things you thought were raw that aren't

[purtyflowrr]

well, i have heard many say that they would like a thread about what you thought was raw but found out it really wasn't. well......here's one!!! :)

i used to think that my maranatha raw almond butter was raw. :( i read here that it's not!!! boo!!!! horrid. so now i don't eat any nut butters. i don't know how to make my own. anyone have any recipes that don't require a ton of heavy duty equipment? i have a food processor, blender and coffee grinder. would any of those be useful?

i also have a suspicion that my "raw" honey is not really raw cause it's not solid. it says raw and unfiltered....but.....it's been heated to be liquid. it's just so much cheaper than the solid stuff. what do you think the difference is? is liquid honey detrimental to my raw journey or will set me back? i've been using it thus far and seeing positive results so i am just going to keep using it i think. any thoughts?

[Mookie]

I first thought Ezekiel Bread was raw.... that is what they told me in the juice bar... common sense should have told me otherwise!

You guys on this board confirmed it for me.... but it did taste good while I thought it was raw!

I got good substitution suggestions from you guys on this board.

[JMD]

I once had a soup that was raw--so i thought--- turned out it was cooked..

I also thought tahini that I had bought was raw and it was not. OH , I just remembered..I bought some flax meal that --again--thought was raw and it was NOT....It was heated.

Life is full of learning experiences..now that we know--we don't repeat them:)

[julesmoz]

I've been wondering the exact same thing about my honey. I'd be interested to see what people say to that.

[Purl]

yeah-I got liquid honey from Sun Organic...the label read Raw Honey, but I don't understand how that could be.... :confused:

[ljannise]

marathana sesame tahini is NOT raw. I found out the very day after I paid ten bucks for the darn thing. Threw out the reciept that afternoon. Couldnt get my money back. It explained a 10 pound gain too (laughy snorts) Lost it in a flash though once I threw them out.

[ljannise]

Does anyone know anything about Woodstock Farms? I have a jar of their almond butter, but havent used it because of what I found out about Marathana.

[shakti17]

I am curious what not raw items people choose to include in their raw diet. For example, maple syrup or unsweetened cocoa powder or roasted carob powder. I have not been too picky about small items like this - but i am thinking of going more straight edge like either it's raw or it's not!

[Shivananda]

Hi purtyflowrr,

I am not as rigid as some are, and I find Maranatha's "raw" products acceptable ie., they're not completely raw but not exactly not raw either. They don't deliberately add any heat to the grinding process, it just naturally builds in the machines while grinding nuts or seeds, just as it does at home. The enzymes are not ALL broken down by the brief exposure to eat, just a small percentage are. Dr. Howell repeatedly said that enzymes BEGIN to break down above 118 degrees, and that 1/2 hour exposure to elevated temperatures, for instance destroys 1/2 the enzymes. So brief, unintentional exposure to heat above 118 degrees doesn't mean to me that the food is ruined. Besides, only by working very slowly, in very small batches, can I do much better myself, and that's a very tedious process to me. So I make what I think is a reasonable compromise and use a small amount of what is admittedly not 100% raw ingredient in some of my recipes. I say why drive yourself crazy with it? 99% raw is still better than 0% raw.

But I swing the other way when it comes to honey, partly because it is considered by many not to be acceptable vegan food, whether raw or not. Now that raw agave nectar is readily available I use it instead and keep no honey in the house. Besides, agave has a much lower glycemic index so that even as a diabetic I can enjoy some sweetness of taste without the full sugar load of honey. (In the original Greek, diabetes means "honey disease")

Also have found that I can make an acceptable substitute for maple syrup (which is available raw, but at exorbitantl prices) using agave nectar flavored with a little fenugreek seed.

[ljannise]

if ppl choose to have these things in their diet, they are not 100%

there are debates about this.

If there is something you find that isnt raw, find a raw alternative immediately.

[purtyflowrr]

[
But I swing the other way when it comes to honey, partly because it is considered by many not to be vegan food, whether raw or not. Now that raw agave nectar is readily available I use it instead and keep no honey in the house. Besides, agave has a much lower glycemic index so that even as a diabetic I can enjoy some sweetness of taste without the full sugar load of honey. (In the original Greek, diabetes means "honey disease")[/QUOTE]

i just recently found agave and have pretty much replaced all honey with this. i am going to throw away my remaining honey when i get home. the agave does just as good a job of sweetening as honey....althought i just love the taste of honey!!! :)

[purtyflowrr]

if ppl choose to have these things in their diet, they are not 100%

there are debates about this.

