100% raw or close: How much do you really eat?

[Autumn]

From what I've gathered over the past few days of reading hundreds of posts, it doesn't seem that most people who eat 100% raw eat much food. In fact, some of the posts I read said, "I ate this and this and this yesterday" and I think to myself, "Wow, I could have eaten all that before 11 a.m." I know I have a very big appetite. I was always one of those people who ate before they were hungry, or because it was "lunchtime" or because I was bored. Hunger was rarely the reason. I've always eaten like its my last meal on earth.

The more I read about veganism, raw foodism and NH, the more I realized that for years I was most likely overfed, but undernourished. My body always wanted food, because, even though I've always eaten alot of veggies and fruits, I also ate a lot of junk.

If you are 100% raw, or close to it, do you feel you ate much more in the beginning of your journey than you do now? Do you feel you eat less/more, a lot less/a lot more than you did when you ate cooked food? When you started, were you trying to lose weight?

I'm just curious.

Autumn :)

[Jay]

Hey Autumn,

I'm not 100% all the time, although I wish I was, but occasionally I tend to slip. I have noticed that I eat way less than before I turned to raw. I was also eating sometimes out of habit, and, you know, in front of the tv, or at social gatherings... a lot of people will eat when there's food, although they just aren't hungry!
I learned to pay real attention to the hunger signals, half a day can go by, before I feel true hunger. But I still catch myself eating some fruit and then realising I wasn't even hungry in the first place... Also I noticed that hunger fades away again, sometimes I feel hungry, but I'm like okay I'll grab something in a minute, but then 15 minutes later I don't feel hungry anymore... this is also because I have to lose weight, so I think like I'm hungry? Okay body, eat off the extra weight, lol!
There are also days where I eat more than other days, but what I also noticed is that if I add some cooked food to my raw salad, I eat a lot more! For instance if I eat my salad the way it is, sometimes I can't even finish it, but add some rice or pieces of bread, and I eat a lot more!

I also ate more when just starting out with raw, just to get that full feeling you would get on cooked, but it still depends, one day I can eat a lot, other days I'm okay with a couple of bananas, you know?

Hope this helped :)

Joke

[Rawmommie]

I've always had problems with portions. That is why I have always been overweight, I'm sure.

I've been raw for 2 1/2 months and I'm starting to see a decrease in what I eat, but some days I eat a TON of food. One day I ate 9 bananas and that wasn't including the salad, smoothie, & other fruit I ate!! :eek:

What I love about Raw is that I don't gain. I've lost 24 pounds actually and I don't worry about how much I eat, I just try to listen to myself. There are times I still eat out of habit or comfort, but I'm learning to listen more and eat less.

Sometimes I'm really really hungry when I've already eaten and that tells me that my body is using up the food I'm feeding it and wanting more, which is great! I would rather have it that way then feel full and bloated all the time. :)

So, I'm still waiting for my body to adjust to eating raw and lose my appetite, but I've been told that it happens eventually!

Karen

[Sweet lips]

Autumn,

When I read this:
From what I've gathered over the past few days of reading hundreds of posts, it doesn't seem that most people who eat 100% raw eat much food.In fact, some of the posts I read said, "I ate this and this and this yesterday" and I think to myself, "Wow, I could have eaten all that before 11 a.m."
I laughed out loud and please not at you but because I eat a lot and like you I have a very big appetite. What you don't see in my journal is portion size, I just list the food. A salad for me is the salad bowl size that you mix the salad in, not the one you serve it in. :eek: okay, Amerika - I said it. The blessing Autumn is that it does cut down by time - yesterday, the champion eater who only like to go to troughs for dinner ( oh - I mean buffets), only had 2 naval oranges and a smoothie the entire day - food was not my priority and this comes from an advid watcher of the food t.v. network, and my books of choice are cookbooks - just so you would know.



I was always one of those people who ate before they were hungry, or because it was "lunchtime" or because I was bored. Hunger was rarely the reason. I've always eaten like its my last meal on earth.

