question about wine and beer

[snoops]

are they raw?? I hear they are not heat treated. Am just having a discussion with my family and maybe you could settle it. Thanks.

[jacsam]

I don't drink so I don't know and won't be able to settle the discussion but I've heard that there are some wines that are raw but never have heard anything about beer being raw. My personal feeling on wine and beer is that being raw is all about putting things into you body that heal and strengthen you both in body and spirit and I just don't think of beer or wine as something that builds, strengthens, and heals my body. I'm sure that there will be many that will support both sides of the fence on this one. We like family discussions around the table at this house too, especially at dinner. Have fun!

[Ilse W.]

Wine is raw, unlike "distilled" spirits. Coor's beer advertises that it's the only non-pasteurized beer in the country. Alcohol, however, is a toxin. If the reason you are raw is your health, don't drink.

[freespirit]

Wine is supposed to be raw although some companies that offer more mass produced varities do flash-pasturize. If you do choose to consume wine, i would opt for organic or high quality wines. I see it as a fermented juice, comparable to kombucha or miso. with live enzymes present it would be considered a living food. just dont get drunk- i enjoy one or two glasses on occasion, and i know that Pure Food and Wine in NYC serves wine and sake- and they are a 100% raw restaurant.

[Rawness1]

My personal feeling on wine and beer is that being raw is all about putting things into you body that heal and strengthen you both in body and spirit and I just don't think of beer or wine as something that builds, strengthens, and heals my body.

My thoughts exactly...drugs too.

[Veganforlife]

My thoughts exactly...drugs too.

I so agree!

Originally Posted by jacsam
My personal feeling on wine and beer is that being raw is all about putting things into you body that heal and strengthen you both in body and spirit and I just don't think of beer or wine as something that builds, strengthens, and heals my body.

[Raw Angel Mom]

WHITE SUGAR IS USED FOR THE WINE AND therefore isn't raw. Peharps you can find some raw wine but i would stay away from alcohol for it counter interact the positif effect from raw food.

Best wishes!

[Rawness1]

I'd be really interested to know if there are any raw vegans who do actually drink alcohol, or even take drugs, even in moderation. Personally I have always been against both. Alcohol because of the health implications, and recreational drugs because of the problems it causes in the community. I became a vegan (and then a raw vegan) not only for animal rights/health reasons, but for wanting to do the right thing in all walks of life - animals, environment, people etc, and getting involved in cannabis, cocaine and other illegal activities seems to me to be against what vegans are about, namely being compassionate about things.

[Eva]

I'd be really interested to know if there are any raw vegans who do actually drink alcohol, or even take drugs, even in moderation. Personally I have always been against both. Alcohol because of the health implications, and recreational drugs because of the problems it causes in the community. I became a vegan (and then a raw vegan) not only for animal rights/health reasons, but for wanting to do the right thing in all walks of life - animals, environment, people etc, and getting involved in cannabis, cocaine and other illegal activities seems to me to be against what vegans are about, namely being compassionate about things.

There are raw vegans that aren't even all raw or vegan. Many people make concessions on this and that for their own personal reasons. Some people even consider eating 80% raw and 20% cooked to still be "raw." Sorta like being a "special" kind of vegetarian that still eats chickens or fish sometimes. :rolleyes: Then there's me, I don't have things like maple syrup and other things that are clearly not raw, but I do have an occasional cup of hot tea that's over 118 or whatever degrees. That is NOT raw yet I still consider myself to be raw. Where do we draw the line?

We all have our own decisions to make day to day. Labels usually don't do too well for various reasons.

As for the alcohol and beer, I know they make me feel like heck. That's all I really need to know. I'm pretty sure they're not raw, although some (like organic wine with no sulfites added) can be justified as raw by someone who wants to make that call.

[rawstrength]

All I know is that just a few sips of any alchoholic drink gives me a massive headache. I avoid it.

[adelai]

I completely respect the feelings of those that are completely anti-drinking at any time as a personal choice, but I respectfully disagree to say that's the best path for everyone =) Humans have been enjoying wine for thousands of years, and studies are mixed on the health benefits of a glass ore less of wine a day, but I have yet to find a convincing one that shows one glass of wine with dinner a few times a week has any negative consequences.

I lived in Spain for awhile and I found myself among the healthiest people I have ever known, eating a mostly local, largely raw diet not on purpose but just because that's how the culture eats (although they do consume a lot of meat). And sharing a glass of wine at dinner with friends was a huge part of the culture there that I very much enjoyed.