If there is something you find that isnt raw, find a raw alternative immediately.

does anyone have an alternative for gum???? that seems to be my only vice. i want to give it up, but then my breathe feels so stinky!!!

[shakti17]

in recipes do you substitute agave for honey in same amt?

[ljannise]

[
But I swing the other way when it comes to honey, partly because it is considered by many not to be vegan food, whether raw or not. Now that raw agave nectar is readily available I use it instead and keep no honey in the house. Besides, agave has a much lower glycemic index so that even as a diabetic I can enjoy some sweetness of taste without the full sugar load of honey. (In the original Greek, diabetes means "honey disease")

i just recently found agave and have pretty much replaced all honey with this. i am going to throw away my remaining honey when i get home. the agave does just as good a job of sweetening as honey....althought i just love the taste of honey!!! :)[/QUOTE]

Aww, agave is the way to go isnt it!! I did the SAME thing.

I started out vegan before going Raw Vegan so I know what you man about honey. Although I dont eat honey, I wonder the facts about WHY some vegans choose not to eat it?? Is it really robbing the hive? Do they KILL the bees when they get it? What happens when they make so much honey the hive busts open?? Isnt it suppose to go somewhere?

Sorry for the dumb questions. My mind just paints a picture & I love bees. haha

[ljannise]

if your breath is stinky, chew parsley or something else green & crunchy. Celery is really good too.

[ljannise]

in recipes do you substitute agave for honey in same amt?

I'm sure you could do that or even add a little more. Agave tastes more flowery to me. Ppl that are used to a powerful zing from honey might want to use more.

[purtyflowrr]

in recipes do you substitute agave for honey in same amt?

i don't have an answer for that simply cause i have yet to make a recipe where i would have to replace it. i have replaced it with agave in my smoothies and banana ice cream and as a sweetener on fruit. works just as well as honey!! i love it! yea for the cactus!!!

[Shivananda]

yeah-I got liquid honey from Sun Organic...the label read Raw Honey, but I don't understand how that could be.... :confused:Hi Purl,

As I explained earlier, honey is not vegan, but to answer your question it can easily be authentically raw, yes, as the best quality honeys always have been. The honey is simply extracted from the combs centrifigully, or more simply, using gravity. Cooking is used for cheaper honeys, to extract residual honey from the wax combs and to help clarify it and stabilize it for distribution.

[firefaery]

We raise bees and harvest the honey. It is all liquid for a couple of years. If it gets chilly it starts to solidify, but liquid is NOT a sign that it has been heated.
The bees are not harmed (at least our bees aren't, and I have never watched a bee keeper harm their bees in any way.) In the confusion of extracting the combs a case can be made that bees become confused and may die trying to attack.
Vegans arguements are more that the honey was made by the bees, for the bees. Keepers don't see it as an issue becasue you ALWAYS leave them a super full of honey. But to collect it, you do kind of "force" them into overproduction.
Regardless, it is not vegan.

[firefaery]

Oh, and to further clarify...when you raise bees youstart with a hive. That belongs to the bees. Left to their own devices they will fill the hive, stop when it's full and live off that for the winter. It really never needs to be serviced at all. If you are harvesting honey, you add supers-basically stories to the hive. You can add just one, or as many as five. The bees will keep going until they fill the hive and the supers. They will never go through that much in a winter, but again, they shouldn't necessarily need to make that much.

[veggie]

What about Veganaise--is it raw?

[Raene]

Braggs. And ppl at the potlucks still use it thinking it is. Oh well.

[firefaery]

Vegenaise-I would have to assume no. It's pasteurized, isn't it?

[Shivananda]

Yes, the Veganaise products, while vegan, are not raw. They're all cooked, and the key ingreient in many of them is cooked, processed soybeans.

[jujube]

Not really raw:
-JUVO
-Store-bought "raw" cashews
-Store-bought frozen veggies

[lily]

I did ask this in another post, but I'm putting it here because this seems to be the place for it.

Does anyone know whether nutritional yeast flakes are raw? I don't think they are, and don't use them, but they do appear in quite a lot of raw recipes.

