to make some almond cheese later.

Anyway, the end result… I was able to make a very delicious cacao smoothie by blending the following raw, organic ingredients in my blender:

Raw Cacao-Banana Smoothie

• 1 – cup freshly made almond milk
• 1 – large banana
• 1 – tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 – tablespoon cacao powder
• 1 – sprinkle of cacao nibs
• 15 – ice cubes

Be sure to check out my basic recipe for making almond milk.

Note: This is similar to a Cacao Banana Smoothie recipe I posted sometime last year, but the big difference is the raw, freshly made almond milk. Soy milk (from the other recipe) of course, is not raw. But, the almond milk tastes so much better freshly made, and allows me to be 100% Raw!

Buy The Products Used In The Above Recipe

Cacao Powder

Agave Nectar

Cacao Nibs