Like everything I think each individual needs to do an honest assessment of how drinking makes them feel, for many just a glass of wine may make them feel worse, or cause a hangover the next day, or slow weight-loss if that's their goal, but for many others an occasional glass of wine can be an enjoyable relaxing experience, and I think it's important that we make judgements only for ourselves and not for others...

[coco]

what you said adelai.

the original post was just asking if beer and wine are raw or not for the purposes of a discussion. i didn't see a request for a lecture or advice anywhere in that.

[snoops]

Well I did feel rather lectured to!

So I went and searched for myself. Beer is not raw. The barley is boiled to a sugary slurry called the wort to start the process.

Wine sounds like some may be, some not. There is a cold and a heat sterilization process. The heat one can go from 113-122 degreesF. So I'm not sure how you would know which but my guess is that some wine IS in fact raw.

So I agree with second last poster that it is a personal choice. There are many of you here who occasionally use non raw products. Tea, Braggs, agave nectar, maple syrup to name a few yet you still consider yourself raw. I think the occasional glass of wine can be included IF it doesn't affect you adversely. I don't get drunk, feel awful or any of the other mentioned problems.

[Andre]

i've not seen any convincing evidence of moderate alcohol doing anything but good in healthy people. infact, i haven't seen any studies saying that moderate drinking decreases lifespan. it has been said to actually increase lifespan by 2-3 years on average. i don't think there has been a study to date that has had any single food increase lifespan to that degree.

[coco]

interesting. i do think that any alterant deserves to be evaluated very carefully before being included in the diet but i include things like cacao and those "super foods" like maca in that equation. some people include salt, spices, onions and garlic in that list as well. there is no wrong in this, there is only what is right for you and that will be different for each of us, of course.

[rawstrength]

Well I did feel rather lectured to!

So I went and searched for myself. Beer is not raw. The barley is boiled to a sugary slurry called the wort to start the process.

Wine sounds like some may be, some not. There is a cold and a heat sterilization process. The heat one can go from 113-122 degreesF. So I'm not sure how you would know which but my guess is that some wine IS in fact raw.

So I agree with second last poster that it is a personal choice. There are many of you here who occasionally use non raw products. Tea, Braggs, agave nectar, maple syrup to name a few yet you still consider yourself raw. I think the occasional glass of wine can be included IF it doesn't affect you adversely. I don't get drunk, feel awful or any of the other mentioned problems.

Snoops - I don't think any of us meant to lecture you. But I also don't think that you will ever get an unbiased answer to any question on this board. It is the nature of an online forum, people sharing personal experiences and opinions. At the end of the day, you have to weigh everything you've read and then decide for yourself what you believe.

[snoops]

True enough.

[freespirit]

as someone that has actually worked as a wine consultant for restaurants, let me assure you, high quality wines are raw and lower quality wines(gallo or yellowtail for ex) are not.

one of the beautiful things about wine is that it is a living thing and it evolves over time- that is why aged wines are revered.

[Asian Pear]

No lecture here - beer is brewed, not raw. Wine may be considered raw or 'living' but certainly not fresh and cannot be compared to eating grapes or drinking fresh grape juice.

Is your goal to help your body heal or to make sure everything you eat is defined as raw?

As stated before, there are a number of things you could eat that are considered "transitional" such as the aforementioned condiments like certain sauces, sea salts, cacao, agave etc. Neither are they fresh foods, but extracted and/or dried and processed and packaged.

So you just have to decide what you want to put in your body and the reason for it. Are you trying to transition and just looking for an adequate substitute or a healthier alternative?

Many don't drink because it's not health promoting but as stated many do drink because of their traditions, customs and cultures, others wouldn't consider that healthy while some think that drinking with meals equals health. Personal experience is helpful here.

[Rawness1]

I just dont understand this assumption that alcohol is ok in moderation. Alcohol is poison, so is putting poison into your body ok as long as its in moderation? We have to consume enough nasty things in our body every day, such as car fumes, smog and other air pollution, and people want to add to this by drinking poison??!!??