I'd be pleased if anyone knows the answer to this.

Thanks

lily

[samadhisoul]

What is JUVO

[jujube]

Juvo is a powdered drink, advertised as being raw... but the main ingredient is actually cooked brown rice.

http://www.gojuvo.com/

[kmik]

LARA bars are not really raw... at least the manufacturer can't promise that they are raw.

With very few exceptions, anything that comes in a jar, can or in any way processed and packaged (like the Lara bars), is most likely not raw.

[Maria]

I bought some agave nectar for the first time at the health food store. Great tasting! However, would it say "raw" on the bottle? It doesn't say that it is. It was on the shelf with the honey jars, not refrigerated.

Thanks,
Maria

[maraw]

I spoke with Madhave about their agave nectars - they have two. One that is considered raw and one that is not. The one that is raw is not heated above 118 degrees and has a green top and is labeled "raw." If you purchased one that does not say "raw" on it, I'm afraid you have purchased the one that is not raw. I made this mistake once too. Here is a photo of the raw one.

May I also suggest that anyone having questions about whether something is considered raw or not, you might just call the manufacturer/distributor. I have done this a couple of times and was greeted with great assistance and patience.

[RowanC]

yeah-I got liquid honey from Sun Organic...the label read Raw Honey, but I don't understand how that could be.... :confused:

Why don't you think it's raw, Purl?

[Shivananda]

With very few exceptions, anything that comes in a jar, can or in any way processed and packaged (like the Lara bars), is most likely not raw. That's certainly a very safe approach, especially if you are strict about being 100% raw, in which case I'd assume everything packaged was NOT raw unless I had confirmed otherwise.

But there are, in fact, many truly raw products availble in some kind of packaging. You don't have to buy EVERYTHING from the produce section and bulk bins.

Here are packaged things I personally find to be "acceptably raw" to me, especially if they say they are raw:

Refrigerated pickles, kraut, slaw, kimchi and the like, whether in jars or in retort packaging (plastic vac pacs)

Bottles and jars of raw nut oils, seed oils, and butters that have been processed raw and then flushed with nitrogen before sealing to prevent rancidity.

Dehydrated foods like sun dried figs, apricots, tomatoes, and the like.

Prepackaged bags of bulk items, like bags of hulled raw sunflower seeds.

Certified packaged raw goods like raw carob.

Packaged "prepared goods" like the packs of raw food cookies and snacks you find in major city health food stores, or on the internet.

Maybe more, but that's a start.
Your mileage may vary. :)

[misslinda]

Great thread idea.....

herbs and spices are questionable from the HFS or gorcery store.

Most dried figs

Cashews

Cacao beans


:)

[Maria]

Thank you Maraw for your info on raw agave nectar! :)

Maria

[rawfigure]

Aloe Vera in the Glass Jar at the HFS, I realized it when I say the newest product dispaly and the bottle that said "Raw" Aloe Vera.

Manna Bread is not raw though it is baked minimally at a low temp...so part raw ! :rolleyes: .

[cdepalmer]

Can you tell me if is says raw is it? I ordered raw almond butter by Artisana from Natural Zing and it says raw organic. How do I know for sure that it is raw?
Cindy

[RawRobin]

Does anyone know if powdered stevia extract is raw?

Also, "Unsmoked" Yerba Mate?

Thanks!

RR

[*SunChild*]

I'm actually wondering about rolled oats?

I went to my health food store today and asked about it, she said they are raw.
I have some at home that I have just started eating today because I'm following a detox diet that suggests raw oats.

Can someone advise me? THANKS!!!

[Shivananda]

Hi SunChild,

You can find several threads on this particular point using the Search function at the banana key. Here's one of them - http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12350

But the short version is, no. If it's rolled oats in a store, then they have been rolled between steam heated rollers to flatten them, which partially cooks them.

Whole oats, or steel cut oats (which don't get too hot during cutting) are rawsafe, but only the whole oats will sprout.

[sweetgoddess]

You can be sure that the rolled oats on Alissa's website are truly raw. They are handflaked to order and she uses them at home often. They are also delicious!

[Vandy]

Stevia IS raw...

what about dates??

What is HFS???

Are the herbs/spices in the bulk section ok at wild oats or whole foods?

