What percentage is required to be considered raw?

[Rawkinlocs]

This is a spin-off thread from the "How long have you been raw" thread. I ask the question in the subject header because I've been eating mostly raw for a while, but I'm not sure if I can be called raw since I'm not 100% yet.

So, what is the percentage of raw that one can consume that they would be considered "raw"?

Is it only 100%? 80-99%? anything over 70%? Help me out here please!

[tglasco4]

I have read in a couple of different places that 75% or more constitutes a raw foodist. I have been promoting that percentage myself. Of course, there may be many who disagree, but that's just me.

Peace.

Todd

[ConsciousCuisine]

I have heard people who are not 100% refer to themselves as "High-Raw" or as having a "High-Raw' diet.

I know that from several Raw foodist books I have read, that some feel it's "You're either Raw or Cooked", with no "margin".

The Vegan analogy seems to fit- this belief shown by these books/Authors:
One can't be "Mostly Vegan" since they only eat the "occasional" Fish. Vegans *never* eat fish. Ever.

If one can be considered "Raw" because they eat 60% or more foods Raw, then I have been Raw for most of my life! :)

I try to not pin myself down too much and live for today. I know that now and for many years, I have been aware of healthy Nutrition and eating and have followed what I know.

Today, I am 100%. Have been for a long time. If I were not, I would not call myself "Raw". I know it wouldn't be accurate. I also know myself very well and if I were to eat even 1 bite of a cooked food, I would have little self-control over my eating for health and vibrancy and as such, my devotion to being Raw is pretty hard-core (for *me*, myself).

My Acupunturist is begging me to eat cooked foods. So is my Chiropractor. They have my best interests in mind, yet they don't see the "harm" in me eating things like steamed veggies and soups. I guess they don't understand *me*, "the all or nothing girl"... :) If I ate some steamed broccoli, I would next want a huge pile of mashed potatoes. That's how my body and its cravings works. I crave comfort foods. So, I deny myself *any* comfort foods and *any* cooked foods, since for me to be 1% cooked would be a struggle and the "cooked food monster" would start to win over the percentages... :(

[ConsciousCuisine]

I have read in a couple of different places that 75% or more constitutes a raw foodist. I have been promoting that percentage myself. Of course, there may be many who disagree, but that's just me.

Peace.

Todd


Great Picture, Todd ;)
Certainly anyone who eats 75% Raw and fills in the other 25% Cooked and with health-building choices is going to thrive in ways that a person who eats the S.A.D. would not... :)

[Kristi]

I like your philosophy ConsciousCuisine!

P.S. I sent you a PM.

[Rawkinlocs]

Thanks for the replies everyone! So Kristi, you didn't mention your thoughts or am I to assume that you agree with Conscious based on you having said you like her philosophy?

Todd, I too have heard the 75% or higher thing but I do understand and really deep down inside agree with Conscious. I know that one cannot eat fish and call themselves vegan...they can't drink milk or eat cheese and call themselves vegan...well...they can "call" themselves whatever they like, but they probably won't be held in much regard by other vegans.

This is kinda why I don't like labels. I don't really feel the need to call myself a raw foodist or a vegan or a vegetarian, etc...but when the question was asked, "How long have you been raw", I didn't know what or how to respond since I'm not 100%. So I was like, well, since I eat MOSTLY raw, can I say I'm raw? Can I even ANSWER that question?

Ah well, doesn't really matter...all I know is I eat much better than I used to and I'm steadily getting better and better with my choices! :)

[Kristi]

My thoughts????? I think I lean towards the 100%.....all or nothing but I don't discount those that are extremely high raw.....say 90% depending on what that 10% is.......some have said tea is not raw.......I never even considered tea as being not raw so I considered myself 100%....now do I consider myself not raw because of an occassional cup of tea? Sounds silly. I guess it's all in your own personal definition. I don't care for labels either. No matter how you label yourself someone else will have a different definition. It's splitting hairs at a certain point.

