What to eat for a day on a raw diet?

ldrosophila
ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I'm doing this 80 Day Challenge thing and one of the challenges is to try a day of eating nothing but raw food. Tha'ts great I can understand fruits and vegetables, but then I get stuck. I mean I guess I could have peanut butter, but what else? I was thinking beans but even the canned are cooked, tuna no thats out, there aren't any sushi places near by but even that has cooked rice so I'm stuck. I just need a one day menu or some ideas for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is covered banana and peanut butter. Can I have coffee or tea since that is brewed and technically cooked in hot water? Like I said totally stuck.
Thanks for your help!

PS-I know I'm gonna get some sarcastic know-it-all comments on this post but it's part of the challenge people give me a break!

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Not sure how dairy works in. Is milk, cheese, yogurt considered cooked? You've definitely got a challenge!
  • JoanneTheClown
    JoanneTheClown Posts: 1 Member
    There's really not much you can eat - fruit, veggies, nuts, grains (uncooked), dried fruits...I would suggest meals using avacado and olives as they make you feel fuller longer.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Dumb question how do you eat grains uncooked? Is cereal cooked? Like corn flakes. Has to be its processed.
  • Khameliyah
    Khameliyah Posts: 5 Member
    When it comes to raw vegan/food diet, food cannot be heated above a 114-116 degrees F. Research grains that can be sprouted or soaked to be made edible. Some grains can be combined with raw fruit and warmed non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, hemp) for breakfast. Everyone promotes smoothies for breakfast as well. Of course salads with simple dressing (acid with oil and herbs salt and pepper). Snacks are like finger food like grapes, berries, cherries and nuts. So far I don't have any dinner ideas, but there's at least most of the day. I haven't done raw vegan yet because my children aren't going to go for it and I'm trying to find a less expensive way to. RawFoodRecipes.com is a website you could check out.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    When it comes to raw vegan/food diet, food cannot be heated above a 114-116 degrees F. Research grains that can be sprouted or soaked to be made edible. Some grains can be combined with raw fruit and warmed non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, hemp) for breakfast. Everyone promotes smoothies for breakfast as well. Of course salads with simple dressing (acid with oil and herbs salt and pepper). Snacks are like finger food like grapes, berries, cherries and nuts. So far I don't have any dinner ideas, but there's at least most of the day. I haven't done raw vegan yet because my children aren't going to go for it and I'm trying to find a less expensive way to. RawFoodRecipes.com is a website you could check out.

    great suggestions
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
    Hiya,

    I eat 80% raw. I have found some absolutely wonderful recipes, such as a raw Indian inspired pate, and many raw pies. There is a lot more raw food than meets the eye; there is raw yogurt even!

    As for eating grains "raw", you can always soak things like quinoa in water for a few hours and then drain it. One of my favourite new recipes is raw zucchini pasta with marinara sauce, it is so easy to make (if I can make it, literally anyone can) and it's so yummy! Message me for some recipes that I use :)

    Good luck!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    Good excuse for me to eat sashimi and oysters.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I found this on the first Google link that came up. But there were a ton of others that seemed to have food lists:

    The fundamental principle behind raw foodism, also called rawism, is that plant foods in their most natural state – uncooked and unprocessed – are the most wholesome for the body. The raw food diet is a lifestyle choice. It is not a weight loss plan.

    Sticking to a raw food diet isn’t easy. Most raw foodists spend a lot of time in the kitchen peeling, chopping, straining, blending, and dehydrating. That's because the diet is typically made up of 75% fruits and vegetables. Staples of the raw food diet include:

    Seaweed
    Sprouts
    Sprouted seeds
    Whole grains
    Beans
    Dried fruits
    Nuts

    Alcohol, refined sugars, and caffeine are taboo.

    Most raw foodists are vegans, who eat no animal products, but some do eat raw eggs and cheese made from raw or unpasteurized milk.

    How Do Raw Foodists Prepare Meals?

    Raw foodists do not cook using a traditional stove or oven. They use food dehydrators that lend crunch to vegetables and cookies. Food dehydrators also dry out fruits for fruit leather and other raw food recipes.

    The dehydrator works with heat, but temperatures cannot be higher than 115 to 118 degrees. Raw foodists believe high heat leaches enzymes and vitamins critical for proper digestion. The American Dietetic Association challenges this assertion. It says the body -- not what goes in it -- produces the enzymes necessary for digestion. The ADA also says cooking food below 118 degrees may not kill harmful, food-borne bacteria.
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    Make a yogurt-olive oil-garlic dip with a blender or homemade raw sauce and the veggies will taste much better.

    BUT use organic. Branded yogurts contain sugar and even flour (just like cereal does), whats the use of a raw day if you eat processed crap...

    you can also try gazpacho
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazpacho
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Good excuse for me to eat sashimi and oysters.

    MMMMMM oysters thats an idea.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    What's the point? (seriously)
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Hiya,

    I eat 80% raw. I have found some absolutely wonderful recipes, such as a raw Indian inspired pate, and many raw pies. There is a lot more raw food than meets the eye; there is raw yogurt even!

    As for eating grains "raw", you can always soak things like quinoa in water for a few hours and then drain it. One of my favourite new recipes is raw zucchini pasta with marinara sauce, it is so easy to make (if I can make it, literally anyone can) and it's so yummy! Message me for some recipes that I use :)

    Good luck!

    zucchini pasta sounds great! I guess you would use raw tomatoes?
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    Dumb question how do you eat grains uncooked? Is cereal cooked? Like corn flakes. Has to be its processed.