Yep, that was me - doesn't everybody eat lunch at 11:30? Don't have anything to do - there is some snacks there, like chocolate ( never figured that was a problem, that's why they are the size they are to be eaten anytime) So yes, it does get better - the absence of white products - sugar, rice and wheat will cut your appetite dramatically, and the more you eat raw, (yes, it is a struggle in the beginning, especially, if your mind says I can eat a little), you will normalize to your proper appetite. Now, I must tell you, I do know what I am talking about - I am one of the Big Amazon woman - big body - wrist measures 73/4, large feet size 12 shoe, and a big head (okay, I needed room for my brains), and this body needed feeding, well, it is changing, I daresay, my foot size may change - (GOD, do you hear me - there are some cute shoes in size 11, and they just don't make them in 12 - help a Sister out here :D ), but my bone structure will not, nor will the size of head, but my body will be healthy.

One of my affirmations when I started this journey is: [U] [B]This is not your last meal, and if you follow raw, you will have so many more, and so many more blessings[U]. Yes, I am 100% raw, and it does vary some days, a lot and some days a little, and yes weight was one of my goals, as part of healing.

So I hope you are going to join us :)

[Rawmommie]

Sweet Lips! :D I'm an amazon too. I'm size 11 though(it's not a bed of roses), have you tried payless? They have 12's in some cute styles.

My salad is also a monstrous bowl and my husband makes fun of me any chance he gets b/c I'm eating enough salad for 8 people when I have it! :eek:

Oh and there are days I can't make it past 10 before I have my lunch (in my defense though, I wake up around 4-5am)
Karen

[Sharon in Colorado]

You can eat like a horse and be as healthy as one!

A person's size doesn't always match their meal portions. Check out the daily diet of this tiny little raw girl:

http://www.ringlet.org/ (look under logs)

Some raw food eaters have been known to eat 30 bananas in a sitting. Others have eaten large amounts of watermelon or 2-3 heads of celery as a meal.

I think it is really important to take in as much food as you can in the beginning so you don't have cravings. Or just take in as much to be satiated. If you aren't satiated, you'll likely get hungry in another hour.

It is true that raw food is much more nutrient dense, so of course you don't require nearly as much in volume as cooked. Either way, just make sure you are completely satisfied at every meal.

[FEELIN'GOOD]

I agree with Sharon- cooked food is depleated of nutruients- and if you are eating tons of junk- it has about 0 nutrients, so you eat more because your body needs the nutrients to keep going... with RAW food, the nutruients are overflowing and your body clock just is in awe because it is satisfied. The trick is getting you MIND to realize that your body is full and satisifed. We have all gotten into these horrible comfort habits of eating by the TV just because- or hording chips and dip at a gathering just because it is what you are supposed to do and it feels good! We have to learn how to listen to our body, and only feed it when it is truly asking- I'm struggling with this at the present, but slowly it is becoming a reality!

Good luck and glad you are here Autumn!

[askcassyfirst]

I think that from the perspective of SAD - Dieters, meaning, ie, the ones out there who are used to small portions on diet programs, the raw way of portioning might seem huge. For our bodies, it is all about calories, and fiber, and the like. So, one can eat a huge raw salad, a nut bread and dressing, and still consume less calories than a small piece of pizza, and a side salad, and feel totally full and satiated...It is all relative.

For me, I like the fact that I can graze throughout the day as needed. Some of my salad's are HUGE. (ie: 4-5 cups of shredded cabbage, a half a cucumber, a couple of plum tomatoes and an entire avocado.) I eat slow, and chew well, so it takes ages to finish. But the same day, I will eat 4 or five pieces of fruit, a bowel of berries and a bag of organic carrots. So, really, somedays I eat more calories than I did on SAD and still I lose weight & toxins.

I have mentioned it before, but when I first went raw I ate a whole mature coconut (the brown kind) a day. This was in addition to a large salad and two banana smoothies. But I lost 30 pounds during that time. So, I really think that it has more to do with satiety (meaning, eating foods that make you feel full,) and calories than "portions." But that is just me.