Andre - There has been countless studies that show that even drinking in moderation causes your liver & other organs to work overtime. It considers it poison and begins to try to eradicate it from your system the moment it hits your salivary glands. There was a study recently that said that drinking alcohol in moderation has been linked to brain atrophy and cognitive decline. http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/005627.html

[coco]

yes but there are people who avoid brassica because of the goitrgens (i know that is not spelled quite right but i just can't remember how at this moment) which they consider unhealthy. they there are those who avoid spinach, sesame seeds and the like because of the oxalic acid. and there is a controversy about low level toxins in greens building up in the body when consumed in great amounts. and carrots and beets score too high on the glycemic index for some and fruit has too much sugar for others and oil is bad and garlic is toxic and so are onions, etc etc and so on and on and on.
there are good points and bad points to most foods, you must decide for yourself if the good outweighs the bad (or just how obsessive you're willing to be). wine has antioxidants and has been proven to have some health benefits so is that worth making your liver work to detoxify the alcohol in balance or not? that's up to you.

[Andre]

Andre - There has been countless studies that show that even drinking in moderation causes your liver & other organs to work overtime. It considers it poison and begins to try to eradicate it from your system the moment it hits your salivary glands. There was a study recently that said that drinking alcohol in moderation has been linked to brain atrophy and cognitive decline. http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/005627.html
Good point!

Did you take time to read the comments and links provided below the study?


"And the differences between brain volumes in drinkers and nondrinkers were quite small -- less than 1.5 percent between abstainers and heavy drinkers. "We're talking very small differences here," says Dr. Garbutt, who was not involved in the study. "We're not seeing 10 to 20 percent shrinkage."

"At 56 the trade-off between a 30% reduction in overall death rate with daily wine use and a slightly smaller brain seems reasonable."

"A 2004 study showed that even alcoholics (I think under age 50) return to a testing level no different from non drinkers after a period of absence. (I think 6 to 12 months were needed)"


Links:

Brain function and alcohol study (http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?doi=10.1159/000097995)

Woman - Brain function and alcohol (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/352/3/245)

I'm not saying I'm right. Infact, I really don't know. I've just made a choice based on my own education and thoughts. And I wouldn't recommend anyone start drinking if they are not of legal age, are not already drinking, or have had a drug addiction of any kind. Just to keep myself safe here.

and so,

* Toasts with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon *

Cheers! ;)

[Rawness1]

* Toasts with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon *




*Spits in it* Good health!!

[rockstar135]

*Spits in it* Good health!!

Well that's in poor taste.:rolleyes:

[snoops]

ditto that:eek:

[pixelkatt]

As for the alcohol and beer, I know they make me feel like heck. That's all I really need to know. I'm pretty sure they're not raw, although some (like organic wine with no sulfites added) can be justified as raw by someone who wants to make that call.

I am one of "those people" who does enjoy drinking wine. :o I just recently went raw and I have noticed that I not only drink less than I did before going raw, but that when I do drink (even a glass or two) I can definitely feel it the next day. For that reason I make sure that I only drink when i want to have a glass with a friend or with my husband on the weekend. Maybe someday I will be at that place where I can cut it out totally but unfortunately I'm not at that place yet.

My point is I find it really interesting that I feel really bad the next day after only a glass or two when before going raw I could easily drink a bottle (yes, I know how bad that is, lol) and not feel terribly bad. People around me say it's probably because with raw there is nothing to "soak" up the alcohol but I'm not sure if that's the case. I wish I knew the actual reason for this.

[Rawness1]

Spitting in someones drink is okay...."in moderation"

[Eva]

Spitting in someones drink is okay...."in moderation"

I think you were being funny, not serious. I dunno. I know I got a laugh from this exchange. :p

[Eva]

I am one of "those people" who does enjoy drinking wine. :o I just recently went raw and I have noticed that I not only drink less than I did before going raw, but that when I do drink (even a glass or two) I can definitely feel it the next day. For that reason I make sure that I only drink when i want to have a glass with a friend or with my husband on the weekend. Maybe someday I will be at that place where I can cut it out totally but unfortunately I'm not at that place yet.

My point is I find it really interesting that I feel really bad the next day after only a glass or two when before going raw I could easily drink a bottle (yes, I know how bad that is, lol) and not feel terribly bad. People around me say it's probably because with raw there is nothing to "soak" up the alcohol but I'm not sure if that's the case. I wish I knew the actual reason for this.

My thoughts on this...

Ya know, we all make our own calls for what works for US at a given moment. No one can live your life but you. Every day we all make choices. Whether or not we "own" those choices, they are nevertheless ours to make. What a gift!

When/if you ever want to cut it out -- it won't be unfortunate or fortunate to ME -- it will simply be the choice YOU have made. If you are currently making choices that you find are unfortunate, it's worth taking the time to look into why you are making those choices and/or why you think they are unfortunate...

