RAW / Vegan / Vegetarian .... What are you? Why?

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jennyredfern
jennyredfern Posts: 94 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is day 4 of no meat for me. I am trying to add as many raw fruits and veggies as I can, but not drastically changing my diet quite yet. I read a book on how raw food is best due to the wonderful enzymes it provides your body. Eating cooked food forces your body to recreate the enzymes you killed during the cooking process, which results in your body having to do more work and aging quicker as well as suffering from various ailments and disease. That all said, although it makes sense, I don't EVER see myself going 100 percent raw. And raw meat / fish... totally out! At least for me.

After 4 days of no meat.... can't say I feel any different. I never have been a big meat eater anyways, other than chicken breast, which I really don't miss all too much.

Anyone here raw? Vegan? How long have you been living this lifestyle? Have you had any health benefits you've noticed? Favorite ways to get protein? I'm a fan of whey protein, beans, hummus, boca burgers, tofu, sprouted bread, almond and nut butters.

Talk to me pals! ;)
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Replies

  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    Does raw count if you eat raw meat?
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    We eat a fair amount of homemade "spring rolls". we use bean sprouts, basil, cellophane noodle & lettuce, but you can fill them with anything you like. I've done them before with shredded carrot, snap peas, bok choi, swiss chard and green onions, or a variation of these things.

    They're light, fresh, and great on hot days!

    I also love crispbread / fiber crackers with garlic scape pesto, a little dill cheddar cheese & sliced cucumber.

    caprese salad: tomato w/ fresh mozzarella & basil

    we don't eat much bread any more, at least not in the summer, so instead we make quinoa & toss it with parsley or cilantro & lentils and any vegetable you would like.

    or dinner salads (our current go-to is "taco" salad with homemade black beans, a little rice and tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, green onion & hot sauce on an enormous bed of crisp lettuce)

    we aren't 100% raw, but we try to eat as much raw as possible, especially when it's hot.

    edit: you're welcome to look at my diary. I try to focus on living foods as much as I can.

    oh! and green smoothies! every single day!
  • jennyredfern
    jennyredfern Posts: 94 Member
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    I've heard amazing things about green smoothies. Do you use a favorite green powder?
  • jennyredfern
    jennyredfern Posts: 94 Member
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    Yes, pure Rawists DO eat raw meat... I don't think I could... I don't even like cooked meat. Although they eat raw meat, they don't just eat any old piece of meat from the grocery. They look for high quality, grass fed, organic, reliable sources. Still... Yuck to me... but to each his own! :)
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    I've heard amazing things about green smoothies. Do you use a favorite green powder?

    no, i'm not big on powders.

    I just use greens: kale, spinach, collards, swiss chard or beet greens, about 4-5 big leaves (maybe a cup, chopped?)
    2c of unsweetened almond milk
    a handful of frozen strawberries
    a handful of frozen blueberries
    sometimes a couple chunks of frozen pineapple
    a banana
    and sometimes a beet

    edit: this recipe makes a quart, or 2 pint servings. 1 pint is less than 150cals.
  • soleilxo
    soleilxo Posts: 202
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    hmm interesting I was about to buy frozen vegetables that youcan put in the microwave and they already come flavored with whatever..and than I decided not to! i didnt even buy anything at the grocery store lol i have this weirddd addiction (today i craved this especially) of eating raw vegetables (particularly cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, with ketchup and mayonaise mixed together. lol i dont know why! i have like cravingsss for it !its weird and probably sounds gross but i think its delicious! so im glad to hear that raw vegetables are the best :)

    my family (ukrainian) eat A LOTT of meat, chicken, potatos, all the carbs..especially meat! its always at my house! and when I was younger I used to be just like them..lovin the meat! i would joke about becoming a vegetarian (iprobably loved meat the most) and they would just laugh. as I got a bit older (im 21 now), i rarely have meat, or chicken, or anything like that! its unhealthy i know and i could easily become a vegetarian (im not saying vegetarian is unhealthy cause it is!) ts funny how things change.also, i find that raw vegetables fill you up more, like i get soo bloated after eating like cauliflower or sumthin its crazy!my mom likes that ive switched though..i eat more fish now. she even encourages me to go gluten-free for some odd reason lol. I am not anything in particular but i do love RAW (lol) because its so easy and delicious and 1000x healthy (as you say). I could NEVERRR go vegan because i <3 milk wayy to much! its all that I drink mostly! As for the health benefits I dont really see any other than the fact that Ive lost much more weight but thats not really because ive stopped eating meat etc.
    haha sorry the rant :)
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I'm vegan and have been for 10+ months, and vegetarian for over a year now. I love hummus, beans, quinoa, vega protein powders, tofu, soy beverages (apple/mango flavored), smoothies (I make my own always different), almond milk is one of my staple foods, actually I have sooooo many other foods I love too.