    You can make tabouli. You just add water in the cracked wheat, a tb of olive oil and leave it covered for an hour. Then add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and lemon. Oyesters, fresh tomatoes with olive oil and vinegar, you can add olives and cucumber.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    Make a yogurt-olive oil-garlic dip with a blender or homemade raw sauce and the veggies will taste much better.

    BUT use organic. Branded yogurts contain sugar and even flour (just like cereal does), whats the use of a raw day if you eat processed crap...

    you can also try gazpacho
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazpacho

    Plenty of brand name yogurts have no added sugar, only the lactose from the milk.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Good excuse for me to eat sashimi and oysters.

    MMMMMM oysters thats an idea.

    What is purpose behind the program? Because typically the idea of doing a raw food diet is the next step beyond being a vegan, so no animal products. So if you're actually exploring other types of diets that people practice, I would look into what eating a raw diet really means.

    But if it's literally just a day of eating raw food with no other purpose than to not cook stuff, then I suppose that raw fish and shellfish would be okay.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    I found this on the first Google link that came up. But there were a ton of others that seemed to have food lists:

    The fundamental principle behind raw foodism, also called rawism, is that plant foods in their most natural state – uncooked and unprocessed – are the most wholesome for the body. The raw food diet is a lifestyle choice. It is not a weight loss plan.

    Sticking to a raw food diet isn’t easy. Most raw foodists spend a lot of time in the kitchen peeling, chopping, straining, blending, and dehydrating. That's because the diet is typically made up of 75% fruits and vegetables. Staples of the raw food diet include:

    Seaweed
    Sprouts
    Sprouted seeds
    Whole grains
    Beans
    Dried fruits
    Nuts

    Alcohol, refined sugars, and caffeine are taboo.

    Most raw foodists are vegans, who eat no animal products, but some do eat raw eggs and cheese made from raw or unpasteurized milk.

    How Do Raw Foodists Prepare Meals?

    Raw foodists do not cook using a traditional stove or oven. They use food dehydrators that lend crunch to vegetables and cookies. Food dehydrators also dry out fruits for fruit leather and other raw food recipes.

    The dehydrator works with heat, but temperatures cannot be higher than 115 to 118 degrees. Raw foodists believe high heat leaches enzymes and vitamins critical for proper digestion. The American Dietetic Association challenges this assertion. It says the body -- not what goes in it -- produces the enzymes necessary for digestion. The ADA also says cooking food below 118 degrees may not kill harmful, food-borne bacteria.

    Good infor thanks for looking it up
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Good excuse for me to eat sashimi and oysters.

    MMMMMM oysters thats an idea.

    What is purpose behind the program? Because typically the idea of doing a raw food diet is the next step beyond being a vegan, so no animal products. So if you're actually exploring other types of diets that people practice, I would look into what eating a raw diet really means.

    But if it's literally just a day of eating raw food with no other purpose than to not cook stuff, then I suppose that raw fish and shellfish would be okay.

    I think the person who developed the challenge questions had a vegan bent. I'm fine with that I was vegetarian for about 5 years. I figure it cant hurt to explore, and maybe I'll learn something new on food processing. Cant hurt always fun to explore new cuisines and ideas.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    When is your day coming up? My mom-in-law has a few raw friends and has a few of their recipes that she's really impressed with. Including raw "chips" made in the food dehydrator.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    How fun, and those experienced in a raw-food diet know how delicious it is!
    I would say make sun-tea, if steeped tea is out...however, I think you could steep your tea and that would be allowable:)

    Everyone has different food likes, here's my day:

    Breakfast:
    (don't laugh lol)
    a wine glass with a cracked egg in it, and about 1/2 c milk...the egg is not whipped....add a drop of vanilla extract, and down it goes.
    Banana (with peanut butter, if desired)

    Snack
    1/2 avocado, chunked up
    1/2 tomato, diced
    2T parmesan cheese

    Lunch
    green salad, including romaine lettuce, green olives, avocado. olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, lemon juice
    handful of almonds
    dehydrator bread (yes, I make it, it's a most delicious flat bread), or if that's not possible, fruit salad

    Dinner
    Mushrooms, marinated in some reduced sodium soy sauce, onion powder, black pepper, touch of olive oil
    Raw beet soup: in a food processor, add 2 big beets, juice of a lemon, cumin powder, salt, garlic powder,cayenne pepper, olive oil, 1/4 sweet onion...process until smooth. Pour into bowl, add freshly de-cobbed corn, sprinkling of some chopped green onion, sprinkling of pine nuts.
    Zucchini "Pasta": There's a tool to turn firm veggies into pasta, I've got one, can't think of the name! I would put parmesan cheese, olive oil, and fresh garlic on that...also use a coffee grinder to grind up more pinenuts/sesame seeds and sprinkle that on.

    Dessert: Into your food processor, add frozen chunked up banana, a touch of maple syrup, some vanilla and some cocoa powder. Process until smooth and enjoy this amazing treat:)

    Great raw food recipe book: http://aboverubiesbookstore.mybigcommerce.com/products.php?product=REJUVENATE-YOUR-LIFE!-RECIPES-FOR-ENERGY
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    Plenty of brand name yogurts have no added sugar, only the lactose from the milk.

    I think that should be okay then.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    What's the point? (seriously)
    Try it, and you will see it tastes great! Also, you will probably note a lot of energy! There's not a need to take it to extremes, one can encorporate this type of eating for a meal, a day, or whatever. I love to prepare meals, and raw food eating is a really great food adventure:)
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Just as another thought to add...
    Eating in a drastically different way for one day may give your GI tract a shock...diarrhea?
    Maybe you could do 3 raw food meals this week, instead of all in one day?

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