[Asian Pear]

My point is I find it really interesting that I feel really bad the next day after only a glass or two when before going raw I could easily drink a bottle (yes, I know how bad that is, lol) and not feel terribly bad. People around me say it's probably because with raw there is nothing to "soak" up the alcohol but I'm not sure if that's the case. I wish I knew the actual reason for this.

I feel the same way pixelkatt. I only a small glass of something a few times a year and had to drop it because of the way it made me feel.

I think the reason for this is on raw you feel so much better all around; when you have a glass or even half glass of wine your body immediately tries to take care of it and clear out the alcohol. I got extremely dehydrated when this happened.

On cooked your body doesn't have the extra energy or rest to do so as its dealing with processing the cooked food. Also when you already feel great you can feel the effects of something a lot stronger than when you aren't feeling great from having other pains/symptoms from being on a cooked diet.

[Carlsbad]

In the beginning of my raw journey, I continued to drink wine, but over time I realized that it was almost impossible for me to have even just one glass of wine without wanting some kind of cooked food as well. I don't know if it lowers inhibitions or part of some sort of food/drink habit, but it triggers stuff in me that makes living raw much more difficult. I haven't had any alcohol in over three months now, and I much prefer living without it (something I NEVER thought I would say!) I may still have a glass on special occasions, but for me it's more dangerous to my choices than it is supportive at this point.

But if you can drink it and want to drink it, then more power to you! Just be careful because your system is much more sensitive on raw--you'll get drunk on less alcohol than before.

[pixelkatt]

My thoughts on this...
When/if you ever want to cut it out -- it won't be unfortunate or fortunate to ME -- it will simply be the choice YOU have made. If you are currently making choices that you find are unfortunate, it's worth taking the time to look into why you are making those choices and/or why you think they are unfortunate...

Good point.. i didn't even realize that I used the term "unfortunately" but there you go.. :) Maybe that should be telling me something, lol..

[pixelkatt]

I feel the same way pixelkatt. I only a small glass of something a few times a year and had to drop it because of the way it made me feel.

I think the reason for this is on raw you feel so much better all around; when you have a glass or even half glass of wine your body immediately tries to take care of it and clear out the alcohol. I got extremely dehydrated when this happened.

That could be.. When I feel like this I picture my body yelling at me telling me "Now why did you put that in me! We just started feeling good!!" and then getting really angry and making me pay for it, lol..

[pixelkatt]

But if you can drink it and want to drink it, then more power to you! Just be careful because your system is much more sensitive on raw--you'll get drunk on less alcohol than before.

I noticed this too, lol.. It effects me so much more now. I really can't drink as much as I used to. I honestly think going raw somehow changes your system. (And I know all the people who have been raw for a long time are saying "you think? :rolleyes: (sarcastically)" but I'm still new to this so it all seems so amazing to me.

[Andre]

But if you can drink it and want to drink it, then more power to you! Just be careful because your system is much more sensitive on raw--you'll get drunk on less alcohol than before.
I've noticed this. One drink gives me a buzz for a few hours. I don't think I was that sensitive before. Yet, at the same time I have never had the urge to have another drink. One satisfies me.

[LotsaRaw]

Cheers to all! Do what makes YOUR body feel good! Come to my place, and I'll prepare a totally RAW feast for you, or heavens, there might be cooked food too (Thanksgiving for example) - and offer you your beverage of choice (wine - raw and not, variety of beers, kombucha, juices, sun tea, water, even - blech, soda!) You probably won't be re-invited if you wrinkle your nose too much at my food or drink offerings, talk too much about religion or politics, or bemoan & scorn raw, began, SAD, or whatever food lifestyle you practice to the point anyone is uncomfortable.

Cant' we all just get along?? :confused:

LotsaRaw :D

[Revvell]

Cant' we all just get along?? :confused:


Aren't we?

(although, I do have to say, the thread seems to have been hijacked)

[HolyGuacamole]

'Sides, we're not at a half-SAD Thanksgiving dinner at somebody's house. We're hanging out, here, at Alissa's place, where it's most decidedly and specifically vegan and RAW. ;)

[annavon]

WHITE SUGAR IS USED FOR THE WINE AND therefore isn't raw. Peharps you can find some raw wine but i would stay away from alcohol for it counter interact the positif effect from raw food.

Best wishes!

Sugar is NOT ususally added to wine unless it is a FORTIFIED wine, which is a sweet wine with a high alcohol content. The sugar comes from what the grapes naturally produce. I have visited several wineries and give a tour of how the wines are made and I have read several books on the subject.

I would compare wine to other fermented products and use on a rare occaision since the alcohol content is much higher than kombucha etc.