[Shivananda]

Some stevia may be raw... the sun dried leaves alone probably are, but the liquid versions are almost certainly not, since they cyrstallize out to a white powder that was brewed from the leaves, then purified. I don't think about it much myself because I can't stand the stuff.

Most dates are raw, yes, but make sure you get the untreated sundried kind from natural foods stores, or directly from the growers, like Jewel Dates in Thermal, California

[tvillemom]

Misslinda listed cashews and cacao beans...I thought they both were. I havent' used cacao beans yet, but I thought of buying cacao nibs to use....should I...or just stick to raw carob? AND I ALWAYS use cashews in recipes that call for macs...I can't afford macs, so now what? :confused:
Wendi

[misslinda]

My mistake in not clarifying.........the ones that you find at common HFS say raw but heat is used to extract the nut of the shell that is delicately very toxic. Tvillemom, here is a link the hand shelled very truly raw cahsews

http://www.rawfood.com/cgi-bin/order/index.cgi?af=1115&display=single&item_id=0514


sorry for the false alarm......of and I read that cacao wa snot really raw i'll find the thread

brb

[swingbolder]

You can roll your own oatmeal from oat groats using a manual grain mill.


I am curious what not raw items people choose to include in their raw diet.

I eat miso occasionally, and sometimes cashews. Lately I have discovered that wild rice is not really raw, so I have to rethink my use of that.

I used to eat cocoa powder, which is roasted, but now I use raw carob powder instead.

[heabrook]

I did ask this in another post, but I'm putting it here because this seems to be the place for it.

Does anyone know whether nutritional yeast flakes are raw? I don't think they are, and don't use them, but they do appear in quite a lot of raw recipes.

I'd be pleased if anyone knows the answer to this.

Thanks

lily

Hi lily. I'm not sure if nutritional yeast flakes are considered raw. I use them though and LOVE them. In fact, I'm making Alissa's cheesy chips today (calls for nutritional yeast). I'm not going to be that rigid, I use dried herbs and nutritional yeast.

[Shivananda]

I used to eat cocoa powder, which is roasted, but now I use raw carob powder instead. LivingFoods.com / rawfood.com / Natures First Law claims their cocoa powder is actually raw, carefully monitored and never heated over 110 degrees. Here's the site... http://www.rawfood.com/cgi-bin/order/index.cgi?id=270590537248&d=single&item_id=1004&m=home

But alas, temporarily out of stock :(

[Sharon in Colorado]

From: http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/nutritional/consumer/faq.html


Red Star primary grown nutritional yeast is an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Lesaffre Yeast Corporation derives its primary grown nutritional yeast from pure strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on mixtures of cane and beet molasses. After the fermentation process is completed the yeast is harvested, thoroughly washed, pasteruized, and dried on roller drum dryers. The special growth medium and unique drying process are the secrets to the exceptional performance and flavor of Red Star nutritional yeast.

[druid]

Braggs. And ppl at the potlucks still use it thinking it is. Oh well.


Alissa uses it in many recipes AND in the DVD

[Shivananda]

Alissa uses it in many recipes AND in the DVD Yes, but you have to remember, the book was written in the past. The DVD was made in the past. Things change. The information about Bragg Liquid Aminos (as it is accurately called) many of us are upset about was not available until more recently.

That's one of the reasons an online support site like this is so great, because it is more current than anything in conventional publications. Even magazines you buy today on the newstand were mostly written 6 months or more ago.

[tglasco4]

With me it was Bulgar wheat. I just soak it but found out it was pre-steamed (I don't know at what temperature). I went off of it for about 40 days or so and when I used it again I didn't feel any difference so I kept it and still use it. It digests very easily for me and my digestive tract is very sensitive whereas most of my calories are liquid.

Peace.

Todd

[swingbolder]

LivingFoods.com / rawfood.com / Natures First Law claims their cocoa powder is actually raw, carefully monitored and never heated over 110 degrees.

Thanks for the info, Shivananda.

[cdepalmer]

There is a raw alomond butter by Artisana @natural zing.com. I got an email today from the guy. He said it is 100% raw and also the tahini.
Cindy

[misslinda]

Yes, but you have to remember, the book was written in the past. The DVD was made in the past. Things change. The information about Bragg Liquid Aminos (as it is accurately called) many of us are upset about was not available until more recently.