To answer your question, I noticed one thing in particular, the longer I have been into this way of eating, the less I was into making gourmet dishes and extravagant dishes for my self. Meaning, I would rather just grab a case of oranges and dig in....and save the "uncooking" for guests. This is a common thread I read from Shazzie, as well as others. I think everyone is different. These days I appreciate simple tastes, and mono eating. To onlookers, it might seem like I don't eat much, since I consume mostly simple things, but I can say that I feel full. As a nutritionist I have learned to consider my nutrients, and I know that I am not lacking, so I don't worry. But again, this is just me.

I like Alissa's advice, to just do it. Don't worry about portions, and combinations, don't worry if you need to eat extra on one day, or fast on another. Over time you will be able to "hear'" your body telling you what it needs, as SAD addictions fade away...

Welcome to raw.

Cassy :)
-------------------------------
"Nutrients in. Toxins out...."

[SamL]

I would love to be 100% raw

I can't seem to work out what % I actually am.

I don't experience the clarity and vitality as often as I want to, it's my goal to journey into 100%

I still eat fish (cooked) and make up some pancakes for myself in the mornings, despite using healthy ingredients, they are still cooked.

[SimplyRawesome]

If you are 100% raw, or close to it, do you feel you ate much more in the beginning of your journey than you do now? Do you feel you eat less/more, a lot less/a lot more than you did when you ate cooked food? When you started, were you trying to lose weight? Autumn,
I have been 99.999% raw since the first of January. Before that I was 90-95% raw for three months.

I ate much more in the beginning than I do now. As a matter of fact, I ate everything and anything raw I could find until I was satisfied.

I definitely eat way less now than I did when I ate cooked foods.

I was not trying to lose weight when I started. I was, and am, trying to get off of my asthma inhaler; however, I now weigh 113# and I weighed between 128 and 130 pounds when I started in October.

[Rawist]

I don't eat a lot but then again I don't have to eating raw. I just eat whatever plant food thrills me at the moment at each meal. A little bit of say 5 or 6 different items. So, when you add it up, it doesn't look like much, say, three, four slices of cucumber, half a carrot stick, a slice of sweet potato, an avocado, an orange, a few slices of tomato might be a typical meal for me. I probably eat similar meals 4 or 5 times a day. I did 4 such meals today. But I eat until my body feels satisfied and I stop. I'm able to stop because I'm not eating addictive food, or is it food with little nutrition, I haven't decided about the theory there. I think it's addiction more than not getting the needed nutrition, I'd overeat cooked for any old reason just for emotional comfort mostly I think.

I'm 100% raw and I do eat less raw food than when I started this journey back in '94 or so. Back then I used to scarf down much higher quantities of raw plant food when I was raw in order to stay raw, in order to deal with all the anger over eating raw. I remember it was a big anger fest back then. I felt it was a good thing, eating raw, but there was also a lot of rebellion emotion that felt like rage. So, I relied on avocados and bananas a lot. I remember going through a date phase where I thought I was addicted to them and they weren't good in my diet. I don't have near the rebellion that I once did. I can get by on two avocados instead of six today, I don't look for bananas left and right, I can eat dates or not eat dates, they don't bother me. But anyway, I ate much more plant food way back when than I do now. My emotions don't need as much food as they did. Obviously, it was much more better to just pile in as much raw food as needed to keep eating that way. No matter how much I eat, my weight's not going to be adversely affected.

Back then, I probably ate as much raw as I did when I wasn't raw, eating cooked. Now I eat very little compared to when I've not been raw. I've never tried to lose weight with this diet, but obviously I do. I was at my heaviest before I started this last attempt at raw, but maybe that's just my slowing metabolism as I get older. :o :( :eek:

[tglasco4]

I have been 100% for 2 months now. I have been high raw for about 9 months now. I ate so much more in the beginning than I do now. Like sweetlips, my salads were the family size. Both the fruit and the vegetable. I would eat at least 12 pieces of fruit (or more) per day, not including my veggie salads. I have not consciously tried to reduce my portions, but its happening very naturally. I believe fasting has helped me also (I fast one day per week). The thing about the raw lifestyle is that its a gradual process. You can begin to feel the changes in your body even before you actually see anything. One thing for sure, if you eat 100% raw, get fresh air everyday and exercise, you will lose weight, guaranteed.