[Jamin]

I am a Home Brewer Brewing Beer at home now for two years. Since I personally know how beer is made, I can tell you that I am torn as to wether it is raw as well. Let me tell you why...
When the Beer is boiled as was earlier mentioned, it is then quickly cooled down to a lower temp. like room temp. of around 70 degrees. Then you add live, active yeast (which is refrigerated until this point). The yeast comes alive in the beer churning and turning everything inside. The yeast is alive even when consumed. It feeds on sugars, and turns them into Alcohol. Therefore, it is live, and raw in that sense. So are there any Scientists out there that can test the liquid for enzyme activity and settle this once and for all???? Does such a test exist? I am holding off on drinking beer until I get this resolved.

[iwuvmydoggy]

i dunno how mead is made, but i know it's from honey and not sugar.. anyone know about mead? (oh my gosh!!!!! i loooove it! lol haven't had it in several months, though)

[hilarya_m]

I wanted to bump this thread because on a trip to Scotland this past week, I discovered RAW BEER! My husband really misses his beer and we only drink raw wine on occassion as I do feel I diminish the pure raw effects but we are among those who moderate several ways at any rate.

Raw beer, also known as REAL ALE or CASK ALE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cask_ale) is unfiltered and unpasteurized. I did not have any headache or yuck feelings when drinking it, it tasted good to me and I don't really like beer. Though, as opposed to wine, I don't know (and doubt) there are any health benefits from raw beer.

But for those who miss it, raw beer is out there!

[hilarya_m]

Also, here's a link to making your own raw beer: http://yankeeharp.googlepages.com/rawbeer

Cask ale, the type I mentioned in my above post is also prepared without boiling because it does NOT use hops (which must be boiled to make beer) they use wheat or barley (mostly barley).

[calebgrayson]

cent 1
kombucha is made from cooked tea and refined white sugar as food for the mother to consume and make a living byproduct. that's rather interesting, i think.

cent 2
this is a philosophical distinction. "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" – a(n) (in)famous Jew.

to be 'raw' as a label is rather silly. its the byproduct of an overactive perfectionistic idealism. it comes from abstracting out of experience an idea and then subjecting one's reality to that idea. the problem occurs when the idea is not seen as a reduction of the real experience. this is to say that definitions of diet and behavior are are useful guidelines for achieving health, but they are not in themselves the definitions of health – as much as us Virgos would like to think.

this is EXACTLY the kind of thinking that got our American diets so screwed up. we reduced food in scientific terms to only a few categories of vitamins, minerals, fat, protein, texture and flavor. we then made a list of what was healthy and defined our Federal Food rules accordingly. a totally dead bottle of some beverage can say on the label it meets all the definitions of health, but we know its not healthy. we know this mostly out of our intuition that tells us, not out of a definition. that intuition has led some to raw food - an almost inherent faith in the Wisdom of Nature. others are led there by their feelings – of what feels good to their body. out of our intuition and feelings comes a real physical effect and from that we abstract an ideal understanding of what we think is at work in healthy living. we create a theory or idea.

to say raw is the way is to cut ourselves off from our intuition and feelings and put us right back into the same category as the 'miracle' of 1950's food science. yes, it may be more evolved, but the idea of 100% raw might fade into a new better form if we are open to the goal of health and not controlling the idea of it. take a lesson from my kombucha mother. expand your mind. let go of the aging stress of having to know the right path and approach your diet with a beginner's mind for we do not live by bread alone – raw or cooked – but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and into our intuitive hearts.

IMHO

-Caleb

sorry for the extra large second cent. thank you for patiently reading this far and please comment. i'm writing a paper on food consciousness so all comments are very much appreciated.

my daughter just started her Blog on middle school lunches.
http://web.me.com/calebgrayson/Kids_Eat_4Life

[natural-girl]

Also, here's a link to making your own raw beer: http://yankeeharp.googlepages.com/rawbeer

Cask ale, the type I mentioned in my above post is also prepared without boiling because it does NOT use hops (which must be boiled to make beer) they use wheat or barley (mostly barley).

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting that! That is EXACTLY why I came on this thread, to find out if there is a raw beer.

I have to admit, I almost didn't get to this point, because I was really getting angry at all the people on this thread lecturing others....but I'm glad I kept reading.

[Dowlin]

Wine is supposed to be raw although some companies that offer more mass produced varities do flash-pasturize. If you do choose to consume wine, i would opt for organic or high quality wines. I see it as a fermented juice, comparable to kombucha or miso. with live enzymes present it would be considered a living food. just dont get drunk- i enjoy one or two glasses on occasion, and i know that Pure Food and Wine in NYC serves wine and sake- and they are a 100% raw restaurant.


nice thought...