[Rawkinlocs]

My thoughts????? I think I lean towards the 100%.....all or nothing but I don't discount those that are extremely high raw.....say 90% depending on what that 10% is.......some have said tea is not raw.......I never even considered tea as being not raw so I considered myself 100%....now do I consider myself not raw because of an occassional cup of tea? Sounds silly. I guess it's all in your own personal definition. I don't care for labels either. No matter how you label yourself someone else will have a different definition. It's splitting hairs at a certain point.

Thanks Kristi for sharing! :)

I agree with you, especially the part of your text that I have bolded. I know I've also seen raw food sites and they'll have raw snacks they sell or recipes that have maple syrup or something like that, but still consider the treat or the recipe a "raw" food or recipe.

I also like what you said about it depending on what the 10% IS! It's like, is the 10% cooked food based on condiments that aren't technically raw, is it steamed veggies or a baked potato or... is it the occasional Krispy Kreme doughnut? LOL! Now THAT would make all the difference in the world wouldn't it!!

But yeah, I think I'll just steer clear of the labels for now ;)

[tglasco4]

A person who say, eats 75% raw and eats things like McDonalds hamburgers and fries for the balance will most likely end up going a higher percentage raw or a lower percentage raw. As I have been reading many journalers reports I see that trend. For me I eat all raw food with the exception of zwieback bread. I am not sure what percentage that makes me exactly, but I don't worry about it. When I am in a public setting and set before me is a pile of salad and all around me are people with salmon, chicken, carrot cake and other things, I know I am a raw foodist! If food is sitting in my system so that I don't eliminate in a timely manner or I am constipated (which, by the way hasnt happened in about 5 months now) then I know I am not eating raw or at least not enough raw. Honestly, I leave labels and definitions of things like this for those interested in debating, which I am not LOL.

Peace.

Todd

[tglasco4]

BTW, thanks for the compliment Conscious :).

Peace.

Todd


Great Picture, Todd ;)
Certainly anyone who eats 75% Raw and fills in the other 25% Cooked and with health-building choices is going to thrive in ways that a person who eats the S.A.D. would not... :)

[Veganmama]

I'm with CC on that picture Todd ;)

anyway........

I'm not much of one for labels either, i think its a personal definition. Some may consider themselves Raw and eat 75%, others consider themselves Raw at 90% and others 100%. That all fine with me it doesn't effect my journey.

Me personally I've eaten a high Raw diet for along time probably about 80-95% but i want to go 100% to see what effect it has on me. But i totally understand your point Rawkinlocs as i don't know wether to say I'm Raw or not either. I will now though as I've been 100% for 2 days now, very easily. I'll have to go and do some journaling to share what helped me make this change and the cravings just disappear

[Rawkinlocs]

I'm with CC on that picture Todd ;)

anyway........

I'm not much of one for labels either, i think its a personal definition. Some may consider themselves Raw and eat 75%, others consider themselves Raw at 90% and others 100%. That all fine with me it doesn't effect my journey.

Me personally I've eaten a high Raw diet for along time probably about 80-95% but i want to go 100% to see what effect it has on me. But i totally understand your point Rawkinlocs as i don't know wether to say I'm Raw or not either. I will now though as I've been 100% for 2 days now, very easily. I'll have to go and do some journaling to share what helped me make this change and the cravings just disappear

Oh PLEASE do share Veganmama, please do!!!

[Veganmama]

sorry Rawkinlocs, my story probably won't help anyone else, i just stood up for my self against my ex and saw a lawyer got a intervention order and so on, so it was a very traumatic day but gave me a lot of strength. :o

[ehartmanf]

I'm kind of an "all or nothing" girl myself. My aim is always 100% raw. I don't rule out the occasional steamed veggie, though I haven't had any in about a month. I haven't found that a small amount of steamed veggies sets me up fo failure, but that's just me.......
I'm just glad that I have practically no cravings and can stay very close to 100% raw.

[tglasco4]

As far as 100% goes, it has to be something that a person grows into. If we are trained and bred on cooked, it would be illogical to think that we could just switch to 100% and be satisfied. I believe those that choose the raw lifestyle (which to me is 75% or more) will, as they grow, eventually become 100%. It will be a natural thing as the body craves raw foods and the taste for cooked diminishes. Of course people can go 100% with determined effort, but they may be more frustrated and give up in the long run. I hope that one day, we will all be 100%.