Peace.

Todd

[Autumn]

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies! I had always heard that, eating this way, the body would eventually "settle" to its appropriate weight and also that you would learn better to listen to your bodies needs. I guess I still don't trust my body. :rolleyes:

I went to the market this morning and the cashier said, "You sure do eat a lot of fruit!" I didn't know whether she meant this kindly or not, so I said, "Thank you!" :p Our lettuce is finally filled out so I won't have to buy much now (unless I want a little more variety than the 4 kinds we grow.)

30 bananas in a sitting? :eek: Hubby has always contended that bananas are "fattening", despite what I tell him. I don't think I've ever had more than 2 in one day.

Anyway, I will just play it by ear and try to be more in tune to what my body is telling me instead of just eating out of boredom. This is often difficult when one works from home and is with the food all day long!

Thanks again everyone. I enjoyed reading all of your replies.

Autumn :)

[flutterfly]

I also eat large bowls of food. When I make the corn chowder I eat 3/4 of the recipe. Hardly ever use a reg bowl. My smoothies are large with three babanas in them plus lots of nutbutters. ;0

[Jay]

Hey Autumn,

about the bananas, before I turned to raw, I could eat like one banana, 2 at the most! But they were also mostly non-organic, just the chiquita ones.

In the beginning when starting with raw, I still had a difficult time eating more than 2 bananas, they just didn't appeal to me anymore after 2, you know, I got fed up with the taste or so, hard to explain, but now, 6 months later (not 100% all the time though) I can eat like 6 up to 8 if i'm really hungry and I'm okay with that!! Keep in mind that I eat fruit only in mono-meals (except when there's not enough of one type of fruit). Or I can eat like 15 clementines, or half a pineapple, or 30 litchees, lol, you see, and the thing is, there can be 10 bananas lying in front of me on the table, and I start eating, thinking yeah I'm gonna eat all of them, but then at a certain point I'm like, right, i've had enough, i'm full or satisfied (although i don't get that heavy 'full' feeling in my stomach like on cooked) and I put the rest of the bananas back in the fruitbowl... it all depends on the day, the fruit, the hunger etc...

and when people work out quite a bit, they can eat much more bananas!
I've seen my brother one eating more that 15 bananas! :eek: Or like 20 oranges :eek: :eek:

[Rawist]

It is embarrassing to buy lots of fruit and vegetables. Obviously, the discomfort is my own, the people at the cash registers making comments are hardly concerned with the way I eat. I need to believe that I'm not eating strangely.

Autumn: "I went to the market this morning and the cashier said, "You sure do eat a lot of fruit!" I didn't know whether she meant this kindly or not, so I said, 'Thank you!'"

[tennessee vegan]

Autumn,

I Know Exactly What You Mean!! I'm Another One Who Uses The Salad Serving Bowl For My Own Personal Lunch Bowl! I Just Can't Imagine Going All Day On A Few Pieces Of Fruit And Some Coconut Water... But, Again, I'm Just Beginning On This Raw Journey. Maybe The Longer You Do It, The More Easily You're Satisfied With Smaller Amounts. Seems To Me That, Even Those Who Eat Alot On This Diet Seem To Be Healthy And To Lose Weight If They Need To. I'm Committed To This For 30 Days, And I'm Hoping To See Some Of The Great Results Others Have Testified To. I Did Tell Myself, However, That If I Start To Gain Weight, I Would Stop The Diet Immediately And Go Back To My Regular Vegan Diet! That's How Much Fooe I've Been Eating- I Was Afraid I Would Actually Gain!

My Advice Is To Stick With It And Eat To Your Appetite On A Daily Basis.... There Are Plenty Of Us "big Appetite" Folks Out Here!

