What does it mean to be raw?

kandacekandace Raw Newbie

I’m still new to this journey and am new to trying to figure out what going raw actually entails. My question has come from a conversation in another forum thread where we are discussing how to deal with non-raw recipes. This has brought up a good point: What does it mean to be raw?

Is a recipe with, say, raw fish or meat still a part of the raw lifestyle? What about spices that may not actually be raw? What about drinking hot tea or wine?

Comments

  • humanimalhumanimal Raw Newbie

    its a a matter of preference. Raw meat,fish, and any type of wine is raw and you can decide is you want to include it. Now as for hot teas, coffe, and unsweetened cocoa powder, they are not raw. Coffe beans are of course roasted and so are the cacao beans when making cocoa powder. But that does not mean they they are unhealthy at all. I believe that teas, wine, coffe, and cocoa all have their benefits. Like I always say look at the civilizations of the past. The Romans,Mayas, Aztecs, Mesopotamians, and the Nazorean Essenes (many of them followed the raw lifestyle by the way) Now raw meat and fish is no longer safe to eat because of the mass pollution in the air, water, and on the earth. Just the thought of eating raw meat sounds very revolting to me. Everything that I have said is what I believe and I am not saying that everything I have stated is truth. No one knows the truth. I drink hot teas, coffe,cocoa, and red wine(in moderation) because they make me feel good and I enjoy them. I am Italian and I have always been taught that red wine is very healthy, so I drink it. I do not eat any animal flesh because I simply feel that its wrong and I no longer have a desire for the taste. Just do what you think is best for you to do, and do not be too strict on your self.

  • Hi!

    I feel this is a very personal choice.

    The longer I have been raw, the more conservative I have become. For example, when I started out I used small amounts of maple syrup (not raw) as a flavoring from time to time. Now, I simply don’t want it. I also have stopped using Maranatha “raw” butters, because they are overheated in the manufacturing process. However, I’m not sure I would have made it past my first month raw, without them… so, as I said earlier it is a very personal choice.

    Currently, I am at a stage where if something is not heated above 110 f I consider it raw (including fish, unpasterized dairy, etc.) I do use spices and dried fruit in my cooking (which may or may not be “cooked”), but look for sundried whenever possible.

    I feel, in the end, the more raw you are the better and if eating small amounts of cooked ingredients helps you, then go for it. (If you’re anything like me, you’ll loose your taste for them anyway!)

  • kandacekandace Raw Newbie

    Thanks for both of your advice! I am getting the hang of defining a raw lifestyle for myself and following my senses on what to keep and what to leave from my diet. I’ve completely given up coffee, but still enjoy herbal and green teas. I was such an avid coffee drinker that I thought the switch was going to be much more difficult!

    It also makes a lot of sense that there really isn’t one definition for raw, but rather that it is more of a personal journey.

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