Peace.

Todd

[mwjeepster]

Hey Todd - great pic! Welcome aboard! I read a lot of threads and books and was very convinced early on that it was 100% or nothing... and I really won't be 100% until Monday when I stop the decaf coffee (it took me a month to wean off of coffee). I think for me it was hearing some stories about women and breast cancer that really got me. Despite the fact that I am quite heavy and want to lose weight, what really scared me was Dr. Lorraine Day's bout with breast cancer and what convinced me to go 100% was how she cured herself with whole foods. Of course there are lots of reasons to go 100%, but for me personally, it's about not getting sick in the first place, and I'm not sure that anything less than 100% will accomplish that. Of course, I'm no expert, so I could be wrong. But for me, it's why take chances? I will call myself Raw on Monday when I stop the decaf coffee, but I can see people wanting to define themselves as Raw because they are on the path towards that. In any case, the more raw you eat the healthier you are, so what really matters (imho) is that you are going in the right direction vs the wrong one.

Love to all,
Melissa

[tglasco4]

Why Thanks Jeepster,

I agree with you. Its all about progress and the journey. I know that ever since I started going even 50% raw my body made health improvements. I believe I will be 100% raw at some point, but I am not worried about when I get there. Right now I will continue to eat my Fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds and have my zwieback thank you. Congrats on the Victory over Coffee! Major step! Your body will thank you.:)

[Rawkinlocs]

Why Thanks Jeepster,

I agree with you. Its all about progress and the journey. I know that ever since I started going even 50% raw my body made health improvements. I believe I will be 100% raw at some point, but I am not worried about when I get there. Right now I will continue to eat my Fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds and have my zwieback thank you. Congrats on the Victory over Coffee! Major step! Your body will thank you.:)

I like your style "kid"! :)

LOL...it's funny, everyTIME I see you mention zwieback, I get this mental picture of you having a box of the "Gerber" brand zwieback I used to give my babies when they were younger! :p

[tglasco4]

LOL Rawkinlocs,

I think I am the only one that eats it. :) The bread is hard when its done so I guess it may not be popular. But it is very crunchy and when you throw some Olive oil and basil on top its very tasty!!

[mwjeepster]

I have never eaten a raw cracker - the kind that I know Alissa has in her book - I now have a food processer - but not a dehydrater.... but I think I will get on that - that olive oil and basil just made my mouth water :D !!!!

Love to all,
Melissa

[ehartmanf]

Melissa,

I LOVE the flax crackers from eatraw.com. They are very crunchy and extremely tasty. I need to learn how to make them myself.
They definitely satisfy that need to have something crunchy besides veggies. :)

[mwjeepster]

I can always order those since it's going to be a while 'til my first paycheck (10/15) and I can order a dehydrater. Can't wait though, it'll be fun to make a lot of the recipes in Alissa's book and some that I have found online... I can't imagine it would be too hard to whip up some of these brownies I found - I've even managed to convince dh to go with me today and get more!!! But at $2.97 a piece, I bet I can make them for a whole lot less! Ok, I'm getting hungry :) , and I just had a green drink... it was very green and tasted just like apple juice! I'm going to try and make one before I go to work tomorrow (first day and all) I figure it can only help!

Love to all,
Melissa
(getting less froggy every day!)

[ConsciousCuisine]

Melissa, frogs are cute, but you are cuter... ;)

[mwjeepster]

But it's all in the raw honey I'm eating :D !!! Who knew that was sweeter and lovlier than any candy bar made? I was blown away by how after being raw for a couple of weeks, fruits were insanely delicious - I could actually taste them - I think for the first time ever. I remember I kept shaking my head, in total disbelief, that I had been missing out on the most incredible way of eating for many, many years. So thanks for the compliment, but I owe it all to my new way of eating!!! (And you have to admit the pic of me at the NY State fair eating a cooked meat sandwich was pretty gross, but what a great reminder of where I've been and where I don't ever want to be again!)

:) Love to all,
Melissa

[Kristi]

Alissa's banana-flax crackers are the bomb!