Blessings

Sharon

[Pink_Berry]

autum.... i just had to comment on this when i read this...

you said the lady at the regester commented on all the fruit you eat.......OMG... you dont know how many times i get this!!! just this last week... 3 times .. from 3 different ladies... i got comments! one said... is this all for you??? another said... are you making a big lettuce tonite for a party?? and another said... wow it looks like all you eat is only fruit....
hahaha....and another time... a while ago.. someone said... i see you in here every second day... only in the produce section... buying loads of fruit.. do you ever buy anything else in here.??
this was in the canadian super store lol......i find it hilarious... but sometimes.. kinda.. KINDA.. embaressing lol!

BUT..what your husband says about bananas is true.. they are fattening...
whenever i include them back in my diet and nothing else but....i always gain about 5 to 10 pounds...when i subsitute those same calories in the bananas for something else.. something with even more calories.. just it not being banana.. i lose the weight without even trying!!... its not true for my dad tho.. he can eat and eat and eat as many bananas as he likes without gaining weight... but they do it for me!!! .. so.. i say.. everyone is different.. and everyone will respond differently to certain foods!

[Autumn]

I wasn't embarrassed exactly by the comment, just a little annoyed, I guess. It seems when one is pursuing optimal health, there is a lot of commenting. I'm sure this same cashier wouldn't comment on someone buying sodas, chips, ice cream and candy, "Boy, you eat a lot of junk!" Ya know? :rolleyes: Also, it seems people will complain more about the price of produce than any other item in the store. I've never heard someone say, "Uh, soda is $1.39/2liters-forget it, I'm not buying any!" But let bananas shoot that high and they'd pass on them. I heard a mother tell her young son that strawberries were too expensive-yet she had Doritoes, cookies and a case of fruit boxes (sugar water) in her cart.

I think I'll stick with my "Thank you!" reply if anyone comments again on how much fruit/veggies I'm buying.

I don't know how the bananas will affect me. I guess I just have to wait and see. I do love them so much, so it's easy for me to overindulge.

[tracyinfo]

Autumn, I agree with you. People with carts full of processed cookies, chips and snacks alongside huge cartons of milk and meat packages, often have very little fresh produce. They can comment all they want to me! My cart is filled with produce. I feel very good about that.

--Tracy

[Rawist]

Of course, the cashiers never comment when tons of garbage is being bought. Inwardly they know it's wrong and the status quo and we all feel a little more peaceful when others participate in our error. At least there's belonging to comfort us. But when a light comes on, someone passes through the cashier's line with fresh fruit and vegetables only, the things we should be eating, the cashier gets a little unconscious spurt of knowing that that's how they should be eating so they reach out with a comment unconsciously wishing they could eat this way. Why comment on error, there's nothing happy about it, but of course, comment on a good thing, wishing one could do that too. So their comments are only annoying if I'm uncomfortable with my diet, for them to say anything at all means that they are reaching out unconsciously wishing they could eat this way too. :cool: :rolleyes: ;) :o :D


I wasn't embarrassed exactly by the comment, just a little annoyed, I guess. It seems when one is pursuing optimal health, there is a lot of commenting. I'm sure this same cashier wouldn't comment on someone buying sodas, chips, ice cream and candy, "Boy, you eat a lot of junk!" Ya know? :rolleyes:

[Sharon in Colorado]

It seems when one is pursuing optimal health, there is a lot of commenting. I'm sure this same cashier wouldn't comment on someone buying sodas, chips, ice cream and candy, "Boy, you eat a lot of junk!" Ya know? :rolleyes:


What if the next time the cashier says "are you going to eat all that?" you can respond, by asking her if she asks the same question to people who buy processed food.

This would be a fun thread to start, getting everyone's responses to what cashiers say. I tried to start a thread about getting responses to what other people say when they comment on our diets, but sadly, there weren't too many participants! :(

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1300 Maybe someone will revive the thread! :cool:

[glad_2beme]

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I was making a gift basket....hmmm. I didnt really get it at the time, I mean I did not buy a basket. So she was referring to the papaya and other fruits and nuts I suppose,

[Elizabeth]

I have never felt like anyone was looking oddly at my fruit and veggies. O.K. maybe when I buy 50 grapefruits. LOL But really.....as far as they know you could have 5 kids at home or be preparing food for a Dinner.