[beerishealthy]

I wanted to bump this thread because on a trip to Scotland this past week, I discovered RAW BEER! My husband really misses his beer and we only drink raw wine on occassion as I do feel I diminish the pure raw effects but we are among those who moderate several ways at any rate.

Raw beer, also known as REAL ALE or CASK ALE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cask_ale) is unfiltered and unpasteurized. I did not have any headache or yuck feelings when drinking it, it tasted good to me and I don't really like beer. Though, as opposed to wine, I don't know (and doubt) there are any health benefits from raw beer.

But for those who miss it, raw beer is out there!


Also, here's a link to making your own raw beer: http://yankeeharp.googlepages.com/rawbeer

Cask ale, the type I mentioned in my above post is also prepared without boiling because it does NOT use hops (which must be boiled to make beer) they use wheat or barley (mostly barley).

I signed up on this forum specifically to bump this thread. A friend is going raw and asked me about beer so I was doing some research and found this thread. Pretty much nothing stated is correct as far as beer goes, and the statements that it has zero nutritional value bothered me a bit. I know it's an old thread but this info might help someone with their dietary choices.

Cask ale is unfiltered and unpasteurized and contains live yeast. This is true. But, it's still not 'raw', it's just like any other beer except it's not filtered and it's put in a cask. Also, hops are certainly used in it.

First, the barley has been malted then roasted, then heated in water to ~150*F to allow the naturally occurring enzymes to convert the starches into sugars, then the resulting liquid (called wort) is drawn off and boiled and hops are added to the boil. The wort is cooled and live yeast is added and the beer ferments.

In cask ale and bottle conditioned beers and even some beers on tap, the yeast is alive when you drink it. Any beer that is not filtered has live yeast in it. Most hefeweizens and a few IPAs are not filtered. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in bottles is not filtered. Any homebrewed beer is unfiltered.

The raw beer linked in the second quote is kind of a crazy way to make yourself beer without cooking it and your beer will certainly become infected by various bacteria that are abundant on grains (and all around your home), especially lactobacillus and pediococcus. These bacteria can't hurt you but they can make the beer taste sour/bad over time. The way the author of the recipe gets around that is simply to drink it before it can go bad, typically before fermentation is totally complete. Also I'm not really sure it's even beer as the wheat and barley are not given an opportunity to convert their starches to sugars so what you really have is an alcoholic juice/sugar wine with a lot of starch in it.

As far as the health benefits go, there are great health benefits to drinking beer with live yeast in it. The yeast contains the full B vitamin complex (except B12), chromium, and selenium.

Historically it has been nutritionally important to many societies as it was the main source of such vitamins for agrarian cultures. I'm sure at this point you've heard of IPAs or India Pale Ales. One big reason beer was being imported to India, other than simple demand for beer, is that the alcohol that British colonists were drinking was mostly liquor which not only is strong but provided no nutritional value. Many people were falling ill to the combination of these two factors and beer saved the day. If you have a look at the death rates before and after the importation of India Pale Ale and India Porter, the difference is obvious.

Another comment on the raw thing in general via my beer perspective. It's only because our modern society has advanced this far in sanitation that one can even live with a totally raw diet. Beer used to be humanity's water, most water was dirty and unsuitable for drinking. Almost every society on earth historically has some form of cooked fermented grain product simply because it was a trustworthy source of clean water. Boiling the water killed off any harmful bacteria and the fermentation process filled the water with helpful and nutritionally beneficial yeast. It was so important that some early societies actually paid their workers in beer, for example the Egyptians who paid the builders of the pyramids with daily wages of beer and bread. I just it's kinda funny how heating water got us here and now there's a whole movement that believes that heating water is bad (not criticizing, just observing).

So in conclusion on the beer topic, beer is both cooked and alive at the same time. Make of that what you will.

Beverages that are not cooked (unless pasteurized):
wine, mead, cider, tepeche (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/tepache-200053/)

In most wines near the end of fermentation the winemaker will add a small amount of sodium bisulfate and potassium sorbate to prevent the yeast from fermenting any further. This is almost always true in wines with any amount of residual sugar (anything sweet at all). So the wine is raw but I imagine that many here would still have a problem with that. This is often true in mead as well. It is not typical of cider.

[dtmd]

What would happen if one was on a juice fast and had a beer?