That's one of the reasons an online support site like this is so great, because it is more current than anything in conventional publications. Even magazines you buy today on the newstand were mostly written 6 months are more ago.


You took the words right outta my raw lips Shiva! BUt you always sat things with more precision and clarity :: bows down ::

Even if a new book had Amnios, I'd still buy!!!!!!!!----with raw, you can modify and tweek things without messing at all up. :)

[*SunChild*]

Thanks Shivananda & Sweetgoddes...good info!

[GlimR]

I do use raw honey and having read lots of pros and cons will continue to use it. Honey is not only a sweetner but has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and has been used for centuries as a health giving food. I don't eat a lot of sweet foods on a regular basis but feel good about this choice~

[jaurequi]

Does anyone know if powdered stevia extract is raw?

Also, "Unsmoked" Yerba Mate?
Thanks!

RR


RawRobin,

NFL claims their YERBA MATE (http://www.rawfood.com/cgi-bin/order/index.cgi?id=285807521731&d=single&item_id=1060&c=Raw/Organic_Food&sc=Herbs&tc=) is raw. It can be sun-steeped or cold steeped.

Best,

[jaurequi]

With me it was Bulgar wheat. I just soak it but found out it was pre-steamed (I don't know at what temperature). I went off of it for about 40 days or so and when I used it again I didn't feel any difference so I kept it and still use it. It digests very easily for me and my digestive tract is very sensitive whereas most of my calories are liquid.

Peace.

Todd


Tglasco4, what do you mean by most of your calories being liquid? Do you consume no solids except for bulghur and just drink liquids?

Interesting you say consuming bulghur doesn't make a difference for you; for me, it's teas. I can take them or leave them and there is no difference.
When I used to drink coffee, it was the same thing; I was never addicted and could take it or leave it for years at a time with no problems; though I don't drink it now because I don't feel it's optimal. It's interesting how different we are and how things can be so drastic for some and insignificant for others. My sister, for example can drink espresso right before bed and sleep like a log.

[RawRobin]

Thanks, jaurequi! :)

RR

[jennifuh]

taboulie, storebought hummus..

yes, I am new...but learning!

[CorporalChicken]

As a vegan, I've not-eaten honey, eaten honey, then not-eaten it again after reading more into the subject.

I personally find that although not all honey comes from a cruel trade, supermarket-bought honey is likely to. Male bees are killed off when they're no longer of use. Who knows how many bees die when farmed this way? Just for the sake of us eating honey?

People around me say, "Well why not just eat the good, organic stuff etc?"

Well, a vegan by definition wont eat honey. I wont wear wool, or silk or partake in eating/wearing any other animal products. So why eat honey?

Sorry to go slightly off topic with the vegan thing ;)

[Shivananda]

Well, a vegan by definition wont eat honey. I wont wear wool, or silk or partake in eating/wearing any other animal products. So why eat honey?Fortunately there is a good vegan alternative... vegetable honey, AKA raw agave nectar. I find it to be an excellent substitute, and as a serious chef, the less assertive flavor makes it preferable to me in several ways.

And when I mix it with a liitle ground fenugreek seed, I can even make a reasonably good "maple syrup" as well.

[CorporalChicken]

I keep seeing that mentioned on here and now I think I'll have to get some! It sounds like fun!

Thanks for the tip, Shivananda :)

[tglasco4]

[QUOTE=jaurequi]Tglasco4, what do you mean by most of your calories being liquid? Do you consume no solids except for bulghur and just drink liquids?

QUOTE]

LOL...No what I mean is the MAJORITY of my calories come in liquid form. I eat fresh fruit and veggies daily, but as far as calories, most of mine come from my fruit-date (sometimes nut) smoothies and the fresh OJ (between 32-64oz) I drink daily. I find these not only delicious but powerful in terms of getting into my system quickly and easily. Of course they also take very little energy to digest.

Peace.

Todd

[Aasyah]

Purtyflowrr,

Thank you for starting this topic :-) There are times when i go to the co-op or market and i am overwhelmed by what is raw and what is not. At times it can be :mad: to ask questions, read labels, or just taking a chance. Everyone's questions and answers are very informative in helping me to be more careful of my selections when buying and eating raw.

Aasyah