I feel so happy when I pull up there with my cart full of real food and see the junk in the other carts and know that I am choosing to take better care of myself. Maybe I am too blissed out to notice any weird looks :p


How funny if people are thinking that....maybe your fruit and veggies make them feel guilty because they are eating junk food. :confused:

[Autumn]

Glad,
You could have said you *were* making a gift basket-for yourself! :D We all should treat ourselves!

Autumn :)

[Autumn]

Yes, I think some here hit the nail right on the head. Part of it is probably jealousy-the people know they should be eating more healthfully-and perhaps they feel guilty when they see our carts full of produce and then look down at their own. Perhaps they even get angry. For so many, food is such an emotionally-charged subject. Also, I know some cashiers hate waiting on people with lots of produce because if you don't eat it, it's hard to keep all the varieties straight. I have had to help many a cashier identify the item (which of course I don't mind doing- I use it as an opportunity to quickly tell them what I use it for/in).

[Pink_Berry]

to answer the real question

i eat alot.......but when i do write it all down on paper and look at my entire day... it isnt all that mcuh as it seems to be.
it might seem like yoru eating alot... but raw foods have such little calories even tho you can eat soooo much!!

right now i just finished eating 8 kiwis..... i could have eatin more.. im sure i could have fit iin atleast 15..danm those little suckers lol....but i didnt NEED the 15.....8 worked just fine :)

i can eat an entire huge pomelo by myselfin the mornings....
2 or 3 papayas ( the regular size kind haha not the huge kind )
im sure i could eat about 5 to 6 mangos at once also if i was hungry enough.....

i do usually watch how much i eat tho...... cuz i dont NEED 4 to 5 mangos.....2 works just fine to hold me over 2 hours :)

but i think with raw... i can eat and eat and eat and never be truely satisfied or really full!! ..and ive been at it for over a year now...
BUT....ive just realised i dont NEED to be full!!! i dont even like that heavy full fealing anymore.. id much rather only eat a little bit and experience a little bit of a hungry feeling over a full feeling anyday! thats taken some time with me.....but im gettin the hang of it slowly :)

[rawvegirl]

The other day I bought a slice of watermelon for $.70 and the cashier said, "That sure is an expensive little thing." How irritating! How many people hesitate spending that on a stupid candy bar?

And to answer the real question: I eat quite a bit - a huge salad, plus maybe 10-20 pieces of fruit daily. I'm getting used to not feeling heavy after meals, but I know I give in and graze sometimes throughout the day.

[Rawist]

"For so many, food is such an emotionally-charged subject." All that sly laughing people do when talking about cooked food, and all that conversation about "I really shouldn't have that, or that's not really good for me." It's constant, wherever you go, you hear that self-abating talk about the ungoodness of eating cooked. And cooked eaters are so determined to stay that way regardless of a little uncomfortableness in themselves of eating that way. The emotion behind eating is huge for most people. ;) :) :cool:

[Rawist]

Sounds like you're trying to become a fruitarian there Pink Berry. I don't worry about how much raw plant food I put in my body, it'll never be a health or weight issue. I don't eat big meals, I usually have a little fruit at each meal, like my last meal was some lettuce, broccoli, pear, cucmber, greenbeans, carrot and celery, a few bites of each. That's my typical meal. I think years ago I used to eat a lot of bananas and avocados and it used to be hard to stop eating grapes once I got into them. I think I used to eat a lot of dates at one time too.

I get full enough eating raw, I'm not sure why you feel you don't. Then my feeling of hunger comes back in about 2 1/2 to 3 hours and I satisfy it again. :( :) :eek:

[Rawist]

It is amazing how irritated we get at the comments of cashiers at what we're buying. I know for myself, I'm so sensitive to eating this way, that any comment from the cashier is going to bother me. It's just my own problem though, I hope I get comfortable buying and eating raw someday so I can get over being annoyed. ;) :( :confused:


The other day I bought a slice of watermelon for $.70 and the cashier said, "That sure is an expensive little thing." How irritating! How many people hesitate spending that on a stupid candy bar?