    I feel so healthy eating this way and I think this lifestyle is totally the main reason I have been able to maintain my weight effortlessly even though I have quite a few "cheat" days and let myself go all out whenever I want to.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    i was a vegetarian for 2 years :)
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    vegan here. 7 1/2 years. felt better ever since then. not as sluggish. i did it because i am a big animal rights activist. being vegan is all aspects of your life. leather, wool, etc. i know people that are strict vegetarian that feel better health wise as well. feel free to look at my diary if you ever need ideas.
  • sarahbethfit233
    sarahbethfit233 Posts: 77
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    I'm vegetarian! : ) I'd love to go vegan, but everything is so expensive so when I'm at school, I can't always afford to eat vegan. But as far as noticing any changes, I've been veg since I was 8, so I couldn't tell you. However when I started being vegetarian, I didn't eat very healthy, mostly junk stuff just because my parents weren't supportive about it at all. But when they started buying me vegetarian stuff I lost a lot of weight and it's only gotten better from there. As far as protein goes, I love tofu and TVP. I haven't tried quinoa yet, but I really like whey protein.
  • Celliott411
    Celliott411 Posts: 49 Member
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    Hi there! I've been a vegetarian for 3 years and I won't ever ever go back to eating meat! I didn't initially feel different when giving up meat, because it's very easy to eat unhealthily even as a vegetarian. Once I started eating a clean diet as a vegetarian, I felt a vast difference. More energy, lighter, better sleep patterns... everything. I don't know much about eating raw or vegan. I try to replace dairy products with other things as much as possible, and I've tried to cut out gluten as much as possible, but I don't have it in me yet to go full time. I originally gave up meat for health concerns, with my love for animals being secondary, but now it's completely about animal rights. Stick with being meatless for awhile and see how it works out! It might surprise you how hard it becomes to even think about eating meat after awhile! Good luck!
  • Natashaa1991
    Natashaa1991 Posts: 866 Member
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    my family (ukrainian) eat A LOTT of meat, chicken, potatos, all the carbs..especially meat! its always at my house! and when I was younger I used to be just like them..lovin the meat! i would joke about becoming a vegetarian (iprobably loved meat the most) and they would just laugh. as I got a bit older (im 21 now), i rarely have meat, or chicken, or anything like that! its unhealthy i know and i could easily become a vegetarian (im not saying vegetarian is unhealthy cause it is!) ts funny how things change.also, i find that raw vegetables fill you up more, like i get soo bloated after eating like cauliflower or sumthin its crazy!my mom likes that ive switched though..i eat more fish now. she even encourages me to go gluten-free for some odd reason lol. I am not anything in particular but i do love RAW (lol) because its so easy and delicious and 1000x healthy (as you say). I could NEVERRR go vegan because i <3 milk wayy to much! its all that I drink mostly! As for the health benefits I dont really see any other than the fact that Ive lost much more weight but thats not really because ive stopped eating meat etc.
    haha sorry the rant :)

    haha this is exact story of my life, my family is Serbian (they love meat and potatoes) and i used to love meat when i was little but now i don't eat pork, beef or lamb, only chicken sometimes and a lot of fish like salmon. i love milk so i could never go vegan either!
  • davidsgirl145
    davidsgirl145 Posts: 162 Member
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    my favorite smoothie right now...

    1 cup fresh strawberries
    1 cup fresh blueberries
    1 banana
    dash of cinnamon
    1/2-3/4 cup of water or coconut water
    a little ice if you like it chilled.

    Blend that puppy up! :tongue:

    Green smoothie
    1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple
    1 orange (peeled and sectioned)
    1/2 banana
    a small handful of fresh spinach or kale
    a very thin slice of lime (with rind)
    a very thin slice of lemon (with rind)
    a little squeeze of agave nector (optional)
    a little ice
    blend

    Always best to put the watery fruits in first.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    Yes, pure Rawists DO eat raw meat... I don't think I could... I don't even like cooked meat. Although they eat raw meat, they don't just eat any old piece of meat from the grocery. They look for high quality, grass fed, organic, reliable sources. Still... Yuck to me... but to each his own! :)

    Yup making sure its good quality is definitely important. I'd only eat seafood and red meat raw also. I never had any raw poultry
  • rawness1129
    rawness1129 Posts: 3
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    i dont know what book you have read but the only raw diet i know of is all fruits and veggies that come straight from the earth no raw foodist i know ever eats raw meat. no one should ever do that. i have eaten a "SAD" (standard american diet) my whole life, untill about 2 years ago when i found out about the raw food diet. fruits and veggies only. i did go 100% raw for 2 months. it was awesome i lost weight and my skin was awesome i had so much energy... that is after my body detoxed. although i don't eat a 100% raw diet anymore i do eat a very high raw diet. you should read the 80 10 10 diet by dr doug graham. best book ever! :happy:
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    i dont know what book you have read but the only raw diet i know of is all fruits and veggies that come straight from the earth no raw foodist i know ever eats raw meat. no one should ever do that. i have eaten a "SAD" (standard american diet) my whole life, untill about 2 years ago when i found out about the raw food diet. fruits and veggies only. i did go 100% raw for 2 months. it was awesome i lost weight and my skin was awesome i had so much energy... that is after my body detoxed. although i don't eat a 100% raw diet anymore i do eat a very high raw diet. you should read the 80 10 10 diet by dr doug graham. best book ever! :happy:

    People eat raw meat all the time. Steak tartare and beef carpaccio are pretty common dishes that are both raw. You can eat most seafood raw if its well sourced too.
  • OneWithAll
    OneWithAll Posts: 1
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    Vegetarian since 1991. Have flirted with veganism. Was raw vegan from August 2, 2007 to May 2008 and felt the best I've ever felt since I was a child. (I am 55)

    I had AMAZING health benefits when 100% raw vegan: my diabetes "went away", my allergies "went away", my IBS cleared up, all my aches and pains went away, even though my osteoarthritis is still just as bad as ever.(On xrays) I had amazing energy and just felt plain GOOD. I went off ALL my medications (with my doctor's approval) and was off them for over a year before I had to go back on them. There are lots of ancedotes out there of vision improving, looking more youthful, etc. Many people have "cured" themselves of diseases. I have definitely come to believe that Hippocrates is right: Let Food Be Thy Medicine and that you are literally what you eat.

    I highly recommend green smoothies!! I am trying to go back to 100% raw (or as close to it I can get, with whole-food vegan if not raw) and try start my day off with one. Read Victoria Boutenko's book, "Green For Life" for more about green smoothies. You can visit her website: www.rawfamily.com as well.

    Dairy is very inflammatory--and I think it was when I went off dairy that my allergies cleared up. Since I have MS as well, I want to avoid any dairy, meat (easy there!), legumes, gluten, saturated fat, etc.

    Hope this is helpful. Just joined today, and am not sure how often I will be here.
  • soleilxo
    soleilxo Posts: 202
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    Vegetarian since 1991. Have flirted with veganism. Was raw vegan from August 2, 2007 to May 2008 and felt the best I've ever felt since I was a child. (I am 55)

    I had AMAZING health benefits when 100% raw vegan: my diabetes "went away", my allergies "went away", my IBS cleared up, all my aches and pains went away, even though my osteoarthritis is still just as bad as ever.(On xrays) I had amazing energy and just felt plain GOOD. I went off ALL my medications (with my doctor's approval) and was off them for over a year before I had to go back on them. There are lots of ancedotes out there of vision improving, looking more youthful, etc. Many people have "cured" themselves of diseases. I have definitely come to believe that Hippocrates is right: Let Food Be Thy Medicine and that you are literally what you eat.

    I highly recommend green smoothies!! I am trying to go back to 100% raw (or as close to it I can get, with whole-food vegan if not raw) and try start my day off with one. Read Victoria Boutenko's book, "Green For Life" for more about green smoothies. You can visit her website: www.rawfamily.com as well.

    Dairy is very inflammatory--and I think it was when I went off dairy that my allergies cleared up. Since I have MS as well, I want to avoid any dairy, meat (easy there!), legumes, gluten, saturated fat, etc.

    Hope this is helpful. Just joined today, and am not sure how often I will be here.


    thats amazing!
  • sugarbunnie
    sugarbunnie Posts: 23
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    I've been vegetarian (mostly vegan) almost my whole life (since I was a child). Been vegan since I was a teenager, though never drank milk or ate eggs even before I went officially vegan. Have been mostly raw for the last 7 years or so, varying how much raw but usually between 60-90% depending on what's available to me during different times of the year.

    When I was a little baby, I hated meat and dairy products. When I was a child, I'd cry for hours about not wanting to eat animals because I loved animals. In my teenage years, I learned of the health and humane reasons, and as the years passed I learned of the global, economic, and environmental impact the meat and dairy industries have and it just seems the responsible thing to do is not eat it.

    And no, I do not know of a single raw foodist who eats meat of any kind. I'm sure they're out there, but they are not the norm - raw foodism is generally regarded a sect of the vegan community, and eating meat rather goes against the principles of a raw diet.

    I love the way I eat, can't imagine being any other way. I find I have greater variety in my diet than those of my friends who "eat everything". Funny, they seem to always be eating the same things - calorie dense, nutrient poor foods heavy on meat and starches, and missing out on all the wonderful variety of vegetables and fruits out there.
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
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    I was vegetarian for about 3 years, but it messed me up health-wise. I was still living at home, I was forced to eat chicken at least twice a week (so I guess I don't really count as vegetarian? but I digress...)

    Now I'm battling deficiencies in iron and vitamin b12, and my immune system weakened. I'm sure there are many fruits and vegetables out there that would combat this, however, coming from a less-than-supportive environment regarding my food choices meant my access to such foods was seriously limited.

    I wanted to be vegetarian for global/economic reasons, not for being an animal-lover (I'm not, really...) but it was very difficult while living with people who did not want to partake in that particular dietary choice.

    I still eat a very vegetarian-inspired diet when I am living on my own (I'm in school, so I have my own place where I live for 8 months, hopefully 12 soon) but I find it very difficult to manage getting the appropriate nutrients and keeping my overall health in check.

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