are these products raw?

[BrianC]

sorry if this has been asked a billion times

olive oil
coconut oil
raw honey
apple cider vinegar
george's aloe vera juice
tahini

thanks

[mysticalend]

olive oil

Cold and/or stone pressed olive oil is considered raw. Middle Earth Organics makes one and so does Bariani (make sure they say Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

coconut oil

Same thing. Organic, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is what the label should say. Do not purchase "refined" oil, as this has been processed and is utterly lifeless. Make sure it says "unrefined" (usually more expensive)

The great thing about unrefined coconut oil is that when stored below 76 degrees, it solidifies, almost like a butter. When heated above 76 degrees, it becomes a liquid oil, and can be used like any other oil for meal preparation. It can also be used as a dietary supplement (stabilizes the thyroid gland, thus regulating one's metabolism) to the tune of 1-4 Tablespoons per day.

raw honey

Self explanatory. Raw and Unfiltered is usually what I buy. Raw agave nectar is a fine substitute also, since it doesn't alter the flavor of foods as much as honey does.

apple cider vinegar

The package must specifically say "raw" on it, otherwise this product is not different from the other vinegars on the shelf in conventional supermarkets.

george's aloe vera juice

Due to the unstable nature of store juices, I do not believe these are raw. I could be wrong, but even companies "gently" pastuerize their juices at about 165 degrees. I use aloe vera juice (and gel) as topicals, so I never think of the raw implications. Best bet would be to grow your own aloe plant, and extract the juice that way.

tahini

I actually haven't seen a tahini that wasn't raw, but that's just my health food store. They probably exist, I just haven't seen it. If you want to be 100% sure, you can grind your own raw sesame seeds for a homemade tahini.

I am not sure if this information helped, but good luck.

Ian

[BrianC]

thanks very much ian

[Sharon in Colorado]

It is also important to know that none of these, except for maybe pure raw honey, are whole fresh foods. Just an FYI for you to keep in the back of your mind when using these foods.

[mershwista]

I see unraw tahini all the time. The raw kind I buy is made by Maranatha, which is about $6/jar. The jar will specify that it's raw.

[luckitri]

Any store bought juice cannot be raw. The law does not require that they list the ingredients that they use to keep it from oxidising nor what they use to keep the particles suspended (mixed).

Many purists don't wish for the raw honey because it comes from a critter. I am not one of them. Raw honey has healing powers.

Tahini is not raw unless it says it is.

Be forgiving of yourself. Allow yourself transition time if you need it. There are people here who went raw 100% as soon as they learned of it and never went back. I am not one of them. But I keep coming back because I know this is best.

[christiahall]

Thanks! Its hard to decide if I am doing a 100% whole, living foods diet or a 100% raw foods diet. I decided to do a raw, living plant-based diet, with the addition of a tiny bit of olive oil, sea salt, raw honey and now raw vinegar (I'm so excited! I didn't know I could get that raw).

[bittersweet]

Marathna is not raw. The seeds are not roasted like the ones used for toasted tahini, but they are processed at high temperatures and then they are also pasteurized.
The only truly raw tahinis are the ones in the refrigerated section. (Quite hard to find, and very expensive.)
You can make your own. Just blend hulled sesame seeds for a while.

[mershwista]

****...well, then...I guess this is yet another one of those irritating realizations that yet something ELSE isn't raw...but you know, it doesn't make me feel disturbed at least : )

[rawpriestess]

please also know that RAW honey, is not RAW, as we see raw, it simply means it isn't cooked, but it IS heated to about 160 degrees, so to raw foodists, it is not raw, it is heated,

you need to buy unheated honey, to have truly raw honey, the way raw foodists see it as raw

[darkchild]

The way I understand it (I could be wrong), if the honey is easily poured, it has been heated at some point. I get mine from a local bee keeper who does nothing to the honey. He doesn't filter or heat it. I have to use a spoon to get it out of the container, it doesn't pour at all. The taste is absolutely divine!


Namaste,

Dawn

[christiahall]

My honey says that it is raw and you have to spoon it out of the jar. Its as thick as a spread. I really don't think (and hope) that it was heated...

I really hope not.

Christia