[Sharon in Colorado]

It is amazing how irritated we get at the comments of cashiers at what we're buying. I know for myself, I'm so sensitive to eating this way, that any comment from the cashier is going to bother me. It's just my own problem though, I hope I get comfortable buying and eating raw someday so I can get over being annoyed. ;) :( :confused:

It might help if you think of it this way - that most of us never started eating this way, and when we saw someone eating differently than our everyday type of eating and knowing, we may have thought or said the same thing.

[Jennimik]

This thread was exactly what I was looking for. Last night for some reason I was absolutely STARVING. I've been raw for 7 days and some days I feel like I eat a ton of food and some days I'm not as hungry. Yesterday was bizarre. I think I ate half a jar of raw brazil nut butter and I don't even like it that much. Then I ate a HUGE salad bowl full of baby spinach and sprouts. I think I could have kept going. I felt terribly guilty afterward--like I don't have a food "off switch".

[Rawist]

I didn't start out eating this way. I remember when I was a happy cooked eater that I never noticed how anyone else ate. Then again, I was pretty much a recluse so I didn't notice what anyone else was doing in any way. But that's the ticket, is being happy about how you eat. My mother is perfectly comfortable with her cooked eating so makes no comments about my raw food eating. Someone who's not comfortable about the way they eat however, is going to make comments of some kind. :o :rolleyes: :eek:


It might help if you think of it this way - that most of us never started eating this way, and when we saw someone eating differently than our everyday type of eating and knowing, we may have thought or said the same thing.

[Rawist]

That's why I have to get away from deciding on this diet based on taste. Nothing really tastes all that good, and nothing really tastes all that awful. It's just food for fuel for me. Eat what I need to nourish my body properly and get on with something else. Eating is not meant to be a thrill, but it's not meant to not be a thrill either, it's just a necessity. Enjoy it a little bit, but hardly expect to get any major satisfaction out of eating, it's not designed to be that way. Are you listening out there, chefs of the cooked world?

Chefs of the cooked world, "Oh, no Rich, I'd have to disagree."

Rich sticks out tongue. ;) :cool: :p


I think I ate half a jar of raw brazil nut butter and I don't even like it that much. Then I ate a HUGE salad bowl full of baby spinach and sprouts. I think I could have kept going. I felt terribly guilty afterward--like I don't have a food "off switch".

[Autumn]

Rich,
But if eating wasn't meant to be enjoyable, why do we have so many, many delicious varieties of fruits and vegetables? Perhaps it was much more of a thrill before our tastebuds were jaded by cooked, processed and "super size-me" junk. :D Ya know?

[Jennimik]

I think one trip to a raw restaurant would change your mind about the "pleasure" of eating raw food. It's amazing. I have a restaurant pretty close to me and I was there last night. I had raw vanilla ice cream. It was definitely different, but really really good. I think I sort of jumped into the deep end pretty quickly. I started making recipes and desserts my first week raw. I have a supply of pates in the fridge and every raw nut butter and kim chi and sauerkraut I could find. I think some of this stuff tastes better than anything cooked did. Plus, there's the added benefit of your body actually recognizing it as FOOD! :D

[Rawist]

Autumn, I said it should be enjoyed a little, just not this great nirvana that most people expect out of food. Raw fruits and vegetables taste ok, they're just not that great. And there's usually something a little off in the eating of cooked, like the scratchiness of bread, or a slight stinging sensation to cheese, these are clues that we're not meant to eat cooked, but they're so slight as to be unnoticeable. My tastebuds are clear now and there's just no reason to get all that excited by food, there's more important enjoyments in the world and in my spiritual growth. ;) :o :eek:

[Autumn]

Oh, well I do think that raw fruits and veggies taste great (at least most of them!), and I do enjoy my meals very, very much (maybe not "nirvana", but close) :D To each his own. BTW-you're in my old neck of the woods. The first 33 years of my life were spent in Aldan/Villanova/Merion. I miss it so much! :(